Student Programs & Leadership Opportunities
Empowering international students through community, leadership and cultural exchange
ISSS Student Programs
Intercultural Leadership Program (ILP)
Forerunner welcomes new international students, preparing them for the Penn journey with engaging sessions and activities.
If you’re open to learning intercultural leadership skills and motivated to share your knowledge with your peers, we invite you to apply to the ILP. This program has been designed to foster an intercultural community of leaders who are ready to take on issues they are passionate about, learn from different cultures, and make a lasting impact at Penn and beyond.
Every semester, there are 3 to 4 Culture Crossings events where you’ll meet others from across campus to share different perspectives, celebrate our myriad identities, and see through the eyes of others.
The Penn World Scholars are a selected group of outstanding international undergraduate students who demonstrate notable potential for global citizenship and leadership.
International Student Advisory Board (ISAB)
International Student Table for Advocacy & Relations (ISTAR)
The ISAB is one of the first student boards in the Ivy League to advise and guide the ISSS, along with other Penn departments, to foster a warm, welcoming, and respectful community for international students.
ISTAR works together to provide a unified voice for international student advocacy at Penn. This group is a collaboration between ISSS, International Student Advisory Board (ISAB), Assembly of International Students (AIS), Undergraduate Assembly (UA), and Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA).
Every May, we celebrate the successes and contributions of graduating Penn international students with a reception full of food, music, and community.