More than 30 Refugee Students Will Begin Their Studies with Support from Campus Sponsors This Fall
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2024 | Media Contact: press@welcomecorps.org
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Welcome Corps is thrilled to announce the arrival of more than 30 refugee students enrolled at 17 colleges and universities across the United States representing the inaugural “class” of the Welcome Corps on Campus. As the first-of-its-kind program empowering U.S. higher education institutions to welcome refugee students through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), the Welcome Corps on Campus enables colleges and universities to privately sponsor and resettle academically qualified refugee students who have not, until now, had a pathway through which they could resettle in the United States to pursue their higher education.
“This back-to-school season, I’m grateful for the partnership of higher education institutions who are welcoming refugee students in the Welcome Corps on Campus’s first-ever cohort. Over USRAP’s 40-year history, we have seen time and again that refugees make tremendous social and economic contributions across the United States, including the kind of contributions that drive America’s competitiveness and innovation on the global stage. I’m confident this program will benefit not only the refugees arriving as students, but the campus communities generously welcoming them,” said Julieta Valls Noyes, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration at the U.S. Department of State.
Campus communities have long been places of innovation and opportunity. The Welcome Corps on Campus builds on this legacy and makes it possible for America’s higher education institutions to bring campus leadership, students, staff, and faculty together in the shared act of welcome of refugee students seeking to further their educations. Refugee students will be supported by on-campus sponsor groups who will help students secure housing, enroll in classes, access social services, and integrate as new members of their campus communities. In return, American students and institutions will benefit from the enriching international perspectives offered by refugee students, peer-to-peer exchanges that support experiential learning, and a stronger sense of belonging to campus life and the surrounding community.
“The Welcome Corps on Campus has set in motion a transformative shift in how higher education institutions can build community on campus while also addressing the global refugee crisis. Students, faculty, staff and institutional leaders across the country are embodying America’s longstanding tradition of providing refuge by offering these students this life-changing opportunity,” said Nele Feldmann, Director of the Welcome Corps on Campus.
The arrival of the first refugee student cohort this fall is an important milestone for participating institutions and the Welcome Corps, and there’s still more history to be made. We invite college and university officials, campus leaders, educators, students, and community members to join the Welcome Corps on Campus to sponsor future cohorts of refugee students. Learn more about sponsoring refugee students at WelcomeCorps.org/campus.
The Welcome Corps on Campus partner higher education institutions include:
- Arizona State University
- Bard College
- DePaul University
- Eastern Michigan University
- Georgetown University
- George Mason University
- Indiana University Bloomington
- James Madison University
- North Arizona University
- Salve Regina University
- Soka University of America
- State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi)
- University at Albany
- University of Connecticut
- University of Maryland
- University of Tulsa
- Virginia Tech
Here’s what participating institutions are saying about the groundbreaking program:
“At James Madison University, civic engagement is a pillar of our academic mission,” said Christina Kilby, Associate Prof. of Religion and Welcome Corps on Campus Coordinator at James Madison University. “We know that not only will these students use their many gifts and perspectives to make the world a better place, but we know that we will be changed as an institution by welcoming them. We have much to learn about how to improve educational access for refugees and other displaced people, across the world and in our own backyard. Through the Welcome Corps on Campus, we are ready to become part of the solution!”
“Northern Arizona University is proud to be one of 17 institutions that are collectively welcoming the first ever cohort of sponsored refugee students through the Welcome Corps on Campus program,” said José Luis Cruz Rivera, President of Northern Arizona University. “Our participation in Welcome Corps on Campus is just one example of how NAU commits to educate, support, and empower students from all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences to reach their full potential, and we cannot wait for these students to join our university community and immerse themselves in the life-changing opportunities that an NAU education empowers.”
“Salve is committed to living out our Mercy mission in tangible ways, and our participation in the Welcome Corps on Campus enables us to further the work with displaced and refugee students with whom we have partnered since 2012,” said Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong, President of Salve Regina University. “As part of this national network, we will be able to offer students even more support in their educational journeys. We’re inspired by the courage and perseverance of these students and our community will be made better by their presence.”
“The University of Maryland’s participation in Welcome Corps on Campus underscores our commitment to doing good by creating educational opportunities for people who might otherwise miss out,” said Dr. Darryll J. Pines, President of University of Maryland. “We are excited to welcome our first student from the program as our semester begins and we look forward to introducing more Welcome Corps students to our Terp community in the future.”
