Cross-Cultural Mentor Program
CCM is a student leader (international or U.S. student; graduate or undergraduate) who volunteers to assist new international students in adjusting academically, culturally and socially to the United States and the University of Arkansas. CCM will assist in educating new students about campus and community life, provide a connection to the University, and be able to answer many of the questions new students may have upon arrival and during their first semester in the U.S.. CCMs also assist new students facing difficulties with communication, social relationships, academic expectations, and general cultural changes.
Requirements
- Must have minimum 2.5 GPA
- Must have been a student at the U of A for at least one semester
- Must commit to 2 semesters (Fall and Spring) unless completing your program of study in December. CCMs are volunteer, unpaid positions.
- Must be able to work well with others, have good communication and interpersonal skills
- Must submit completed application and participate in both individual and group interviews
Responsibilities
- Attend one training retreat on a weekend in April
- Return to campus on time for training and International Orientation (Training: Wednesday & Thursday, August before orientation)
- Keep schedule open during the orientation. During this time, you will be expected to give a priority to the international orientation responsibilities
- Enthusiastically participate in all orientation activities and events
- Maintain contact with your assigned small group throughout their first semester
- Commit to meet with mentor group mid-semester for a cultural, social or sports activity etc.
Benefits
- Sharpen intercultural and interpersonal leadership skills through intensive training sessions
- Gain experience with program development and facilitating small groups
- Gain cross-cultural experience and knowledge
- Receive a certificate recognizing successful completion of program
- Meals provided during required training and orientation hours
- Make friends with international students and other CCMs
Meet Our CCM Leaders
Abigeal Omolewu
She/Her
Abigeal is a poultry science doctoral student from Nigeria. She has also been a member of the International Culture Team for many years, originally joining to engage in the community before she was a student. She is a mother of three, and when she isn’t busy with her children or in the lab, she is helping other students from Africa feel supported on campus.
Archy Pattanaik
He/Him
Archy is an honors student majoring in biology. He is from India and is currently in his senior year of college. His favorite thing to do in Fayetteville is to go for a run on the trails around town. "They are so easy to take for granted, but are such an amazing feature of Fayetteville."
Chinmaya Joshi
He/Him
Joshi is a senior mechanical engineering and math undergraduate student from Uttarakhand, India. He is looking forward to using his experiences in the United States to help new students adjust to the distinctive community of Fayetteville.
Dahunsi Paul Olaoluwaniyi
He/Him
Paul is a Nigerian pursuing a master's degree in Meat and Muscle Biology in the Department of Animal Science. When he is not making LinkedIn posts and working on his research, you would catch him playing his flute or piano, Paul could stay all night making a music video. He is also a national ambassador of MANRRS - Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences. Paul finds the International Office of the University of Arkansas very welcoming and helpful in several ways.
Erije Ben Aissa
She/Her
Erije is a junior from Tunisia studying data science. When you don’t see her in the data science lounge, you will probably find her at the McMillon Innovation studio or sharing her culture through International Students and Scholars programming. Since moving to Fayetteville, she has loved having the opportunities to go biking, camping, hiking, and climbing.
Gertrude Bampoe
She/Her
Gertrude, a PhD student from Ghana studying Environmental Dynamics, is an active member of the International Cultural team. She enjoys cooking, cleaning, and singing. Her passion for assisting new students stems from her own positive experiences and the support she received. Gertrude finds joy in the abundant nature and stunning sceneries of Fayetteville, a city she also appreciates for its peacefulness.
Isini Ranawake Arachchige
She/Her
Isini is a cell and molecular biology doctoral student from Sri Lanka. In her spare time, she loves to work on her photography. She values that Fayetteville has a beautiful environment for pictures. She has also enjoys other outdoor activities such as hiking and looks forward to introducing new students to the wonderful natural environment of northwest Arkansas.
Janet Obaemo
She/Her
Janet is a material science and engineering doctoral student from Nigeria. She enjoys exploring the Arkansas outdoors with friends and engaging with the community through events or activities. Janet likes learning through mutual exchange and is looking forward to collaborating with new students.
Joaquin Jose Esquivel
He/Him
Joaquin is a poultry science graduate student from Colombia. He likes exploring new places and helping new students adjust to life abroad. Joaquin enjoys good food, and going on adventures with his friends. He likes learning about new cultures through sharing his own and exchanging stories.
Joseph Okezi
He/Him
Joseph is a graduate student in French and Francophone Studies. He is also a French language teaching assistant/instructor at the department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures (WLLC), UofA. Joseph is from Nigeria and has keen interest in languages, literature, dramatic arts and culture. He loves to play ping pong and soccer. As a Cross-Cultural Mentor, Joseph is excited about helping others, especially the new students to settle down quickly and seamlessly at the UofA and in the Natural State.
Juliet Igboanugo
She/Her
Juliet is from Nigeria and is a public health masters student. She is a member of the Black Graduate Students' Association and the African Student Organization. When she isn’t busy with her studies or student organizations she loves to read, travel, and exercise. Her favorite things about Fayetteville are the quiet and serenity.
