International Student House Washington, DC

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In Memoriam: Brent Scowcroft

August 13, 2020 by I-House DC

Brent Scowcroft: March 19, 1925 – August 6, 2020.

International Student House of Washington, DC joins the international community in remembering the life of Brent Scowcroft, who died this past week.

Photo: Brent Scowcroft sharing remarks at International Student House’s 2015 Global Leadership Awards Dinner.

ISH had the distinct privilege of honoring Mr. Scowcroft with our 2015 Global Leadership Award for his distinguished career and life-long commitment to international understanding.

At the Awards Presentation, he spoke of his father’s experience living abroad, which sparked his life-long interest in foreign affairs. Mr. Scowcroft remarked, “The real value of this House is that it enables bright people from around the world to study in Washington, get to know other cultures, and form life-long relationships. It seems we increasingly look at the phone in our hand to discover the world. However, this House demonstrates it is more important to look into people’s eyes, and listen to their views, if we really want to understand the world.”

Thank you for your leadership and for inspiring countless ISH students, Mr. Scowcroft.

Photo: Brent Scowcroft with ISH alumnus Robert Eklund from Finland

Welcome to International Student House – by Tiger Li, Guest Resident Blogger

August 6, 2020 by I-House DC

Welcome to International Student House! The most vibrant and enthusiastic community you can ever dream of.

 My name is Tiger, originally from China and a graduate student at George Washington University majoring in Legislative Affairs. I have a strong passion for American congressional politics and presidential studies. I worked in China, Indonesia, and Nigeria for 10 years and traveled to more than 30 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. I served as a Director of International Relations in 26th Summer Universiade, and Chief Government Liaison in Nigeria United Resource Cooperation and Abaldeen Farms Company.

I love reading and watching politics, spirituality, and extraterrestrials. They are always prompting me to search the panacea for society amelioration as well as to understand the deep meaning of life itself. 

I have been at ISH for eight months, and it is undoubtedly my best experience in the United States. Our residents, in DC and now all over the world, have become a genuinely loving family. Our library, great hall, dining hall, basement, and gym are full of laughter, joy, and love sharing.

In the midst of a pandemic, ISH turns into the oasis of tranquility and serenity, the intimacy and bond between our residents become more robust: we share our dreams, we encourage each other, and honestly we realize:  we are the oneness, we are each other, and a friend in need is a friend indeed.  

If I can only use one word to express my genuine appreciation for ISH, it would be “Serendipitous.”  Thus, I am expecting to meet you at ISH as part of our dynamic community, and all together, we will share the stories of life and the world. I am waiting for you to déjà vu your serendipity here.

Sincerely,
Tiger

International Student House and Black Lives Matter

June 7, 2020 by I-House DC

The International Student House of Washington, DC was established in 1936 by individuals who believed that action was needed to address segregation in the nation’s capital, which shut the doors of most rooming houses to people of color. It has been 85 years since we opened our doors, and systemic racism continues.

We unequivocally denounce racism and any form of discrimination that would place the life of anyone above the life of another because of the color of their skin.  We will continue to be a House where discourse on challenging and dismantling racism is welcomed and expected.

As we consider what we have done to be a part of this conversation, we are engaging in honest reflection of what we can and should be doing better.

In the future, we will continue to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in our scholarship programs; and serve as a platform to highlight the contributions that minorities and people of color make to promoting peace and understanding through our programming and events.

Additionally, while serving as a space for difficult conversations and much needed learning, we will look to partner with organizations and causes that are leading the efforts to combat racism and inequality. We will also focus on ensuring our vendors, team, and leadership are as diverse as the society we work and live in.

The foundation of our mission is to be a “highly diverse community,” and we must ensure that our actions are reflective of our words.

Virtual Spring Garden Party

May 25, 2020 by I-House DC

The evening of Wednesday, May 20, 2020, International Student House of Washington, DC (ISH-DC) welcomed guests to a Spring Garden Party unlike any before in our 85 year history. Almost 100 Resident scholars, Board members, alumni, and friends joined us virtually to celebrate the mission of the House.  We were also delighted to welcome Ambassador and Mrs. Wouters of Belgium, Ambassador and Mrs. Jaeger of Liechtenstein, Ambassador Ellertsdottir of Iceland, Minister Counselor Yang of the People’s Republic of China, and Ambassador Geir Haarde, Executive Director of Nordic and Baltic States at the world bank and Mrs. Thordardottir, among many other distinguished guests.

