Dear New and Returning Students,

Greetings and welcome on behalf of the International House community.

This past year International House celebrated its 90th anniversary with the theme Welcoming the world. Championing diversity. At International House, commitment to diversity is not a recent catchphrase. It is the foundation on which our organization is built. “I should hope that this place would be a home of honest differences, a refuge for conflicting opinions, a haven for contrasts,” Raymond Fosdick of the Rockefeller Foundation said at the 1932 dedication ceremony. “Not standardization but diversity. Not nationalism but nationality.” Today International House of Chicago is a member of a consortium of 15 houses spanning four continents united by one mission:

To provide students of different nationalities and diverse cultures with the opportunity to live and learn together in a community of mutual respect, understanding, and international friendship.

This fall, International House is pleased to welcome a new class of students and scholars to our community and will provide more than 100 fellowships and internships to students from over 30 countries. I-House is a place where a social sciences student from Romania, an international studies major from Nigeria, and an economics student from Brazil can share discoveries, approaches, and points of view. Our students learn about other cultures, and at the same time learn to transcend cultures and appreciate our common humanity.

I invite you to explore our website which has been designed to increase the understanding, recognition, and advocacy of the mission and work of International House. Here you will also find information about our 100+ public programs sponsored through our Global Voices Performing Arts and Lecture Series and our robust programming for the graduate student community through our Graduate Commons Program.

Please join us throughout the academic year as International House continues to serve as “Host to the World.”

Denise M. Jorgens, PhD’95 Director,

International House