As Donald Trump commences his term as president, US universities have joined forces to send a welcoming message to international students.
The #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign, led by Temple University in Philadelphia, aims to reassure prospective international students, many of whom expressed concerns following Trump’s election victory.
The hashtag was originally used in a video campaign by Study Group, but was spotted and taken up by Jessica Sandberg, director of international admissions at Temple University.
Ms Sandberg told The Pie News: “I felt like it was important that US universities come together on this instead of competing, and send a unified message to let international students know that nothing has changed, that we welcome them, that university campuses are progressive, open-minded, friendly places, and that we truly value that here.”
Addressing concerns about safety and friendliness
The #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign has so far appeared in the videos of 19 US universities, with 30 institutions and related organizations sharing the message on social media.
It follows recent news that the US may be considered a less desirable study destination following Trump’s win.
Rather than making a political statement, the campaign is intended to quell international students’ anxieties on issues such as discrimination, safety and the friendliness of US university campuses.
The International English Center at the University of Colorado Boulder is among the US universities to produce a video, sending welcoming messages in English, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic.
Center director Patricia Juza commented that while this is a “challenging time” for higher education, there is also the prospect to “illustrate character, integrity, and support for all students”.
A similar campaign was launched by UK universities following the country’s divisive “Brexit” referendum, with the #WeAreInternational slogan bringing together 150 institutions, organizations and student unions.
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