Help International Aggies Enrich the Campus Landscape
New fundraising effort goal will provide assistance funds and a permanent display for international Aggies.
GLOBALLY MINDED - I-Week is a week-long festival, with an event each day, designed to bring cultural awareness to participants and to serve as a platform for organizations and individuals to showcase and honor their home cultures. The Division of Student Affairs and the Texas A&M Foundation are leading an effort to raise more than $1 million to support a permanent display to honor international Aggies and provide financial resources to expand programs and outreach for Texas A&M’s International Student Association (ISA), which is part of the Memorial Student Center. Photos by Memorial Student Center staff.
By Dorian Martin '06
Approximately 5,500 Aggies from around the globe attend Texas A&M University every year. The total enrollment of this group of global citizens—most of whom are graduate students—held consistently until the 2020-21 academic year, when the coronavirus pandemic closed many nations’ borders. These students bring cultural diversity into classroom discussions and campus events, helping U.S.-born Aggies better understand the international world and marketplace they will enter upon graduation.
The Division of Student Affairs and the Texas A&M Foundation are leading an effort to raise more than $1 million to support a permanent display to honor international Aggies and provide financial resources to expand programs and outreach for Texas A&M’s International Student Association (ISA), which is part of the Memorial Student Center.
The various components of the funding opportunity are as follows:
- International Exhibit Hall: $1 million
- International Student Association Endowment: $800,000
- Flag Display: $150,000
- Digital Video Wall: $135,000
One of the most visible aspects of the initiative will be the creation of an international flag display of the United Nations’ 193 members and wall video screen area in the Rudder Theatre Complex exhibit hall. Discussions about creating this space began after the Aggies United event in late 2016, when university officials began to consider campus spaces and the stories they tell.
“We are a world-class university that does visually represent the internationalism of our faculty, staff and students,” said Dr. Daniel J Pugh Sr., Texas A&M’s vice president for student affairs. “The International Exhibit hall is going to be a space where people can experience the university’s international presence, relax and have a cup of coffee, or attend events.”
The fundraising campaign also will enhance educational outreach offerings of the International Student Association, with possibilities such as an expansion of I-Week programs and an international student career fair, providing scholarships and awards, and creating an emergency fund. The association provides a welcoming environment for international students and creates educational and cultural opportunities for all Aggies and the Bryan/College Station community.
INTERNATIONAL FLAG DISPLAY - The International Flag Display will hang inside the Rudder Theatre Complex Exhibit Hall and feature flags of the 193 countries recognized by the United Nations. The display will suspend from four circular chandelier structures, each containing approximately 50 flags.
ISA President Sean Waters ’22 says the effort provides a real opportunity for the organization’s campus visibility to grow. “ISA’s work mainly focuses on the thousands of international students who are a vital part of Texas A&M,” said the computer engineering major, whose parents are originally from China and Ecuador. “Ultimately, our association’s mission—cultivating global leadership skills, promoting cultural awareness, and advocating for Texas A&M’s international students—boil down to helping international students foster the same core values for which the university stands.”
Partner with the Texas A&M Foundation to sponsor the International Flag Display or the International Student Association (ISA) endowment fund online. For more information, email David Wilkinson '87.