Khoshee Othman Mohammed Mohammed
She/Her
Khoshee is an education doctoral student from Kurdistan, Iraq. She has been heavily involved in women’s sports and served as the captain of her basketball team. She loves sharing stories and advice with new students and empowering people through education and sports.
Louis Gehrke
He/Him
Louis Gehrke is from Germany. He is a master’s student in Hispanic language, literature & culture. He's fond of different languages and cultures, and always curious to learn something new (this includes trying new food of course!). He is also mad about soccer, so in his free time, he loves meeting up with friends to kick the ball around. He enjoys exploring the campus because there is so much to do!
Lydia Samoff
She/Her
Lydia Samoff is from the United States, but grew up in Indonesia for most of her life. She is a senior in the nursing program and loves being outside and playing sports, especially ultimate frisbee! She loves hearing people's stories and talking about religion and culture. "The international community at U of A is full of amazing people, and I can't wait to meet the new students!"
Mercy Sobowale
She/Her
Mercy is a Business Analytics graduate student from Nigeria. She has sung in a choir and likes giving back to the community. Mercy enjoys the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market and going on hikes in the northwest Arkansas area. She loves to cook and to communicate with people from all different kinds of backgrounds.
Meutia Hanafiah
She/Her
Meutia is a doctoral student in biological anthropology from Indonesia. She also received her master’s degree from the U of A. She is looking forward to broadening her cultural awareness and providing a safe and supportive environment for new students. Before she came to Arkansas, she was a dentist! Meutia appreciates that Fayetteville is small and quiet enough to study, but close to bigger cities like Tulsa and Kansas City.
Morgan Reese
She/Her
Morgan is a Product Innovation graduate student from the U.S. She is heavily involved with several registered student associations on campus and is always looking for ways to engage with the community. She is an avid cyclist and enjoys the Arkansas outdoors.
Mostafa Mahmoudi (Mosi)
He/Him
Mosi is a doctoral candidate in Chemistry from Iran. He enjoys spending time outdoors, with friends and traveling. In his free time, you can find him hiking, playing the guitar, and playing volleyball.
Mostafa Mohammad Quamrul Hassan
He/Him
Quamrul Hassan, a poet and writer from Bangladesh, is an MFA Candidate at the university's Program in Creative Writing and Translation. Thanks to his books Spring Moon (2011) and Hyaku Haiku (2016), he is a known name in the world of Haiku, a form of Japanese poetry. He loves playing soccer and considers himself a pundit of the game. He is also the Department of English's Representative to the university's Graduate-Professional Student Congress (GPSC).
Muneer F. Al Alawneh
He/Him
Muneer is a PhD Candidate in the Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies' Programme, specialising in Digital Humanities. He has always been an avid exchanger of cultures and experiences both at the academic and personal levels. He is originally from Jordan, where he has finished his B.A and M.A in English Language and Literature and Literary Criticism, respectively. Being a native speaker of Arabic, he hopes to reinvent the wheel when it comes to learning the language. His hobbies range from creative writing all the way to gaming.
Nathaniel Liu
He/Him
Nathan is from Little Rock, but his family hails from Indonesia. He is majoring in biomedical engineering, and is part of the Engineering World Health organization! Nathan enjoys learning about new cultures and has been a Conversation Club coach for several semesters. He thinks an awesome thing about Fayetteville is the flourishing startup company scene.
Prabha Dayawansha
She/Her
Prabha is a cell and molecular biology doctoral student from Sri Lanka. She enjoys exploring the natural beauty of Northwest Arkansas, whether it's hiking in the Ozark Mountains or visiting the numerous parks and trails. She likes the vibrant culture and community events around campus, and often participates in local art festivals and farmer's markets. In her free time, she can be found reading a good book, walking with her dog, or biking.
Sachini Poornima Warsha Withanage
She/Her
Sachini is a doctoral student from Sri Lanka studying Physics. She loves cultural exchange and is always eager to learn from new students. Sachini enjoys engaging with the UofA community through events and activities, cooking and exploring northwest Arkansas.
Vanessa Onuoha
She/Her
Vanessa is a Sociology & Criminology graduate student from Nigeria. She has a background in law and is passionate about crime prevention and immigration. She enjoys engaging and learning with new students due to her bubbly personality. She enjoys public speaking and is always open to new adventures.
Vinita Karki
She/Her
Vinita is a biological sciences doctoral student from Nepal. She enjoys all things outdoors. In her free time you can find her backpacking, hiking/trekking and bird watching. She likes the Ozark mountains and discovering the Natural state with friends.
Yi Wang
She/Her
Yi is from Beijing, China, and is a junior in computer science. She is also a member of the International Culture Team and is excited to pass on the great experiences she has had to new students. She likes the many cultural activities at the U of A, which give her the opportunity to share the culture of her country and learn about the culture in other countries.
