New Mind is the story…
of international students chasing the promise of an elite education only to discover that language and cultural barriers stand in the way of their academic success. Dismayed by these challenges and struggling to properly diagnose core problems, their confidence suffers as solutions evade them.
With the help of a New Mind advisor, students can address potential issues before they become emergencies. By tapping into a network of campus and community support, they are empowered to successfully navigate the roller-coaster of cultural and academic transition to the American higher education system, gain independence, and achieve their personal goals.
Read more
It is the story of the courageous traveler…
who ventures across the ocean, hopeful to immerse themselves in novel experiences within the host culture despite the guaranteed shock they will experience. However, without proper expectation setting and practice, this hope can easily be crushed by culture shock or misunderstandings.
New Mind staff teach and encourage core values such as growth mindset, critical reflection and empathy to help international students see the value in mistakes and pushing beyond their comfort zones, fueled by the belief that pursuing multicultural engagement with an open mind will enrich their life. When these explorers return home, they can positively impact their local communities with these same values.
New Mind is the story…
of shy American college students who are interested in connecting with international students. While their open curiosity draws them to these populations, the cultural knowledge, guided reflections, and feedback offered by New Mind facilitators helps ensure their success in building lasting intercultural friendships.
Both international and domestic students have a wealth of knowledge and diverse experiences to share with each other. Our teachers and strategic partnerships coordinate effective opportunities for such authentic exchanges to fuel the explorer in every participant in New Mind programming.
Read more
It is the story of the seasoned educator…
who witness a divided country starved of sincere connection and cooperative discourse. While technology has provided access to a plethora of ideas online, the art of respectful argument and thoughtful debate has often languished within the echo chambers of homogeneous groups unwilling to consider differing opinions.
To provide students the chance to critically reflect on their perspectives with an empathy for diversity, university partners collaborate with New Mind to bridge international cultures, preparing them to engage in authentic dialogue and challenge their own assumptions and biases.
It is one thing to acknowledge diversity, another to value it, and yet another to immerse in it daily by pushing through challenges to reach a state of integration.
The New Mind story unveils how to begin with global values and achieve a level of programming that forges lasting connections across culturally distinct groups.
For the last 10 years, we have collaborated with a panel of expert educators who have specialized backgrounds in English language learning, psychology, advising, student development, student programming, and intercultural communication.
Our multicultural staff have cultivated a blend of Chinese and American perspectives to develop programs that meet both domestic and international student needs as well as pushing them to reach their full potential.
Through trial and error, we have learned how to balance the often-conflicting needs and desires of university students, their parents, and staff, and are thrilled to share our expertise so university program goals can become shining achievements.
Diversity must ascend the level of KPIs and statistical ratios to become a living example of effective integration. Cultural clashes must no longer be avoided but intentionally and thoughtfully orchestrated so biases and beliefs may be challenged and eventually expanded to include other modes of thinking.
At New Mind, we’ve learned that values can be openly acknowledged and adapted so we may not only coexist but also thrive together as a global society.
