Students’ Experiences Follow Our Guiding Principles…
Learning by Doing
Students develop not only through classes, but also through hands-on activities, projects, leadership opportunities, and community service. These practical learning opportunities provide safe environments to experiment, develop and grow.
Walking Their Own Path
Each student is assigned an adviser who tailors their educational plan and helps the student explore their interests in the community. Unlike industrial-style education, we work with each student to help them reach their own potential.
Putting It All Together
Our holistic view of personal development blends language and lifestyle, academics and culture—crossing traditional disciplines and cultivating well-rounded students.
Providing A Support System
Our comprehensive support network combines advisers, peer mentors, instructors, and staff. Together they care for a student’s every academic and personal need and ensure nothing interferes with the student’s ability to learn.
…That Form Our Leading Edge Approaches
1. Personal Development Plan
The Personal Development Plan for New Mind Education helps students learn, grow and advance in American society. Each student will receive individualized support to fulfill his or her unique, personal goals.
New Mind Goals:
- Intercultural, Interpersonal Skills: Connecting students with American culture while maintaining their own identity.
- Engagement in American society: Community activities and guest speakers.
- Language Skills: Classes in English and American communication style.
- Academic Success: Preparing for college.
- Career Exploration: Getting ready for the first job.
- Healthy Living: Good habits in American Society.
2. Global Learning Curriculum
New Mind’s Global Learning Curriculum is a series of seminars and learning experiences that help international students build the knowledge and skills to:
- Make smooth transitions from their home country
- Achieve academic success
- Learn about U.S. culture and engage with their local community
- Shape their characters and hone key “soft skills”
- Explore career interests
- Make personalized college learning plans and goals
3. New Mind Advising
New Mind Advising is a structured mentoring program that supports international students in a new country and learning environment. Advisors and students together construct a Personal Development Plan to improve: language, academics, cultural competence, career exploration, social engagement, and character. New Mind’s low advisor to student ratio (less than 1:15) ensures personal attention.
4. New Mind Engage
Student Life and Service
New Mind staff, volunteers and alumni guide students through activities, such as volunteering with American children and holiday festivals that help fully integrate students into mainstream campus life and foster students’ sense of belonging. The guidance and interaction help build the students’ sense of responsibility as a citizen of both the community and the world.
5. Discover America!
Discover America! immerses students in the beauty and diversity of America’s landscape and society. Students travel to a variety of geographic and cultural regions, for example: hiking the cliff walk of Newport, Rhode Island, walking the battlefields of America’s Civil War in Virginia or giving back with the Red Cross in Boston for Thanksgiving. The trips launch students into experiences centered on community engagement and cultural exposure that help develop their global competency. The travel also serves as a respite for students, opportunities for rest, relaxation, and self-discovery.
6. Career Exploration
New Mind Career Exploration empowers students to discover their global career potential. They learn more about themselves as they explore various majors and gain firsthand insights into career options. They weave valuable internship experience into their four-year academic plan. The program gives students:
- Better self-understanding through personality and interest assessments that help highlight their possible career paths.
- The ability to assess their potential career and lifestyle through interactive classroom activities and workplace visits.
- The tools to plan their academic career and internships, identifying potential majors and how they align with the student’s strengths.
7. Foundational Services
New Mind helps guide students from the moment they enroll until they land their first job. New Mind’s Foundational Services helps students ease past cultural and language barriers and the sometimes intimidating challenge of a new country. Our program includes:
- Pre-arrival guide
- Airport pickup
- Room and board
- Roommate matching and selection
- Health and repatriation insurance
- Setting up bank accounts
- Signing up for phone plans
We make sure families have the information and reassurance they need and that students make a smooth and full transition into their university and local community. We collaborate with on and off campus partners to educate students in cultural nuances that help make them capable of making smart and independent decisions.