International Graduate Student Leadership on Resources and Life at Drexel University

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International Graduate Student Leadership on Resources and Life at Drexel University

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The International Graduate Student Association (IGSA) first helped Nidhi Khandelwal and Executive Vice President Giulia Fiorina adjust to life in America and at Drexel University. Now, they want to give back to the community that helped them by leading IGSA's many events and helping their fellow international students find resources that can help them in their lives in Philadelphia.

Khandelwal came to America from India just over a year ago and is pursuing a master's degree in business analytics from the Bennett S. LeBow College of Business. She made it a priority to attend events at LeBow and ones she found through DragonLink, and eventually found IGSA and became the president in 2026. Outside of IGSA, she's been a teaching assistant in LeBow and a referee for intramural sports, which gives her a gateway to learning about American sports.

Fiorina is from Italy and is also a student at the LeBow College of Business, pursuing an MBA. She joined IGSA as the vice president of communications and relations; as she got more involved, she wanted more responsibility and to connect to Drexel as a university rather than just through her MBA program. She became the executive vice president and wants to help other international students become part of the Drexel community too.

International students are an important part of the Drexel community, bringing unique perspectives, traditions, experiences and ways of thinking from many countries and cultures around the world. According to Drexel's International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) and other University resources, more than 120 countries are represented at Drexel thanks to the vibrant community.

"When we intentionally bring individuals from different cultures and backgrounds to the table, we create opportunities for new ideas and perspectives to emerge," Director of Academic Administration, Director of Graduate Multicultural and Equity Affairs and IGSA adviser Tsz Kwok said. "Students, faculty and staff are exposed to different ways of approaching problems, communicating, collaborating, and understanding the world. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to communicate and work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds is an important skill for all our students."

One of IGSA's goals is to bring international students from a variety of backgrounds together through mentoring each other, volunteering on campus and collaborating with many student groups. Together, Khandelwal and Fiorina, along with their fellow members of the IGSA leadership team, hope to help international students navigate uncertainty and find resources that can work for them.

Q: What are your goals for your leadership tenure with IGSA?

NK: For IGSA, the goal here is to make the international student community feel much safer around things that are happening around the U.S. right now. People are really uncertain about their situations and are afraid to talk about it, so my aim is to collaborate with more organizations and faculty and staff, so we can make our members aware of the resources they can turn to, like when you're looking for extracurriculars or careers.

Being in leadership, I got to talk to a lot of people and be in a lot of meetings, so resources eventually became more approachable to me than to others. Even if those resources are known to people, they might not seem approachable. I want to try to get people to involve these things in their daily activities and encourage people to do things like talk to their career advisers more often. When you use resources like that, it will make it a much better experience at Drexel.

GF: My biggest goal is to help international students feel comfortable in an uncertain environment right now, especially around visa situations and the job market. Some students start to wonder whether coming here was the right decision, because the visa situation feels so uncertain. I want them to know it was the right decision. Studying in the States is a huge asset wherever they go next, even if the next step ends up being in another country. I also make sure students know about the resources Drexel already offers and make sure they take all the opportunities that they can while they're here in the States.

Q: What issues have you heard from international students that are top of mind right now?

NK: The one thing that the students are most worried about is the job after graduation. That's the ultimate goal of the people who are coming here. There's a lot of uncertainty around that front, and curriculum is changing, and rules are changing every day. There's uncertainty at every point, and I don't know about other countries, but I'm sure being an international student anywhere in this world would be thinking about the rules a lot. You're doing the academic work well, and your job and your research nicely, but that uncertainty is always there.

It's unfortunate that we are going through another uncertain phase in the job market, but people have been getting jobs and internships. You can't give up or sit by and do nothing. It's important to not let rejections dishearten you. Maybe it will take a lot of rejections but then you will get your ultimate goal. Just try not to lose hope, and I learned that from other people, so my hope would be to pass that on to other people. They've chosen their career and they've chosen America, and people are still welcoming to international students and they're still hiring us. There are a lot of opportunities in startups, nonprofit organizations and other academic opportunities, so definitely don't lose hope.

