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Home Away From Home: Ad Mgmt Student Helps Guide International Students Through MSU

Home Away From Home: Ad Mgmt Student Helps Guide International Students Through MSU

A student posing with a first prize certificate for a stylized portrait with 6 hands hold images in the background

Phoebe Tran Helps MSU Students as an International Student Ambassador

By: Megan Malinowski

Navigating a college as big as a Michigan State University as an international student is no easy task, but with guidance from groups like the International Student Ambassador Program, it can help ease the journey. For advertising management student, Phoebe Tran, helping guide international students was an amazing opportunity she could not pass up.

A logo for International Student Ambassadors
International Student Ambassadors assist international students with career advising and networking opportunities.

In 2022-2023, Tran worked as the social media coordinator for MSU’s International Student Ambassador Program. In this position, she created blog posts and vlogs to assist international students through their journey at MSU. Tran has since stepped down from the social media coordinator position but is still an active member in the program. Tran has worked hard to ensure that the transition into a MSU student can be painless, no matter what part of the world they come from.

“I started doing vlogs and blogs in high school about my life in general,” said Tran. “When I started being an ambassador, an opportunity opened to share about my life to international students and since it is already something I love to do, I figured I should continue doing it.”

Not only does Tran help guide current MSU international students but she also assists future students through the Unibuddy app. On Unibuddy, potential MSU students connect with current students to answer any questions they may have about the university. Tran was trained on how to use the app to best assist incoming international students. With this, Tran guides international students through their journey at MSU before they even step foot on campus.

The best advice Tran feels she offers to students is to be proactive and take initiative.

“I always emphasize that MSU offers a tremendous amount of resources and opportunities and connections, but the students themselves would need to know how to utilize them,” said Tran.

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Athletes compete in basketball game while students cheer in the stands.

Tran enjoys every moment of her time as an international student ambassador and says she is grateful for the memories and relationships she has made.

“It feels good going from a high schooler who was just as lost, to the person who has the answers,” said Tran.

Learn more about the MSU International Student Ambassador program online: https://careernetwork.msu.edu/resources/cultural-ambassadors-mentoring-program-for-international-students/.