And then, there's the luggage. Most foreign students don't know where they're going to live, and so they forward their luggage to us. My old office in Hullihen Hall was stacked with luggage by the end of the summer. Many students who have gone on to other universities still come back to Delaware to thank Lee and others in the office for the personal attention they received. An essential ingredient in creating this atmosphere, according to Lee, is the Cosmopolitan Club, which has welcomed students from abroad since 1969.
Students volunteer their time to arrange social functions and help new students get settled.
Lee stresses the benefits of the Cosmopolitan Club for both foreign students and the American students who volunteer their time and service. To Lee, diversity is not a new concept, she said her office has been promoting it for 25 years. So, this is often the only chance they get to meet students from another culture. Many build lasting friendships. Lee describes a foreign student adviser as someone who knows something about every department and office at the University, and, as a result, can answer most questions or direct students where to find answers.