Internationalization’s future lies in the integration of international students and the creation of exceptional student experiences, write Jen Gonzales (executive director of student affairs, Ryerson University and Chad Nuttall (director of student housing and residence life, University of Toronto Mississauga). The authors describe the ways that this has been done through Ryerson and UTM. At Ryerson, integrated supports offered to international students were found to benefit non-international students as well. At UTM, pairing international students with domestic Canadian roommates was found to increase their GPAs and their likelihood of graduation. The authors advise institutions to keep the “whole student in mind” when developing internationalization efforts and recommend sharing data across functions, building relationships with and between students, and actively collaborating between faculty affairs and student affairs. “Collectively, across Canada, we can deliver on our promise to propel the dreams and vision of a successful future for international students choosing to study here,” conclude Gonzales and Nuttall.
