• California State University, Chico
    Skip to Content
    • Home
    • News
      • University News
      • Messages from Leadership
      • Awards and Honors
    • People
      • Profiles
      • Voices
      • Achievements
    • Programs
      • Academics
      • Student Life
      • Athletics
    • Research
      • Technology and Engineering
      • Business and Economics
      • Health and Wellness
      • Politics and Society
      • Science and Environment
    • Archives
    • Contact
     logo
     logo
    • Home
    • News

      News

      See all News
      • The sun filters golden light through the trees along the bank of Big Chico Creek.

        Reflections on Gratitude and Resilience

        December 11, 2020
      • The exterior of the science building includes large windows and native plant landscaping.

        Science Building Readies for Opening

        December 4, 2020
      • Sunbeams peek through leaves and branches of trees

        CSU, Chico Basic Needs Receives $870,000 Grant, Addresses Student Homelessness

        November 17, 2020
      • University News
      • Messages from Leadership
      • Awards and Honors
    • People

      People

      See all People
      • Stars shine above Trinity Hall.

        Fond Farewell: Distinguished Alumnus and Philanthropist Glen Toney

        December 24, 2020
      • Stars shine above Trinity Hall.

        Fond Farewell: Physics Professor Emeritus Fred Boos

        December 22, 2020
      • Ladd Johnson and a woman holding a cat stand next to a car outside a home.

        Fond Farewell: Geography Professor Emeritus Ladd Johnson

        December 14, 2020
      • Profiles
      • Voices
      • Achievements
    • Programs

      Programs

      See all Programs
      • Portrait of a student seated at a desk in her home, surrounded by electronic equipment.

        CAVE Adopts Virtual Program to Maintain Legacy Tutoring Services

        December 21, 2020
      • Lisa Kendhammer fills plastic bags with chemistry equipment for at-home experiments.

        Chemistry Kits Deliver At-Home Learning Opportunities

        December 7, 2020
      • Sunbeams peek through leaves and branches of trees

        CSU, Chico Basic Needs Receives $870,000 Grant, Addresses Student Homelessness

        November 17, 2020
      • Academics
      • Student Life
      • Athletics
    • Research

      Research

      See all Research
      • Lisa Kendhammer fills plastic bags with chemistry equipment for at-home experiments.

        Chemistry Kits Deliver At-Home Learning Opportunities

        December 7, 2020
      • Water gently flows through the Sacramento River

        Chico State Enterprises Receives $10 Million Grant to Continue Salmon Habitat Restoration Projects

        November 16, 2020
      • Jacque Chase places her hand on a sitting bench and Peter Hansen smiles as they stand among grass and trees. 

        Mapping Lab Takes Closer Look at Population Displaced by Camp Fire

        November 5, 2020
      • Technology and Engineering
      • Business and Economics
      • Health and Wellness
      • Politics and Society
      • Science and Environment
    • Archives
    • Contact
    A cartoon of a student at a computer with map of world behind him with other student faces in different countries.Illustration by Geoff Wintrup

    Maintaining Connections from All Corners of the World

    Savannah AndersonMay 1, 2020
    All Storiescovid19DiversityProgramsStudent Life

    When international students return home after a semester or years at Chico State, for many, the most treasured souvenirs are new friendships, classroom conversations, and connections with people from different backgrounds.

    As the COVID-19 pandemic shifted Chico State’s campus operations and resources to a virtual format, many wondered if this in-person culture of connection and communication would—or could—continue in a world of physical isolation.

    Those who work the closest with the University’s 326 international exchange students, who either remained stateside or traveled back to their home countries, saw a problem that needed to be fixed. Their answer: The International Wildcat Global Café.

    A partnership between ESL Support Services and the Office of International Education and Global Engagement (IEGE), students, tutors, and international student advisors meet via Zoom every Friday when it’s evening in Chico and morning halfway around the world. They check in, chat about life and, of course, talk about how COVID-19 continues to impact their lives and what the future may hold.

    The Global Café fills a need for group interaction and serves as a virtual educational support system, said student advisor Cindy McKay. With the global pandemic separating both students who remained in the states and those divided by oceans and country borders, staying engaged with each other is more important than ever.

    “The Global Café started out with a bang, with 22 students in attendance,” McKay said. “It sounds small, but relative to participation we normally get for workshops and events, this is actually a great turnout.”

    The virtual meetup mirrors existing weekly meetings at ESL Support Services, called Conversation Hour, where international students interact with English as a second language (ESL) tutors and each other in fun conversations, games, and vocabulary exercises. The tutors who interact with ESL students are trained on the best ways to communicate to those who may still be sharpening their English language skills, and a few are English learners themselves.

    Each week the group engages in a new themed conversation—such as traditional foods around the world, slang words, or holidays and celebrations.  

    Four people wave at one another while each on their own screen on Zoom.
    While weekly attendance varies, the conversations are always lively and meaningful. (Screenshot courtesy of Savannah Anderson)

    “[The tutors] have been missing their daily interactions with students,” McKay said. “They do a great job and are very engaging.”

    But these meetings are more than grammar discussions and language exercises. They are also about keeping the Wildcat community tight-knit from all corners of the world.

