Off Campus: Enjoying a trip to a local farm
Holidays on Campus: Celebrating Nowrooz with the Iranian Student Association at UVM
Getting involved is the best way to make new friends and to make Burlington feel like home. There are many different ways to get involved on campus, including through the Office of International Education. Some of them are listed below and more are posted on our calendar of events, Instagram account, and Facebook page. Find one (or more!) that interest you and get involved!
International Community Groups and Associations
UVM has student groups and associations that bring together students from different countries and cultural backgrounds. Some of these are tied to specific countries, others to regions of the world, and we have organizations at both the undergraduate and graduate level that are for anyone who identifies as an international student. Check out the whole list as there might be multiple groups and clubs you want to connect with. Unless specifically noted, the groups below are for anyone regardless of degree level. Also, they are always open to anyone regardless of your background if you are interested in being connected with particular students. All of the groups below are affiliated with our office and many work very closely with our staff. There are of course plenty of other organizations on campus related to just about any other interest. Don’t see the right fit for you? We are happy to help make connections for you. Contact us to make a request. And then, if you are feeling ready, consider starting a new group or association!
Regionally/Globally Focused Groups and Organizations
- African Student and Scholar Group (richmond.baye@uvm.edu)
- African Student Association (asa.uvm@gmail.com) *Primarily for Undergraduate Students*
- European Student and Scholar Group (Matteo.Zazza@uvm.edu)
- International Student Club (isc@uvm.edu, Lynx page, Instagram) *For Undergraduate and Exchange Students*
- International Graduate Student Association (Rusul.Mustafa@uvm.edu) *For Graduate Students*
- Latin American Student and Scholar Group (Sebastian.Duno-Miranda@uvm.edu)
- Middle Eastern Student and Scholar Group (Aya.Cheaito@uvm.edu)
Country-Specific Groups and Organizations
- Bangladeshi Student and Scholar Group (Prianka.Bhattacharjee@uvm.edu)
- Brazilian Student and Scholar Group (vitor.mori@uvm.edu)
- Chinese Student and Scholar Association (uvm.cssa@yahoo.com)
- Indian Students Association (isa@uvm.edu, Facebook, Instagram)
- Iranian Student Association (irsa@uvm.edu, Facebook)
- Nepali Student Association (nsa@uvm.edu, Facebook, Instagram)
- Nigerian Student and Scholar Group (Islamiyat.Lawal@uvm.edu)
- Pakistani Student and Scholar Group (Ijaz-Ul.Haq@uvm.edu)
Identity-based Groups and Organizations
- LGBTQ-Identifying International Student and Scholar Group (Yash-Suresh.Punjabi@uvm.edu)
- Graduate Student Parents Group (GraduateStudentParents@uvm.edu, Twitter)
- Graduate Students of Color Group (gsca@uvm.edu)
- Muslim Student Association (msa@uvm.edu)
Catamount Cultural Connections (Buddy and Community Host Programs)
Catamount Cultural Connections (CCC) has two options to get to know people better - the Buddy Program and the Community Host Program. The Buddy Program offers opportunities to get to know continuing UVM students and the Community Host Program offers opportunities to get to know UVM faculty or staff. Please see Catamount Cultural Connections for more information.
Around Campus and in Burlington
There are SO MANY opportunities to get involved on campus! Some clubs or organizations require just a couple hours per month. Some require much more. Ready to get involved? Here are some ideas!
Activities Fest: Information fair at the beginning of the school year. Many clubs and organizations have students available to talk about the club or organization.
AdvoCats: Tour guides who show prospective students around campus
Alternative Spring Break: Volunteer during spring break at sites around the US
Club Sports: Club sports are for students who are interested in spending a significant amount of time playing a sport. They sometimes require an audition to participate and they sometimes travel to other schools to compete. If you want to play sports just for fun with less of a time commitment, see intramural sports.
Clubs at UVM: More than 100 options for many different interests
Cynic: UVM’s student newspaper
Graduate Student Senate: Student government for graduate students
Greek Life: Learn more about Fraternity and Sorority life
Inter-Residence Association: Student government for students living in the residence halls
Intramural Sports: Sports that are just for fun – join a team that competes against other UVM student teams. Beginners welcome! For more competitive sports opportunities, see club sports.
Orientation Leader (OL): Student leaders for UVM’s general June orientation
Outing Club: Club that organizes many different trips into the outdoors, such as hiking, camping, or kayaking. It also provides equipment rental for students at an affordable price.
Resident Advisor (RA): Returning student who lives in the residence hall and helps create and maintain a good community in the residence halls. RAs receive a free room and meals in exchange for their work.
Student Government Association: Student government for undergraduate students
UVM Medical Center Volunteer Program: Many opportunities to volunteer at the UVM Medical Center, doing everything from art with patients to helping visitors find the right place in the building
UVM Program Board: Group of students who organize special events for campus
UVMtv: UVM’s student-run TV station
Volunteer Service Organizations: Clubs and organizations that volunteer and serve the UVM and Burlington communities and sometimes other communities
WOW Squad: Group of students that helps welcome new students to campus in August and assists with special events during arrival week and the first weeks of class
WRUV: UVM’s student-run radio station
There are of also many other ways to get involved at UVM, including many of the events on campus, which you can find on the UVM Bored website. International students receive regular emails from the Office of International Education which often advertise other opportunities. If you wish to be added to this newsletter, email us at InternationalStudents@uvm.edu.