Big Thanks; May 9th Gala to Honor Baroness Oona King; Join us for CalDay on April 13th

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Laurie Ferris
I-House Resident Council 2019 I-House Resident Council Spring 2019 – * see below for names

Dear Alumni and friends,

Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Big Give for International House on Thursday, March 14th! You truly helped I-House “seize the moment” and made a big difference in the lives of our residents.

By exceeding the ambitious goal of 150 gifts and ending the day with 175 gifts, we received $3,000 in matching challenge funds from our I-House Big Match donors. Thanks to the efforts of resident volunteers and the I-House Resident Council (pictured above), we received a record number of gifts from current residents.

I-House won an additional $4,000 campus prize in the Raising the Bar challenge because of the impressive increase over last year’s 104 gifts.

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Happy Big Give Day! Help I-House reach goal of 150 gifts

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Laurie Ferris

Dear I-House friends,

Today’s the day! Help us reach our matching challenge goals by making a gift now. If you already made a gift, we thank you!  All gifts to I-House during the Big Give make an even greater impact. If we make our goal of 150 gifts, I-House will receive an additional $3,000 because of our challenge match. Help us get there by making a gift to I-House at ihouse.berkeley.edu/biggive2019 by 9 pm PST tonight. Check our progress on the Big Give Leaderboards.

Why should you support I-House? Let’s hear from our residents, who collaborated on this video highlighting the friendship, discovery, conversation, and magic that happen here every day. It’s an interpretation of a familiar song. We hope you enjoy “The Rainbow Connection, I-House Style.”

We think the residents did a great job. If you agree, please give it a “Thumbs Up” and share it with your networks! Forward this email to friends, and share the I-House love!

As a reminder, here are more ways you can participate in the Big Give:

  1. Make a gift of $10 or more to I-House until 9 pm PST on March 14th at ihouse.berkeley.edu/biggive2019.
  2. Post on Twitter or Instagram: “I ❤ Cal because ________. #CalBigGive #InternationalHouse”
    Just fill in the blank. The most inspirational post all day wins!
  3. Check the Big Countdown Contests and pick your favorite one to participate in: biggive.berkeley.edu/social

For more ways to participate, see ihouse.berkeley.edu/biggive

Big thanks for all of your support! ♥

I-House residents thank you for your support! Continue reading →

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Big Give is on! Make a gift and check out the contests to help I-House make a greater impact

Posted on March 13, 2019 by Laurie Ferris

Big Give for I-House

Dear Friends,

UC Berkeley’s Big Give, a 24-hour online fundraising blitz starts now! Your online gift will go a long way to help us reach our goal of 150 gifts in 24 hours. International gifts made now through 6 a.m. will increase our odds to win an additional $1,500 for I-House for the random international donor contest in the Big Countdown! So, whatever time zone you are in, make a gift to I-House at ihouse.berkeley.edu/biggive2019.

If you already made a gift, we thank you! Your support will benefit The Fund for I-House, a valuable resource that provides for life-changing scholarships, inspirational programming, and preservation of our historic home.

As a reminder, here are a few ways you can participate in the Big Give:

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Our residents challenge you to participate in Big Give

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Laurie Ferris

Dear Friends,

Big Give is on Thursday, March 14th. Below are the ways you can help I-House, starting with sharing the video below.

We are in the final countdown for UC Berkeley’s Big Give, a 24-hour online fundraising blitz. Last year, I-House had 104 gifts (an I-House record) during the Big Give. We are grateful for the outpouring of support. Let’s aim higher in 2019. If we make our goal of 150 gifts, I-House will receive an additional $3,000 from generous I-House donors!

I-House residents created a Big Give video to show that helping I-House is as easy as pie!

Our current residents challenge you to participate! Give the video a “Thumbs Up” and share with your networks.

Ways to participate on Big Give Day:

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Best Places to Study at I-House

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Loyalty Traster-Lee

Hello everyone! Midterm season is upon us, and with the steady accumulation of assignments comes the fast approach of deadlines. Even the word ‘midterms’ can bring a look of terror on any student’s face – just check out the UC Berkeley ‘Memes for Edgy Teens’ Facebook page to see the nihilistic sense of humor that I’m referring to. But, at the end of the day, we have to take these exams, and we have to try our best to do well. So, on that bright and cheery note, below are a few of my favorite places to study at I-House. 

  1. The library
the library on a Monday night

Ah, of course! One of the many perks of living here at I-House is the beautiful, blissfully quiet library. Filled with sturdy tables and comfy chairs, the library is the perfect place to get some serious work done. Personally, I come here when I’m re-writing my notes and taking practice exams so that I can be as focused as possible.

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March I-House Connection: Save the dates for Big Give on March 14th and Gala on May 9th

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Laurie Ferris

The I-House Connection

March 2019

Director of Philanthropy’s Message

Dear I-House Alumni and Friends,

Bill HowleyThank you for welcoming me to International House in my new role as the Director of Philanthropy!  In these challenging times, the I-House mission is as important as ever, both as a powerful catalyst for change and a set of ideals worthy of preservation. I appreciate the many alumni, friends and supporters who have already written to me with their valuable insights, remembrances, and gifts to keep the I-House dream alive. These gifts have provided room and board scholarships for students with financial need, continued to preserve our historic home, strengthened program offerings, and allowed International House to position for the future. Read more.

