LINK Program and International Orientation isss@jmu.edu The LINK Program and International Orientation helps students who are studying abroad at JMU smoothly transition when they first arrive on campus and feel welcomed and connected with the student body throughout their academic journey. With the guidance and training from two staff members of the CGE, 15 globally-minded and talented student leaders called LINKers, lead this program for a full calendar year to carry out many important missions: Transitions, on-campus engagement and on-going leadership. Transitions is the name of the International Orientation Program which takes place three days prior to Weeks of Welcome. In many ways, students who are studying abroad have many unique and important needs to be taken care of. Throughout Transitions, the team of LINKers: pick up students from the airport; help them with early move-in; guide them through complicated paperwork processes regarding immigration, housing and health-related documentation; as well as language and cultural adjustments. In a lot of ways, our LINKers’ goals and duties are similar to those of OPAs, TOPAs and FROGs. The LINK program’s scope goes beyond the orientation phase as we continue to take care of these students throughout their academic pursuit at JMU. LINKers continuously serve as active links between all globally-minded students by creating engaging events and projects to promote diversity, identifying key issues and struggles that international student community faces and how to best overcome them. In broader terms, with the provided skills, knowledge and experiences, the LINKers are proudly perceived as role models and peer-advisors for the communities of students studying abroad at JMU and globally-minded individuals.
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