International Student Advisory Council
The International Student Advisory Council (ISAC) brings together a diverse representation of international students at Stony Brook University to communicate the needs and challenges of international students. Councilmembers are volunteer student leaders who work on projects with the Office of Global Affairs to improve international student support and engagement at Stony Brook.
Applications are now open for the 2023/24 Academic Year.
- ABOUT ISAC
What is isac?
The International Student Advisory Council (ISAC) supports the international student success efforts of the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) and serves as a direct line of communication between the international student population and Stony Brook administration in order to improve the international student experience on campus.
General Expectations
International Student Advisory Council members will:-
- Provide guidance, ideas, and advice to OGA on student engagement, communication strategies, event planning, etc.
- Share international student stories and communicate feedback and concerns
- Advocate for international student issues with the Office of Global Affairs
- Develop and implement activities for International Education Week and one Spring semester event for international students
- Engage with the international student community at OGA events
Preferred Qualifications
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- Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills
- Demonstrate passion for Stony Brook and advocating for your fellow international students
- Be reliable, responsible, and flexible
- Actively participate and show enthusiasm at events
Benefits
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- Build up your resume by demonstrating leadership skills
- Develop critical thinking, effective reasoning, creativity, and other cognitive competencies
- Improve communication, technical capabilities, professionalism, collaboration, and other practical skills
- Network with University staff and students
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- BECOME A MEMBER
Join ISAC!
ISAC consists of 9 international student council members from a variety of backgrounds: 4 appointed positions, and 5 elected positions.
Appointed Positions
Appointed positions are selected from Stony Brook’s four international and student government groups, and may be elected or appointed by their organization. Positions last for a minimum of one academic year, or as long as the student remains in their role.-
- Graduate Student Organization (GSO) Representative
- Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Representative
- International Student Organization (ISO) Representative
- International Peer Mentoring Program (IPM) Representative
Elected Positions
All international students are welcome to apply for one of the 5 elected positions to ISAC. Positions will be selected by the consensus of current and outgoing ISAC members. The maximum term length is 2 years.Eligibility Requirements
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- Undergraduate students must be Sophomore standing or higher (except the IPM Representative)
- Graduate students must have completed a minimum of 1 semester at SBU
- Good academic standing (3.0 GPA or better)
- Commit to a minimum of one academic year on the Council
- Attend monthly meetings during the Fall and Spring semesters (may be more frequent before ISAC events)
How to Apply
Applications are now open for the 2023/24 academic year.Contact the Office of International Student Success at iss@stonybrook.edu for more information.
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- CURRENT MEMBERS
meet the isac Team!
- Veronica Alvarenga HonEmail Veronica
Veronica Alvarenga Hon (pronouns: she/her/hers) is an international student from Costa Rica studying public policy at Stony Brook University. Veronica was born in El Salvador, but she has lived most of her life in Costa Rica. She is very passionate about climate change and education. Veronica loves reading and is somewhat obsessed with books. Additionally, she loves music and enjoys playing the piano and the guitar.
International Student Organization (ISO) Representative - Seyeon KimEmail Seyeon
My name is Seyeon Kim majoring in health science and minoring in health and wellness. I’m an international student from South Korea and I have been living in United States for 5 years now. I have spent my years not only in New York but also in Missouri and Michigan. I love playing sports especially soccer and swimming. You can also find me working out at the rec center. I love café hopping to just talk to my friends and study. If you have any concerns or need someone to talk to, please let me know. I would be more than happy to listen. - Sara MedvedEmail Sara
Sara (she/her) is from the Canary Islands, Spain. She plays tennis for the Stony Brook Tennis Team and enjoys all type of outdoor sports like hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and skiing. In her free time, she likes to read, go for walks, hang out with friends, and travel. - Krisha PatelEmail Krisha
Krisha Patel is freshman majoring in Computer Science. She is an international student from India and her hobbies are sketching, painting, and dancing. She enjoys watching dramas, listening to music, reading books, and am learning a new language these days.
International Peer Mentoring Program Representative - Arnav SawantEmail Arnav
ISAC SECRETARY
Arnav Sawant is a sophomore international student from India currently majoring in Physics. He is a USG Senator and enjoys making science-related videos for fun on YouTube!
Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Representative - Joanne SaldanhaEmail Joanne
Joanne Saldanha is a graduate student in the Hyungjin Kim Laboratory where she is pursuing her PhD in Genetics. - Eric ShepherdEmail Eric
Eric Shepherd is currently a sophomore at Stony Brook University who is pursuing a B.S. in Health Sciences. His passion for medicine and the study of liver disease has led him to pursue a career as a Hepatobiliary surgeon. But he also loves learning languages: his mother tongue is Mongolian. Eric moved to Singapore in 2018, where he completed his studies and mastered Mandarin, and is currently studying Korean and Japanese. Eric currently serves as a mentor in the SBU Program in Writing and Rhetoric department. As a recipient of the Global Scholarship for Academic Excellence, he knows how important aid can be in making the decision to continue pursuing higher education. Eric is also a member of Amnesty International (AI), an international non-governmental organization dedicated to advancing the cause of human rights worldwide. For the past three years, Eric has served as the leader in the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) Program. While serving as a Mongolian Interpreter, As an engaging communicator with a proven track record of service, he focuses on building strong professional relationships. - Luping WangEmail Luping
Hi, I'm Luping. I am a third year international student from China. I went to high school in Minnesota and I am currently majoring in psychology and economics. I am also working as a research assistant in a psychiatry lab and I enjoy listening to music and trying new food from all around the world. - Nicolás WiggenhauserEmail Nicolás
ISAC PRESIDENT
Nicolás G. Wiggenhauser is a biological anthropologist studying the evolution of intelligence in animals to understand why and how humans are so cognitively specialized. In particular, he focuses on the evolution of the brain areas and connectivity patterns that encode higher-order cognition, learning, decision-making, and habit formation. He passionately combines his research with his work as a Teaching Assistant in the Anthropology Department, Graduate Assistant at the Office of Global Affairs, data visualizer and visual storyteller, science communicator, and freelance graphic designer. In his free time, he enjoys working out, learning German, traveling, writing his science blog, as well as fiction and poetry, and playing the guitar.
- Veronica Alvarenga Hon