The I-House Connection: June 2026

June 11, 2026
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Dear I-House Community,

I-House Facade from streetThis Friday, I'll be joining I-House alumni in London — the latest stop in a year that has already taken me to Tokyo, Barcelona, Madrid, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and right here in Berkeley. At every one of those gatherings, I've witnessed the same thing. Alumni who haven't seen each other in decades pick up right where they left off, as if no time has passed at all.

And it doesn’t even require shared time here. Alumni who lived at I-House years apart, sometimes generations apart, find that they already have something in common that matters. The I-House experience does that. Living here changes how you see the world, and that doesn’t go away.

Some alumni feel it most when they return to the building itself. They walk into the Dining Commons, the Great Hall, the mailroom (even the laundry room!), and the memories come flooding back. The friendships, the late nights, the sense that the world was kinder and more interesting than they’d imagined.

That’s what we’re celebrating on Sunday, August 9, at our Annual Alumni Reunion. Come connect with fellow alumni, have brunch in the Dining Commons, and see that what you felt here still holds.

I hope to see you there.

Sincerely,

Shaun Carver, I-House Executive Director

Shaun R. Carver Ed.D., MBA 
Executive Director and CEO
International House at UC Berkeley
linkedin.com/in/shauncarver

Group at Alumni Happy Hour in Los Angeles

Above: A recent gathering of I-House alumni in Los Angeles; Below: Alen with Gazelle Rastegar (IH 1995-97)

Discovering True Belonging at I-House


International House Berkeley was the first place Alen Voskanian (IH 1995-96) ever felt like he truly belonged. He had spent his life as a refugee — first as an Armenian Christian growing up in Iran during the revolution and war, then as a religious refugee in Southern California, where he moved at the age of 19. He transferred to UC Berkeley as a junior after spending two years learning English at community college and working at K-Mart.

“I joined I-House with the hope of developing a community. I wanted a place to belong,” Alen remembers. “Living at I-House expanded my horizon in understanding what belonging could even mean. Everybody could feel a sense of not belonging, even if you're not a refugee or an immigrant.”

At I-House, Alen worked in the programs office, helping plan events such as a Diwali celebration and a Maori dance night, while studying hard to get into medical school. He also came out while living at I-House, with support from his friends in the LGBTQ community.

“Building a community and friends made me feel like I belong not only at I-House, but through that, I belong in the US,” Alen explains. “It was a life-changing experience being surrounded by a community that was accepting of me while I was trying to accept myself.“

Alen with Gazelle Rastegar (IH 1995-97)

After graduation, Alen realized his dream of becoming a doctor and pursued a career caring for people who felt marginalized, specializing in HIV/AIDS and palliative medicine. Alen now serves as the chief operating officer for Cedars-Sinai Medical Network in Los Angeles.

Recently, Alen attended an I-House alumni event near his home. There, he reconnected with two friends from his I-House year. “Thirty years disappeared in about 30 seconds. We didn’t catch up, we resumed,” he says. “Same laughter, same curiosity, same reminder that the world is bigger and kinder than we sometimes remember.”

“It may not be obvious when you first graduate how life-transforming the I-House experience is,” Alen says. “But there's something deeper that happens about getting to know people from different backgrounds and celebrating that. Given our experience, we all have a lot to contribute to improving society in general.”

Join Us for the Alumni Reunion Brunch

International House Alumni Reunion Brunch


International House Alumni Reunion Brunch
Sunday, August 9, 2026
International House Berkeley

The annual I-House Alumni Reunion Brunch is happening on Sunday, August 9, from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. We’ll spend a leisurely brunch in the Dining Commons reconnecting with old friends and making new connections.

Register Now

Hang Out With Us


Global Gatherings:

International House Alumni & Friends Social in London
Friday, June 12, 2026, 6–8 p.m. GMT
London, England

Meet up with I-House Berkeley alumni and connect with alumni from International Houses around the world. This event is a collaboration with International Students House London, International House of Chicago, Maison Internationale Paris, and International House of Japan.

International Students House
229 Great Portland Street, London

Register Now

Gather your I-House friends and connect with fellow Berkeley alumni through the UC Berkeley international network.

  • June 22, 2026, Summer Welcome Party, Makati City, Philippines
  • June 25, 2026, Alumni Picoteo, Barcelona, Spain
  • July 4, 2026, Summer Mixer & New Bear Send-off, Taipei, Taiwan

Learn more and register for these and other upcoming UC Berkeley alumni events here.

Join I-House Alumni at Events Throughout the World

If you'd like to attend an alumni event near you, make sure your address is up to date in our update form so we can send you invitations to regional events.

Stay Connected


Connect with I-House residents (past and present) on our new LinkedIn Group. Whether you're looking for career advice, a mentor in your field, or just want to connect with I-House friends, this is your space.

If you've recently moved, please let us know by replying to this email or updating your contact information in our Share your Update form.

And if you are planning to be back in Berkeley in the coming months, please let us know by emailing us at alumni@ihouseberkeley.org so that we can arrange to meet up with you at I-House!

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Topics

Executive Director Message topic page, I-House Connection topic page