GF: The two biggest things are the job market and the visa situation. Students worry about what happens after graduation, how OPT (optional practical training, a temporary employment for F-1 visa students related to their area of study) and job timelines work, and whether they will find something in time. Underneath that is a real worry about return on investment. Graduate school is a big commitment, and the job market is competitive right now. That's why getting experience early matters so much, whether through an internship, or on-campus work. Guidance can change over time, so it's important to stay informed. That's why staying connected with ISSS (International Students and Scholars Services office) matters so much. We work closely with them, so students stay informed, and ISSS is really the go-to for anything about any of the rules that shift over time.

Q: Why is it important for students to keep up with IGSA?

NK: We have some IGSA special events like Thanksgiving dinner, which introduces international students to American culture. Most of us have never experienced American Thanksgiving, but we always heard about it through sources; for me, it was the TV shows that I grew up watching, so it's always been a fantasy for me to have Thanksgiving dinner. We also have Culture Fest, where we exchange cultures from different backgrounds. It's kind of like a Festival of Nations, so people come and showcase their culture and wear something that symbolizes their country or culture, and share or perform. During Welcome Week, we had a shuttle shopping trip, so people know where Trader Joe's and Giant are, because when you come in from outside of America, you might not know where to go. We have the free Drexel bus shuttle and people might not know how to use it and where the stops are or how to track it on TripShot.

GF: We roll out a lot of general information and events, so staying connected means you do not miss out. But more than that, IGSA is about knowing you are not alone. It is easy to feel like the only international student going through this, and that is just not true. IGSA is where you find your community, open up and get a break from the stress of school and living far from home.

Q: What advice would you give new international students who are just arriving at Drexel?

NK: One piece of advice that an adviser gave to me was that academics is the first thing that comes above everything. You cannot lose sight of that. An international student has a lot to lose, because if they fail out, then they lose their visa status and have to go home, so academics are your number one priority, and everything has to be organized around that. If you want to attend an event, make sure that your academic priorities are set down and then you have plenty of time to attend those events.

My own advice would be to reach out to people and make connections. Connections are way more important than any other thing in America right now. I know it's sometimes not comfortable to put yourself out there, but have a script ready, or prepare something to talk about beforehand. Just prepare for meetings, attend as many events as possible and it will be great. That's how you meet people and get a taste of American culture.

GF: When I first got here, everything was new. You do not know anyone or how anything works yet, and it is completely normal not to feel comfortable right away. What helped most was showing up to events and talking to people, even when it felt awkward. Balance matters too, academics come first, but so much of what you learn about other cultures happens outside the classroom, and IGSA's events are built around that. Philly is also a walkable city with great food and social life, worth exploring once you get comfortable.

So my advice is: Go to as many events as Drexel (and other organizations) offers. Do not isolate yourself because you feel shy or embarrassed, get out there and connect with whoever you can, new students, alumni, faculty, professors, it all counts. It took me a little time to find my place, but showing up and talking to people is what made the difference. You are not alone, and Drexel is there for you. Honestly, everyone around you is pretty much rooting for you!

Q: What is the most important resource, besides IGSA, for international students to get connected with at Drexel?

NK: There are so many resources, like DragonLink. Maybe just sit down on a Sunday and make a list of events you could go to, because it's important to go to things outside of the classroom. Maybe the Counseling Center is having an event, and you wouldn't otherwise know about it, but everything is on DragonLink.

At LeBow, there's a mentorship program that I'm enrolled in, and having a mentor is great because you can talk to that person about the industry you're interested in and they can give you good insights, or introduce you to other important people. Having a mentor can be really great because for international students, we're new to America, and there are things like language barriers. Even if I know English, sometimes things don't translate well, or sometimes it comes out wrong, so when you have a mentor, they can share how things go in America and they have a lot of insights you can use.

GF: Your career and academic advisors are probably the most important, since they help you figure out your next steps in your academic and professional life. They are always there to help you succeed. Drexel's Rec Center is amazing too: swimming pool, gym, tennis and squash courts and free classes. Counseling and wellness services, the library and collaboration rooms, and especially the Dragon Network, where you can connect with fellow Dragons for academic or career mentorship, are all worth knowing about early. which works a bit like LinkedIn for Drexel alumni, are all worth knowing about early. To close, I want to say to remember that graduate school is a special time in your life, so make sure you enjoy it!