Boundless Ambition: Internationalization Efforts Grow at Gonzaga

Vietnamese graduate student Daisy Le (’24 M.B.A.) complemented her studies at Gonzaga with a practical job in marketing and leading a Lunar New Year festival to share
her culture with the campus.

Her story is becoming more common among international students, thanks to the wrap-around support they receive and the encouragement to bring their whole selves to the experience.

It’s a win-win, because everyone benefits from thoughtful multicultural exchanges and shared experiences. Gonzaga’s Center for Global Engagement (CGE) rebounded from the pandemic with new leadership, plans and partners. Beyond the long-standing Gonzaga in Florence campus, other robust study abroad/away programs, and relocation of the English Language Center (ELC) from the College of Arts and Sciences to the CGE, an invigorated international student program is emerging.

The opportunity for students and families who recognize the value and choose to pursue international education as part of the university experience continues to grow.

Christina Isabelli, associate provost for Global Engagement, underscores the vital role CGE embraces to develop intercultural skills and provide international experiences for GU’s globally connected future leaders – in both conceptual and practical terms.

“Internationalization aligns closely with the Jesuit, Catholic, humanistic mission of GU, offering key impacts for all students,” Isabelli says.

“First, it makes our students competitive in careers because they can thrive in diverse and multicultural environments,” Isabelli shares. “Second, it equips our students with the intercultural competence to work effectively in teams that exist in today’s interconnected world – leveraging a diversity of perspectives and experience to achieve common goals.”

She says it also “empowers students to be responsible global citizens – addressing global challenges through effective communication, collaboration and understanding – work that can lead to positive social change.”

As the pandemic marked the end of a few longstanding partnerships, Gonzaga adopted new guidelines for international collaborations, enabling any community member to propose work with colleagues they have connections with globally. Additionally, GU's alliance has grown with Shorelight, an international firm specializing in recruiting students around the world.

Partnering for Impact

Shorelight, branded as Gonzaga Global, approaches its work as a long-term collaboration for long-term results. Tim Smetana, managing director, moved his young family from Prague to work at Gonzaga alongside two other Shorelight employees and CGE staff.

“Our partnership involves combining strengths to generate the kinds of impacts we can only achieve together,” he notes.

Shorelight tracks trends in individual markets around the globe and utilizes on-the-ground teams who work with high school counselors to understand what students and families in specific areas seek.

"Jesuit higher education is highly respected in many countries,” Smetana says. “The Jesuit approach to academic excellence, and the way it integrates leadership and service, is a distinguishing feature that sets it apart from other models – and it resonates with students and families.”

Foreign students and families give strong consideration to rankings, he says, because these reflect third-party validation. Being listed among the top 100 universities in the U.S. is notable, as are top rankings in key disciplines and student activities such as clubs and athletics.

The highly residential and high-touch nature of GU is a draw for both undergraduate and graduate international students, because it offers the opportunity to live together and form community and friendships that can last a lifetime. GU’s location in the western U.S., the smaller yet vibrant urban center Spokane provides, and the depth of personal support and assistance the University offers – including English language support from the ELC – also puts GU high on the list for students and families around the globe.

“The return on investment for students is to earn credentials that are respected worldwide, and to be part of a truly international alumni network,” Smetana says.

Gonzaga on the Global Stage

GU drew the attention of the international higher education community in November 2023 at Forward 24, a summit held in China. Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh gave a keynote speech and accepted the award for Best University for Community Service, recognizing the impact of the Jesuit model.

More than 500 industry professionals and international students attended the summit (with additional online participants) where U.S. and British networks helped reestablish robust, resilient frameworks and relationships to advance study abroad options for Chinese students.

The impact of the conference is already evident, reports Ashley Davis, director of International Student & Scholar Services at CGE, who attended with McCulloh and provided interpretation and cultural support.

“It clearly increased awareness of Gonzaga in China and our global footprint in general,” Davis says. The livestream reached nearly 17,000 viewers and subsequent communications extended to millions of people. It also strengthened relationships with Shorelight and partners in China. Shortly after the Summit, approximately 40 Chinese colleagues visited Gonzaga in person to learn more.

Living Proof

Le completed her undergraduate degree at a Pennsylvania university and returned to her home in Vietnam before embarking on a master’s at GU. The experience was
very different at GU – more focused academically and challenging.

Le was impressed with the thoughtfulness of the services and support from both Shorelight and GU staff – anticipating questions, assisting with visas and transportation, ensuring that orientation was useful and fun.

“The stress and overload melted away,” she says.

“Faculty in the School of Business had us dive right into the curricula and went out of their way to ensure every one of the students got support they needed – right from the beginning,” Le says.

Le worked in GU’s marketing department as a website assistant, which helped her experience a U.S. work culture and environment up close to strengthen her skills for employment.

She spearheaded efforts to revive the Vietnamese Student Association and chaired the Lunar New Year Festival.

“This is how I was able to ‘give back’, ” Le explains. She worked with Nathan Child from Sodexo to produce an all-Vietnamese food menu, introducing new students to the club – now 40 members strong – working in the community and with others on campus to celebrate her heritage.

“I’ve grown so much,” Le says. “The opportunity to share my culture is priceless.”

Zimbabwean Rest Mugwagwa (’26), a civil engineering major, describes GU as “a home of warmth and inclusivity for students like me.”

He rates academics particularly high for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and cites the advantages of the exceptional 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio to provide a close environment where professors act as mentors.

“All my professors know me personally,” he said. “I could have gone to a bigger school. For me, and other international students, the small classes make a big difference."

Beyond the classroom, Mugwagwa has embraced every opportunity to be involved and meet others. He raised his hand for student employment, which led to his first work experiences – helping to design a living environment for seniors at Aegis Living, answering the phone at the Center for Global Engagement and serving at the box office in the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center.

“I’m involved in the American Society for Civil Engineers student club that allowed me to connect with like-minded students and apply knowledge in real-world settings,” he says. “We designed and built a canoe made from concrete which we took for competitions with other colleges in Canada."

He also joined the soccer club “as a recreational outlet and to build long-lasting friendships.”

“Most of what I knew about America was from the movies,” Mugwagwa says. “It’s way nicer here than what I expected. People at Gonzaga help you with whatever you need, and make you feel like you belong.”