Destination Mason: Seeking and Promoting Better Engagement of INTO Mason Students into the George Mason University Campus

Drinko Library 402

This proposal is for a new initiative at INTO Mason called “Destination Mason,” which encourages INTO Mason students to get involved more on campus. The pilot combines university events with required classroom assignments. Students attend six campus events in Arts, Athletics, English practice, Global Competency, Career Readiness and Well-Being. For the graduate version, categories are altered to include more academic/disciplinary aspects. Upon completion, students receive a letter of recommendation from INTO Mason’s Executive Director and an invitation to an end-of-year celebration. There are two main goals for this initiative: to provide another incentive for INTO Mason students to become more engaged in the Mason community and to further the internationalization process to which Mason has committed itself. The initiative is being piloted this semester in several courses across INTO Mason’s three programs: Academic English, the Undergraduate International Year One program, and the Graduate Pathways program. My proposal will discuss the results of the pilot including data on participation with student and faculty reactions, completion rates, and a brief review of literature on international student engagement. I hope to provide a model of ways international students have successfully engaged with Mason activities.