The I-House Connection: May 2024

May 2, 2024

Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Dear I-House Community,

In this issue of the I-House Connection, I’d like to begin by wishing our current residents success with finals next week.

I hope that you enjoy reading about the recent visit of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway (IH 1996-97) for the ‘AI and the Future of Work; Norway in Conversation with California’ event in the Chevron Auditorium.

In terms of impact in the context of I-House’s mission, I am particularly impressed by the Davis Projects for Peace program. I am pleased to announce the 2024 Projects for Peace Award Winners. Congratulations also to our first cohort of the I-House Global Leadership Program (GLP)!

In New York last month, I had the great pleasure of meeting informally with I-House alumni spanning the decades. Check out the fun photo below! We also recently welcomed the community to the International Cultural Festival here at I-House, made possible by the Edith S. Coliver Fund. Please let us know if you’d like to help host an I-House alumni event in your area. As we wrap up the 2023-24 academic year, I’m also happy to share a retrospective video created by current residents with a glimpse into life at I-House today.

In each monthly I-House Connection, I like to highlight some important “save the dates” to encourage you to visit 2299 Piedmont Avenue in Berkeley! Come celebrate the Summer Solstice at the next quarterly IH Alumni Happy Hour, June 20th from 5-7 p.m. at Edmonds’ Café at I-House. The All Years Alumni Reunion registration for August 18th is now open.

For the first time, International House is now offering summer weekly bookings to I-House alumni and friends, complete with all I-House amenities and 19 meals provided weekly so that you may relive your fond memories here. For more information, visit this page.

Sincerely,

Shaun Carver, I-House Executive Director

Shaun R. Carver Ed.D., MBA
Executive Director and CEO
International House at UC Berkeley

Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, Returns to Berkeley

Crown Prince Haakon addressing the audience for the Panel Event on "AI and the Future of Work" On the 16th of April, International House welcomed back His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway for the ‘AI and the Future of Work; Norway in Conversation with California’ event in the Chevron Auditorium. HRH Crown Prince Haakon was an I-House resident from 1996-97 when he completed his studies in Political Science at UC Berkeley. In his opening remarks, he shared with us his fond memories of living at International House – all the wonderful social events, interesting conversations in the lively dining hall, and the chance to meet people from all around the world.

Read more in the blog post, HRH Crown Prince Haakon: AI and the future of work, written by Resident Life Marketing and Communication Leads, Suvi Valtonen Kim and Gilbert Chiu.

HRH_Crown_Prince_Haakon_with_I-House_residents

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway with UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students

Learn more about the visit to campus: Berkeley Institute of European Studies: Crown Prince Haakon of Norway visits UC Berkeley

Photos by Brandon Sanchez Mejia

Announcing the 2024 Winners of Projects for Peace

Congratulations to I-House residents Excellence Anurika Joshua, Hussein Orekoya, and Okechukwu Iroegbu for winning the Projects for Peace awards! They will be working in Nigeria this summer thanks to $10K grants from Projects for Peace awards! Projects for Peace is an initiative that has been open to residents of International House to design grassroots projects for the summer—anywhere in the world—that promote peace and address the root causes of conflict among parties. Learn more here.

Global Leadership Program Cohort

Congratulations to our first cohort of the I-House Global Leadership Program (GLP). This program aims to provide I-House residents with tools to enhance their leadership skills through the lens of Cultural Intelligence and Cultural Values. Throughout the program, the participants engaged in multicultural experiences; weekend workshops on leading with cultural intelligence; a community service program; the I-House Gala; the International Cultural Festival, and more. Looking ahead to the next academic year, we are excited to offer two cohorts of I-House residents the opportunity to develop their leadership skills by continuing this exciting new program.

Global Leadership Program Cohort 1 Group Picture

Global Leadership Program participants from left to right: Standing: María del Mar, Risper Rwengo, Paige Lyles, Mar Lasquetty, Seiya Kawaguchi, Riko Okubo, Manal Siddiqui, Natalia Stasik, Ella Macallair. Sitting: Carina Samson, Leran Zhao, Patience Nyonglema Sombang, Solveig Roendal-Liniger, Suvi Valtonen Kim, Krishna Shekhawat

I-House Berkeley in the Big Apple

Shaun Carver at the I-House reunion in NY

In the heart of Times Square, a group of approximately 35 I-House alumni and friends gathered with Shaun Carver for happy hour, where inter-global connections flowed as freely as the drinks. From the 1960s to the 2020s, a mix of generations shared laughs and stories from the dining commons, coffee hours, and messy roommates. With similar memories spanning the decades, it was evident that the bonds forged at I-House transcend time and space. Cheers to many more gatherings, celebrating the enduring spirit of global connection and I-House friendship! If you live in the New York region and missed the memo, please update your address by writing to us at alumni@ihouseberkeley.org

Celebrating Global Cultural Heritage: The International Cultural Festival

A truly eventful year for I-House residents ended with another edition of the annual International Cultural Festival, prepared by the Robertson Center for Intercultural Leadership and Programs team. On Saturday, April 27, we opened the door to welcome over 100 guests from outside the House and to our 600 residents, who joined us to celebrate the global cultural heritage. During 4 months of work, the Center’s Program Lead Team worked hard to put together the festival, with 16 student- or association-led cultural booths, 8 performances, and the participants’ countless smiles. Read more in the blog post, written by Natalia Stasik, Program Lead.

International Cultural Festival highlights showing 4 photos

A Look Back

As we wrap up the 2023-24 academic year, we’re happy to share this glimpse into life at I-House today. Highlights of this video include the outdoor I-House retreats; a variety of weekly DiversiTEAand Coffee Hours hosted by our residents; amazing performances by residents during the famous Sunday Suppers; and many other events. Enjoy!

Video created by Suvi Valtonen Kim, Resident Marketing and Communication Lead
View on our YouTube channel

Join us for the 2024 I-House All Years Alumni Reunion!

All Years Alumni Reunion: Sunday, August 18, 2024

We hope you’ll join us for the 2024 International House All Years Alumni Reunion brunch in the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Dining Commons at I-House. Tickets are on sale now. Please help us spread the word to fellow I-House alumni. Friends and families are welcome! Registration now open!

Global Online Community News

Have you logged in to I-House Berkeley Connect lately? You'll be greeted with a more dynamic home screen designed to make your interactions with our community more seamless and engaging than ever before.

The new homepage is more than just a feed; it's a vibrant hub for events, programs, and updates, offering rich networking opportunities and resources. Experience the all-new I-House Berkeley Connect platform and tap into a world of I-House connections. Join our global community of 3,000 members at ihberkeleyconnect.org

Edmonds Café

Visit our Café Events & Specials for more details.

CAFÉ HOURS:
Weekdays: 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Weekends: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Finals Week 5/6-/5/12

Mon-Thurs: 7:30 a.m. -9 p.m.

Fri: 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Sat: 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Sun: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Week of 5/13-5/19

Mon-Sun: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Memorial Day Week

Mon: 5/20-Fri 5/24: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Sat & Sun 5/25-5/26 closed

Memorial Day, Monday 5/27: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Summer Hours Starting Tues 5/28

Mon-Fri 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Sat-Sun 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

I-House Dining Commons

Be sure to check our Calendar of Community Events to find out what’s happening at I-House! If you've recently moved or changed careers, please let us know at alumni@ihouseberkeley.org or update your profile and contact information in I-House Berkeley Connect. We're always excited to hear about your latest adventures. And if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to support you in any way we can.