Bill Howley
Director of Philanthropy, International House at UC Berkeley
(510) 643-6917 | bhowley@berkeley.edu

Announcing this Year’s Big Give

Big Give 2019This year’s Big Give is on Thursday, March 14th and we are excited to announce a donor match. If we surpass our Big Give goal of 150 gifts, I-House will receive an additional $3,000 by generous I-House donors.

Please help us kick off Big Give with launch gifts. There is a special VIP link for I-House supporters who would like to donate early to help launch our Big Give campaign. See more ways to participate.

Gala is Thursday, May 9th. Save the Date!

Gala is Thursday, May 9thI-House is pleased to announce that our 31st Annual Celebration and Awards Gala is set for Thursday, May 9th from 6 pm to 9 pm.

We hope you can join us for this annual fête. Tickets are $275 person, or $150 for those under 35 years of age.

To purchase tickets or see more information about our honoree and sponsorship opportunities, please visit ihouse.berkeley.edu/gala.

I-House Resident Perspective

Time to ThriveIn case you missed it, read the latest post: Time to Thrive: Sunday Supper Winter 2019 by Juan Antonio Pérez, one of our talented social media ambassadors. Included in this recap of Sunday Supper is a video message by Maribel Guillermo, who retires after 20 years of service at I-House.

The I-House Development, Alumni Relations & Communications Team looks forward to welcoming you back to I-House. If you’re in the area, please let us know!

Best regards from Berkeley,

I-House LogoI-House Development, Alumni Relations & Communications Team
(510) 642-4128 | ihalumni@berkeley.edu

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Time to Thrive: Sunday Supper

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Juan Antonio Pérez

In 1909, Harry and Florence Edmonds, promoters of the I-House movement, started a tradition of hosting dinners in their home to counter the loneliness and isolation of international students in New York. Today, we still honor this tradition, which became essential for the establishment of International House as a worldwide institution. At the beginning of every semester, International House Berkeley hosts a Sunday Supper, a special evening with dinner and performances, as a way of making residents feel welcome and to celebrate the multitude of different cultures that thrive here.

The Winter 2019 Sunday Supper, held on February 10th, had the theme Time to Thrive. As a Program Assistant, I participated in many aspects of the event, and even had the opportunity to perform on the big stage with an international band! Below are some of the highlights from this incredible evening.

Sunday Supper Reception 2

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What’s Your Love Language?

Posted on February 17, 2019 by Loyalty Traster-Lee

I-House has been the set behind many romances over the decades. In fact, more than a thousand alumni have found love ‘under the dome’, often coming from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and countries. Just read some of the stories shared at ihouse.berkeley.edu/love, and you’ll see that the prevailing focus of I-House is acceptance and respect of each other’s differences.

We just celebrated Valentine’s Day at I-House and the Program Office had Love Grams (messages and chocolate roses) for residents to send to anyone at I-House, resident or staff, that they care about.

The Program Office sold these Love Gramsfor $4 and delivered them on Valentine’s Day! All proceeds went towards the Children’s Heart Foundation. How sweet is that?!?

The Program Office sold these Love Grams for $4 and delivered them on Valentine’s Day!
All proceeds benefited the Children’s Heart Foundation. How sweet is that?!? (photo by resident Adriana Huang)‎

 

Larnie Macasieb holding a love gram!

Even the I-House chefs got into the spirit by making heart-shaped pizzas!

Heart Pizza made by Miguel Alvarez Mena

Needless to say, we residents feel the love at I-House!

Whether or not you’re in a committed relationship, Valentine’s Day is a fun celebration in the US that usually involves gift exchanges, romantic cards, and lots of chocolate. I hope you consider all the different ways you can show someone you care about them.

One of my personal favourite things about living at I-House is learning different languages. I’ve managed to pick up a bit of Chinese, German, French, and even American Sign Language! During this time of year, however, I enjoy focusing on love languages.

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Music Practice Rooms: Where Talent is Born at I-House

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Juan Antonio Pérez

“If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Music has been shown to have beneficial effects for human health: it increases cognitive performance, improves memory, and reduces stress, among others. However, many international students are forced to leave their instruments at home because of the difficulties related to transporting them on a long flight. Coming to UC Berkeley—the top public university in the United States—should not be an obstacle for playing music: For this reason, International House offers residents the opportunity to play and rehearse music in its practice rooms.

One of the best things of living at International House as a musician is that you have access to two music rooms with a wide variety of instruments: Two pianos, a set of drums, guitars, a violin, bongos, tambourines, and even a Cajón, a box-shaped drum invented in Peru that is often used in Flamenco music. 

Processed with VSCO with nc preset

There are many residents who use the rooms to practice, others like to try a new instrument, and some who like to use them to de-stress and have a good time.

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Resident Orientation Retreats: a fun way to start the semester

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Juan Antonio Pérez

At the beginning of every semester, the International House Program Office organizes two-day retreats at Walker Creek Ranch in Marin County, offering residents the opportunity to have fun and meet new friends.

I attended the Spring 2019 Resident Retreat as a Program Assistant and thought it was an excellent way to start this new semester. Not only for being in the scenic countryside (far from the city and full of happy cows), but also for meeting new people from all over the world and discovering new cultures.

We arrived at Walker Creek Ranch at noon, where we were greeted by three naturalists who worked there. We all wore name tags and started the weekend with games aimed at getting to know each other.

Nametags2 at International House Retrat

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