Dear Friends and Partners,
As another year comes to a close, and we enter our 15th year of operations, we want to thank you for your continued partnership and share some of our accomplishments from 2024. This was a fast-paced year for us as we continued to add new staff in Vietnam, India China, and Korea to support our ongoing initiatives and programs. We hope you enjoy this quick recap of the year!
Expanding Partnerships
Global Academy
Summer marked the announcement of our formal partnership with the State University of New York at Delhi to launch Global Academy! New Mind’s Global Academy allows international students to begin their general education requirements in their home country before transferring to SUNY Delhi to complete their degree requirements. Faculty will also have the opportunity to teach overseas. The partnership is expected to attract students from all over the world and contribute to campus internationalization efforts.
Recruitment
We have added two incredible university partners to our portfolio: Elon University and University of North Carolina at Wilmington and have been actively recruiting for their undergraduate and graduate programs. Elon University has been ranked #1 in undergraduate teaching for more than a decade and have chosen New Mind to amplify their brand globally attracting talented and qualified students. UNCW is a leading research university that is committed to building a unique yet strategic global partner network. New Mind was chosen to expand their capacity.
International Travel
Karin Sandler, Director of Programs for New Mind, spent two weeks visiting China in April with Catherine Madden, Director of the Intensive English Program at NC State University. There they spoke to admitted NC State students and met with students and counselors from some of the top high schools in the country.
Executive Director Sarah Bjork visited Vietnam and China to promote SUNY Morrisville’s International Pathway Programs (IPP) This unique program offers international students full transfer access to the State of New York- all 64 universities, including SUNY’s top-ranked flagship universities. During Sarah’s visit, she talked about the top challenges facing international students studying at US universities and how the IPP mitigates these challenges through its pillars for success. Sarah and her team enjoyed meeting with partners, students, and parents in Hanoi, Hue, and Ho Chi Minh areas and look forward to welcoming more Vietnamese students to the IPP and SUNY Morrisville!
Global Partner Visits
In Spring, we were delighted to host our valued partners and friends from New Oriental and Shinyway in North Carolina, visiting some of North Carolina’s premier universities including NC State University, Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, Elon University, and UNC Greensboro before taking a short trip to Washington DC to celebrate Memorial Day.
Program Updates
Expansion of UPP
The University Performance Program is expanding! Now, students can take advantage of all of the benefits and support of UPP at universities in select regions. In August, we welcomed a transfer student attending Stony Brook University as our first student for this new initiative. The student worked with both a coach and a career counselor to develop his soft skills and explore his interests and career options.
Global Visiting Scholars Program (GVSP)
This Fall marked the launch of the Global Visiting Scholar Program at UNC Greensboro with a cohort of 12 scholars from China. The program has four goals: cultural exchange, continuous learning, professional development, and community engagement. Scholars in one of four tracks (entrepreneurship, visual and performing arts, education, nursing/health sciences) attend monthly workshops on cultural and academic topics while working one-on-one with a coach to help them with their research plans. In May, scholars will present the results of their research in front of a panel for feedback.
Commitment to Service Learning
Our commitment to service learning continued with two activities this year. In February, UPP students at NC State had a wonderful time volunteering at Stough Elementary School, a unique Mandarin immersion school in Raleigh, to celebrate the Chinese New Year. UPP students took photos of students in a fun photo booth, answered questions, and enjoyed a variety of wonderful student performances. In November, our students worked with NC State’s College Mentors for Kids to introduce local children to Chinese culture. They taught the children facts about China and how to use chopsticks and write their names in Chinese.
International Pathway Program
The International Pathway Program at SUNY Morrisville (IPP SUNY) continued to promote student success through its unique curriculum combining academic support, credit-bearing courses, comprehensive advising, and cultural learning opportunities. After one year, students are able to transfer easily to other institutions within the SUNY system to continue their education.
Interns
New Mind was fortunate to work with two amazing interns this year. Gabrielle Neal and Emma Liu. Both interns assisted with all aspects of programming and advising while forming strong relationships with the students and enhancing their knowledge and appreciation of international education.
We remain committed to our mission of inspiring and cultivating global talent. Be sure to visit our new enhanced website at ADDRESS for more information.
We wish you the happiest of holiday seasons and look forward to working with you in 2025!