Alumni Step Up to Support International Students

The end of the spring semester is usually a time of celebration for Lewis & Clark students—classes are over, essays are submitted, exams are aced. But this year, for international students, constantly shifting visa policies meant fear and anxiety around the summer break.

Biology major Aaliya Mehnaz Ahmed ’27 planned to spend part of her summer as a research intern at OHSU. She’s from Leh-Ladakh, India, and wanted to return home for the month of August. Instead, uncertainty around student visas kept her here. Choosing to leave the US meant possible re-entry issues, and the risk of not being able to complete her degree. But staying for the summer, far from family support, was also daunting.

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISS) worked hard to make staying on campus viable for Aaliya. “They told me, ‘we’re not going to abandon our international students.’” ISS helped her find on campus jobs with schedules that worked with her internship and secured subsidies for her housing.

Aaliya received personal reassurance from President Robin Holmes-Sullivan. “President Robin was having her coffee chat, and I thought, well, I have all these questions in me anyway, so this is a good opportunity! I needed some sort of validation [for my decision to not return home], you know? Robin really assured me that they have a plan in action to support us.”

Elie Al Khoury ’26 wasn't sure he would be let back into the United States if he went home to Lebanon for summer break.

In an April message to the campus community, President Holmes-Sullivan announced that her leadership team was developing a plan for supporting international students. This plan ultimately included offering students priority with on campus jobs, as well as subsidized housing and groceries.

At an estimated cost of about $6,000 per student, financial support from the L&C Alumni community has been key. “I feel great pride in the fact that L&C is doing all that it can to support our international students during these uncertain times,” wrote Greg Caldwell, Former Associate Dean & Director of International Student Services, in a June appeal.

After completing his summer research program, rising senior Elie Al Khoury ’26 wrestled with the decision to stay on campus instead of returning home to Lebanon. “I wasn’t sure that I would be let back into the country. And, I’m sad to say, I know a lot of people who have gone back home and tried to come back and weren’t able to.”

With support from his L&C community, Elie decided to remain in Portland. “I just did not want to take that risk… I still have one year and then I’m done. So might as well just not risk it and finish this one year, get my degree, and then I can go back home.”

Join your fellow alumni in supporting international students by making a gift today. 100% of your contribution goes toward their housing and personal expenses. One anonymous donor has pledged to match all alumni gifts up to $25,000—help us unlock these matching funds!