Global Engagement Office (International Student Emergency Fund)

The Global Engagement Office is the home of internationalization at the University of Wyoming. 

Under the WyoGlobal banner, we serve as the University of Wyoming’s gateway to the world. We recruit and support international students, we facilitate study abroad opportunities and scholarships for all UW students anywhere in the world they want to go, we support internationally engaged research for students and faculty, we host international scholars and diplomatic delegations on campus giving our community the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge global research and current affairs, and we sponsor globally engaged events on campus and in the community. 

Welcoming international students builds connections and opportunities for all communities at UW. Recruiting the best and brightest from around the world greatly enriches the campus and Wyoming as a whole. The opportunity to study at the University of Wyoming is transformative for these students, enriches our intellectual community, and contributes immeasurably to the University of Wyoming’s global footprint. Scholarships are often vital to helping international students thrive.

Emergency Fund

Imagine arriving in a foreign country in the middle of the night to embark on the opportunity of a lifetime—a world-class education at the University of Wyoming—only to find your suitcase with all your clothes, everything you need to embrace your new life as a UW Cowboy, has been lost. Or, imagine you are near completion of your studies at UW and you meet with an accident resulting in hospital bills that threaten to derail all of your hard work. Now, imagine, that your new home away from home was there to provide support to help you through these challenges. 

That is what we are building—a safety net for our international students who have chosen to study at the University of Wyoming and who are contributing to our community through scholarly research, classroom discussions, and service to UW, Laramie, and Wyoming. A donation of $100 can help a student purchase necessary supplies that might have been in lost luggage. A donation of $250 or more can begin to help an international student with medical bills enabling them to refocus on their academic studies. A larger donation can help a student who has lost their primary source of financial support due to a loss of job because of an economic downturn.

International students in classrooms and research labs, in study groups, and student organizations enhance the experience and academic environment for all students. Bringing together students from differing cultural backgrounds and diverse educational systems helps all students tackle issues from a variety of viewpoints, improving the learning experiences for our students and preparing them to enter an increasingly diverse workplace. Attracting, supporting, and retaining our international students is critical for the University of Wyoming to be a world-class university. When you support UW international students, you help all students at the University of Wyoming.

Your generosity in supporting the initiatives of the Global Engagement Office can be truly transformative for an international student in need. Your donation also fosters the global citizenship and connections that enrich our university and prepare our students for the interconnected world we occupy. 

Thank you for your support—it means the world!

Student Testimonial

"Coming to the U.S. was a very big decision for me. It was a new country, a new culture, and a different society from the one I had grown up in. But one of the biggest changes for me last year, was the weather. Laramie is very cold compared to Lagos, Nigeria. I need to get good winter gears, which can be expensive for a grad student living on stipends. I applied for the ISS Emergency Fund, and I was lucky enough to be selected for the award. The award enabled me to purchase several winter gears like sweaters, jackets, head warmers, snow boots, and more. These clothing helped me survive my first winter in America 🙂. I am grateful to all the donors who keep giving to the ISS Emergency Fund, and I say to them that indeed your giving is making a difference in the lives of international students at UW. Please keep giving!" – Friday Chukwuwike Otuya