    On a recent meetup, the topic was travel—where have you been, where do you want to go, and what languages do you want to learn.

    Agriculture major Yuki Takenaka, a Japanese exchange student, talked about how he wished to travel to Mexico. His goal is to help uplift developing areas—such as Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, areas in Mexico, and others—by implementing new technological advancements in agriculture. Though at times it can be difficult, Takenaka decided to remain in Chico for the remainder of this international exchange program, regardless of the pandemic.

    “I chose Chico State because of the agriculture program, and I want to learn everything I can,” said Yuki. “The lockdown can be hard for plant science classes, but it is a good opportunity for me to focus on gathering knowledge.”

    Though it was a small group that logged in that evening, it was full of genuine curiosity about each other. Many of these Wildcats had never met, yet they were welcoming and eager to get to know each other more. They discussed how the coronavirus has impacted where each was living, how University life might change in the coming months, and how their plans for the future travel and life goals might change. The conversation was rooted in anxiety and uncertainty, yet the group was reassuring and supportive of each other’s concerns.

    Such interactions, McKay said, have been typical. She recalled a recent meeting in which one of their most faithful attendees became tearful while speaking about his homesickness, which was brought on by a conversation with a friend back home and the distance and isolation he was feeling. However, this student was determined to remain in Chico, as he too did not want to regret abandoning an opportunity to study abroad.

    “He described how lonely he has been since classes went online because he is living alone,” said McKay. “Conveying his sadness, and also his determination, was so touching to everyone. Attendees gave him tons of support and it was very emotional. It was an intense moment of human connection that I think we all appreciated and needed.”

    Those logged in to that week’s Global Café meeting made sure the student felt heard, supported, and anything but isolated. It was a moment of, as McKay described, true human connection.

    As Tasha Alexander, another IEGE student advisor, frequently reminds the team, “We are in the business of loving other people’s kids,” McKay said.

    “In many respects, especially to new and younger students, Tasha and I are like a hybridized version of a friend and a parent,” she continued. “We provide a trusted constant in a world where everything is new and different. We feel a great sense of responsibility to these young people because many are here, halfway across the world, all by themselves.”

    The Office of International Education and Global Engagement is also adapting to the changes of its virtual world, implementing online appointments and virtual advising tools, especially for students in other countries who haven’t yet arrived in Chico and are planning for their Chico Experience. Those could become a regular part of their offerings even when campus returns to normal, Alexander said.

    “This crisis has given us an opportunity to think outside the box, and I think we will come up with many new creative ideas using technological tools in the future,” she said.

    The International Wildcat Global Café will continue through May 1. As a finale to the first virtual semester, on May 8,the students and tutors are going to hold a virtual International Wildcats Got Talent show.

    Those interested in connecting with the International Wildcat Global Café and other international studies services can contact Tasha Alexander at tmalexander@csuchico.edu or Cindy McKay at cjmckay@csuchico.edu.

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
    • Click to print (Opens in new window)

    Related

    Savannah Anderson

    Savannah Anderson is a former editorial intern for University Communications. In spring 2019, Savannah received her BA in English studies, along with a minor in linguistics and a certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

    Latest

    Stars shine above Trinity Hall.

    Fond Farewell: Distinguished Alumnus and Philanthropist Glen Toney

    December 24, 2020
    Stars shine above Trinity Hall.

    Fond Farewell: Physics Professor Emeritus Fred Boos

    December 22, 2020
    Portrait of a student seated at a desk in her home, surrounded by electronic equipment.

    CAVE Adopts Virtual Program to Maintain Legacy Tutoring Services

    December 21, 2020
    Ladd Johnson and a woman holding a cat stand next to a car outside a home.

    Fond Farewell: Geography Professor Emeritus Ladd Johnson

    December 14, 2020
    A brick pillar with a University seal stands out amongst trees and leaves changing colors.

    Worth Sharing: School of Nursing Shines

    December 14, 2020

    Featured

    President Hutchinson and 10 of the 12 CSU women presidents sit around Dianne Feinstein at a conference table.

    From ‘The Hill’: Women’s History—and Future

    April 2, 2019
    The sunset casts an orange glow on Trinity Tower.

    Worth Sharing: CEO Magazine Lists CSU, Chico’s MBA Program in Global Rankings

    March 27, 2019
    Students walk near the on-campus student housing buildings.

    Options Abound in Hunt for Student Housing

    March 27, 2019
    Sergio Garcia leans on a counter, which holds a statue of blindfolded "Lady Justice," in front of a sign reading SCG.

    DACA, Dreamers and Immigration: The Expert Explains

    April 16, 2018
    Four students, two male and two female, stand in partial silhouette and smoky light.

    Restless Dreamers

    April 16, 2018
    Connect with us
    YouTube Twitter Facebook Instagram

    Chico State Today is the official site of California State University, Chico.

    Report an accessibility issue.

    Location

    California State University, Chico

    400 West First Street

    Chico CA, 95929

    Subscribe to Chico State Today

    Enter your email address to subscribe to Chico State Today and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Copyright © 2018 CSU, Chico All Rights Reserved