February 1st | 3:30 - 4:30 PM | Kimmel 704

Welcome back to campus and this new semester, NYUers! Let’s get back into the swing of things with English Conversation & Culture groups–an interactive and informative series that’s hosted by Allen McFarlane, NYU’s assistant VP of Outreach and Engagement, in collaboration with the International Student and Support Initiative. Topics such as American academic culture, idioms and slang, and professional English conversation will be covered in this weekly series. We welcome you to join us, and please remember that this is a safe space that is open to all to just learn and practice your English. So leave your laptops, tablets, and notebooks at home, and just bring your lovely self!

February 3rd | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Discover the American Natural History Museum through a carefully organised scavenger hunt that will test your detective abilities and introduce you to other NYU international students!

Prizes will be given to the group that finishes the hunt first. Groups will be created for the event so please don't feel the need to create/join a group prior to purchasing a ticket. This event is meant to introduce new and returning international NYU students therefore single ticket sales are welcomed. Good luck and happy hunting! 

Are you a J-1 student wondering how to work off campus in the United States? Come to this workshop to learn more about the most common form of off-campus employment authorization for J-1 students: Academic Training. We'll talk about what Academic Training is, how to apply, the processing timeline, what documents you'll need, and other items to consider, like tax, health insurance, and getting a Social Security Number.

This workshop is designed to give you a firm understanding of what OPT is (it's a form of work authorization for students in F-1 status), how to apply for OPT, the processing timeline, what documents you’ll need, travel advice, and reporting requirements. We also briefly cover tax, health insurance, and OPT extensions.

NYU Global Buddies is an initiative aimed toward fostering cross-cultural dialogue and friendship among globally-minded NYU students. The program involves multiple activities focused on social justice, cultural exchange, and cultural understanding.

The Global Buddies Initiative is a 5-part program throughout the spring semester. The kickoff event will be on Thursday, February 16th from 5:30PM - 7:30PM. The following events will happen at the same time during the semester. International and domestic students will be grouped into small buddy cohorts to engage in cross-cultural dialogue, fun conversation and build friendship!

Accepted students are encouraged to attend all 5 sessions.

To apply for the Global Buddies 2023 program, please complete this form by Monday, February 6th.

This event will be a great opportunity to meet other international students while enjoying pastries from different cultures!  We encourage participation in the cultural conversations and ask that you come for the full hour.

February 10th | 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM | Kimmel 704

The Center for Student Life would like to invite you to join next week’s “Cultural Theme Month” edition of our English Conversation and Culture groups. Next Wednesday, we’ll be talking about Black History Month! Come by Kimmel 704 to practice your English skills while also learning more about and honoring the contributions of African Americans to US history. English Conversation and Culture is an interactive and informative series that’s hosted by Allen McFarlane, NYU’s assistant VP of Outreach and Engagement, in collaboration with the International Student Support Initiative. This is a safe space that is open to all to just learn and practice; so, leave your notebooks and laptops at home, just bring yourself!   

February 10th | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Directly parallel to Manhattan lies the hip neighborhood of Williamsburg. Known for its trendy breweries, awesome cafes and bountiful thrift stores come with ISSI as we discover local recommended neighbourhood gems and hopefully some amazing thrift finds. Meet ISSI student staff at Union Square before heading to Williamsburg together.

Join us for a workshop on racism and social justice in the United States. This introductory session will delve into issues around race, ethnicity, gender, class, and more. It will also include definitions and terminology, as well as historical background of racial issues in the United States. This session is an excellent foundation for students who are new to social justice learning.

February 17th | 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM 

Join ISSI for the Other Side of Wall Street Black Gotham Experience. It is an award-winning walking experience that reconstructs layers of erased history. Participants will witness and learn the impact of the African Diaspora on the making of New York City and the birth of the United States of America.

The Other Side of Wall Street story starts in 1643 with the beginning of a small community known as Land of the Blacks in the Dutch colony of New Netherland. By 1655, the Land of the Blacks was over twice the size of SoHo today and it continued to exist after the English took the island from the Dutch, making it the first free Black community in New York. This story explains how this community started and how it continued to exist into the 18th century. In the summer of 2022, Black Gotham Experience was able to work with governmental agencies to name a public space, Manuel Plaza, the first permanent acknowledgement of the Land of the Blacks in New York City, which is the last stop on the walk.