old article from U-WI Bridge

Program partners international and American students to enhance learning

April 11, 2007

by Ariane Strombom

UW–Madison is home to more than 3,000 international students from more than 100 countries. As new international students arrive on campus each year, many are confronted with language barriers, culture shock, loneliness and academic difficulties, among other worries.

A program facilitated by the International Student Services (ISS) office works to connect these international students with American students to bridge the gap between cultures and to increase learning on campus.

The Building Relationships in Diverse Global Environments (BRIDGE) program, which began in 2001, partners international students who are new to UW–Madison with currently enrolled American students to participate in one-on-one and group activities throughout the semester.

“The goals of the BRIDGE program are to expose international students to U.S. culture and the UW–Madison community; to expose American students to the world and to the experiences of international students; and to play a part in internationalizing our campus,” says May Lee Moua-Vue, the ISS adviser and BRIDGE program coordinator.

Currently, 100 participants are involved in the program, divided into 50 pairs. To create a community atmosphere, the participants are separated into smaller “teams” of 20 people. Each team is responsible for planning one programwide event for the semester, such as potlucks, pizza parties or holiday celebrations.

“We match U.S. students with international students according to their interests and hobbies,” says Moua-Vue, which allows the BRIDGE program to effectively partner participants to the extent that some students have become good friends with their partners and continue to meet with them once the semester has ended.

Another component of BRIDGE is the field trips around Wisconsin that the students are invited to attend. Past trips have included visits to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Devil’s Lake, the Miller brewery and a pumpkin farm. This facet allows students, both international and American, to experience true Midwestern culture and form connections with the other participants.

Lauren Zimmermann, a senior and former American student participant in the BRIDGE program, applied to join BRIDGE after studying abroad in the Netherlands and experiencing a similar program first-hand.

“When I came back and heard about the BRIDGE program I thought it would be great to continue meeting people of new cultures instead of having my international experience stop the minute I stepped back on U.S. soil,” she says.

For American students who have not traveled often and for international students who are coming to the United States for the first time, cultural orientations and leadership workshops help the participants adapt to different backgrounds, traditions and ethnicities they may encounter throughout their experience.

“BRIDGE constantly reminds me of the times I was out of my comfort zone in Europe and instead of people thinking I was strange, they helped me get to where I needed to go. I wanted to extend that hospitality to the students studying here, too,” says Zimmermann.

BRIDGE partners must commit to meeting seven times or more throughout the semester. The participants are also required to keep a short journal about their experiences and activities with their partner. Administrators of the program use the journals to check the progress of the students throughout the semester. Also, because the program is partially funded through the Knapp grant, the journals are another way to provide sponsors a glimpse into the workings of the program. Unfortunately, the continuation of the BRIDGE program’s grant funding past spring 2009 is contingent on securing additional financial resources.