“The University of Tulsa has for the past several years provided scholarships and space on campus for refugee students,” said George Justice, Provost of University of Tulsa. The first cohort of the Welcome Corps on Campus will deepen our efforts to share the university experience with refugee students who will enhance the campus and develop skills that will contribute to the United States and to the home communities from which they have been exiled.”
“The University at Albany is proud to participate in the Welcome Corps on Campus program and to welcome a refugee student to our campus this fall,” said Havidán Rodríguez, President of the University at Albany. “UAlbany values inclusive excellence and we strive to ensure that our campus is a welcoming environment where all students can thrive. Supporting refugees is an important part of living out our commitment to inclusivity.”
“The University of Connecticut is proud to be a global university and participate in this important program,” said Prof. Daniel Weiner, Vice President of Global Affairs at University of Connecticut. “It is very gratifying to support our Welcome Corps students and give them access to United States higher education. UConn is a wonderful place to be a student and we look forward to ensuring their success.”
“We enthusiastically embrace this new pathway as a way to provide access to education to academically qualified refugees,” said Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University. “Education will help them to build a better life and create self-sufficiency and success. ASU is pleased to be of service to impact these refugees at a time of need, and in turn, they will greatly impact our university.”
“Eastern Michigan University is committed to providing refugee students with life-changing educational opportunities,” said Dr. James Smith, President of Eastern Michigan University. “Our involvement in the Welcome Corps on Campus effort reflects the University’s commitment to All Are Welcome Here — a theme celebrating the inclusivity of the EMU community that is visible on signage across campus. We are thrilled to join other campuses as a partner in this important initiative.”
“IU is proud to participate in Welcome Corps on Campus to do what we are designed to do – admit and educate bright young minds – no matter where they come from,” said John Wilkerson, Associate Vice President for International Services at Indiana University.
“Bard College is proud to be a part of the first Welcome Corps on Campus cohort of 17 colleges and universities across the United States who are sponsoring 33 students from the Dadaab refugee camp. The College is sponsoring two first-year students this year, and will welcome an additional two students from the Bard / OSUN Hubs for Connected Learning Initiative (Kenya) in the next academic year. Welcome Corps provides a pathway to permanent residency to refugee students and is one of the ways through which the College is meeting the UNHCR 15×30 Pledge,” said Jen Murray, Dean of International Studies at Bard College. “The Welcome Corps sponsor group is a new sub-committee of the Council on Inclusive Excellence, led by Claudette Aldebot, Dean of Inclusive Excellence, and the students will receive additional support from the Dean for Displaced Students, Danna Harman and other members of the Bard private sponsor group.”
“We’re pleased to partner with Welcome Corps on Campus and include these students in our diverse campus community,” said Laura A. Belmonte, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech. “This is one more way our university can engage as a global leader in higher education.”
“In a world where conflicts and geopolitical upheaval are displacing millions of people, Welcome Corps on Campus offers a concrete opportunity for us to act and be real agents of change, in perfect alignment with our university’s mission,” said GianMario Besana, Associate Provost for Global Engagement and Online Learning at DePaul University. “DePaul University is very much looking forward to welcoming our first cohort of students through this program.”
About the Welcome Corps and Welcome Corps on Campus
The Welcome Corps on Campus operates under the umbrella of the Welcome Corps, the broader U.S. private sponsorship program that was launched by the U.S. Department of State in January 2023 for refugees admitted through the USRAP.
The Welcome Corps empowers everyday Americans to come together to privately sponsor refugees, building on our country’s long tradition of providing refuge to those fleeing persecution. Through the Welcome Corps, sponsor groups welcome refugees into local communities and directly assist refugee newcomers as they build new lives in the United States.
The Welcome Corps on Campus leverages the capacity of U.S. higher education institutions to serve as resettlement spaces and academic opportunities for refugee students, foster more diverse and inclusive campuses, and create a sustainable opportunity for colleges and universities to welcome refugee students on their campuses. On-campus sponsor groups consisting of staff, faculty, and students welcome refugee students and provide them with a softer landing, a supportive community, and set them up for academic and overall success.
Americans interested in learning more about sponsorship or to apply to the Welcome Corps should visit WelcomeCorps.org.