Top left to bottom right: ISH Executive Director Daniel Bremer-Wirtig; Pamela Tripp-Melby and ISH Board President Eric Melby; Board member Janet Blanchard and Governor Jim Blanchard; Ambassador Walter Cutler and Board member Didi Cutler; Minister Counselor Yang of the People’s Republic of China; Ambassador and Mrs. Wouters of Belgium; ISH Alumnus Ambassador Geir Haarde and Mrs. Thordadottir; and Ambassador and Mrs. Jaeger of Liechtenstein.

The virtual reception opened with remarks by Eric Melby, President of our Board of Directors, who then introduced Daniel Bremer-Wirtig, the House’s Executive Director who began his appointment this past March.  One of our most illustrious alumni, Geir H. Haarde, Executive Director of Nordic and Baltic States at the World Bank, former Prime Minister of Iceland, and form Ambassador of Iceland to the United States, shared delightful remarks about his time at the House as a student while studying at Johns Hopkins University.

Resident Scholar Varsha Thebo from Pakistan – newly graduated with her Master’s degree from Georgetown – also graciously spoke of the significant importance the ISH community has had on her life these past few months.

Sun Han, ISH Alumna from China
Joshua Hellinger, ISH Alumnus from Germany
Jorrit Becking, ISH Resident Scholar from the Netherlands

While we could not host our guests in our garden as we have done for many years, we utilized the opportunity to ensure the celebration was truly special by showcasing talented alumni and residents around the world.  Alumna Sun Han, currently home in China while completing her PhD in International Economics at American University, played beautiful pieces on the piano, while alumnus Joshua Hellinger, who stayed at ISH in 2019 while studying International Politics at George Washington University, shared his favorite piece on the violin from his home in Germany.  The evening ended with a final piece from Jorrit Becking, a resident scholar from the Netherlands who played from our Great Hall.

If you missed the evening or simply would like to re-live the night, you can do so by enjoying the video below. The password to view is:  ISHGardenParty2020!

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate our mission in this special way, and we look forward to once again welcoming you to our Garden in the future!

While we could not host our guests in our garden as we have done for many years, we utilized the opportunity to ensure the celebration was truly special by showcasing talented alumni and residents around the world.  Alumna Sun Han, currently home in China while completing her PhD in International Economics at American University, played beautiful pieces on the piano, while alumnus Joshua Hellinger, who stayed at ISH in 2019 while studying International Politics at George Washington University, shared his favorite piece on the violin from his home in Germany.  The evening ended with a final piece from Jorrit Becking, a resident scholar from the Netherlands who played from our Great Hall.

If you missed the evening or simply would like to re-live the night, you can do so by enjoying the video below. The password to view is:  ISHGardenParty2020!

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate our mission in this special way, and we look forward to once again welcoming you to our Garden in the future!

Virtual Conversation with His Excellency Ashok Mirpuri, Ambassador of Singapore to the United States

April 17, 2020 by I-House DC

The afternoon of Wednesday, April 8, International Student House of Washington, DC (ISH-DC) welcomed His Excellency Ashok Mirpuri, Ambassador of Singapore to the United States, to join us for our first virtual program, an off-the-record conversation on Singapore-United States relations, geopolitics, and opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. Ambassador Mirpuri also spoke about Singapore’s efforts to manage COVID-19 and how the country is working with international partners, including the United States, to limit the global spread of the virus.

While we very much look forward to the day when we can once again gather in our Great Hall as we had originally intended, we were grateful for Ambassador Mirpuri’s willingness to participate in our Ambassadorial Dialogue Series as we adapted to an online platform. The discussion was exceptionally well received with a number of resident scholars, Board members, and friends of the House participating in the dialogue. We were also pleased to have members of the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT) join the program.

An unexpected benefit of holding the conversation virtually was the ability to welcome ISH-DC alumni from around the world. Former resident scholars joined us from Argentina, Austria, England, France, Germany, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland. Our alumni where able to join the conversation from afar and asked a number of questions during the discussion.

Thank you to the Embassy of Singapore and Ambassador Mirpuri for such an excellent opportunity, and to all our guests for joining us for what we plan to be the first of many such programs before we can once again convene together in our historic house in Dupont.

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International Student House of Washington, DC | 1825 R Street, NW | Washington, DC 20009

International Student House of Washington, DC is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization located near Dupont Circle in the heart of Washington, DC. Donations will help support our mission to provide an exceptional residential experience to a highly diverse international community of graduate students, interns and visiting scholars. The House promotes inter-cultural dialogue, encourages life-long connections, and fosters global citizenship.

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