I-House Connection

Our monthly newsletter, I-House Connection, keeps you informed about programs, events, and community updates. 

Shaun Carver's executive newsletter, Global Perspectives, is sent quarterly.

Subscribe here.

The I-House Connection: January 2026

January 7, 2026
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Dear I-House Community,

I-House side view with evening skyWinter break is a quiet time at I-House because most residents have traveled home for the holidays. But we have more staying with us than usual this year. Some are working on research projects, others are exploring California, and some have found travel more complicated due to changes in immigration policies. For all of them, I-...

International House Strengthens Leadership Team to Enhance Student Experience and Operational Excellence

November 18, 2025
I-House Berkeley Media Relations
Strategic reorganization positions I-House for centennial campaign and next phase of growth

International House Berkeley (I-House Berkeley), the multicultural residential center promoting a more just and peaceful world, today announced key leadership promotions designed to strengthen operational excellence and elevate the student experience. Nayeli Vivanco has been promoted to Chief Student Experience Officer, and Ernie Costello has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer.

The new organizational structure represents a strategic evolution that...

The I-House Connection: December 2025

December 11, 2025
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Dear I-House Community,

Last week, something happened on the Underhill soccer field that reminded me why I-House exists — and it had nothing to do with the final score.

Our two I-House intramural teams, the I-House All-Stars Football Club and I-House Football Club, faced off to see who would advance to the league finals. Both teams were undefeated this semester, which meant this match was always going to be intense. In the end, the game came down to penalty kicks, with I-House Football Club pulling out the win....

The I-House Connection: November 2025

November 14, 2025
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Dear I-House Community,

Every Wednesday night this semester, something special happens at I-House. Residents gather for DiversiTEA & Coffee Hour, a tradition that dates to the 1970s when resident leaders helped launch evening gatherings to break down cliques and build genuine connections across cultures.

The concept was simple then, and it remains powerful today: bring people together, share food, share cultures, and discover what connects us.

This semester, we’re celebrating 12 different countries and regions. Resident committees plan each event, bringing their...

Global Perspectives: I-House Berkeley Quarterly Updates

October 30, 2025
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Dear I-House Community,

Since our first Global Perspectives newsletter, the world has not stood still. Much has happened – on campus, in the US, and across the globe – reminding us how valuable open dialogue becomes when tensions rise. In moments of division, spaces that foster listening and understanding matter more than ever.

At International House at UC Berkeley, we’ve held to a mission that has guided us for nearly a century: to foster understanding across lines of nationality, belief, and identity. That mission matters most when the climate around us grows heated. In...

The I-House Connection: September 2025

September 11, 2025
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

Shaun Carver at the resident retreat campfire

Dear I-House Community,

Last weekend, 272 residents embarked on I-House's annual resident retreat, a tradition many of you will remember as the magical beginning of your own I-House journey. For the first time, we ventured to Cal's Lair of the Golden Bear Camp in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where residents...

The I-House Connection: October 2025

October 9, 2025
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

2025 Resident Leaders on the front steps of I-House

Dear I-House Community,

Every fall, I'm reminded why resident leadership is so central to what we do at I-House. This year, we welcomed an exceptional group of student leaders who are already making their mark: our newly elected Resident Community Council members, program leads, marketing leads, resident advisors, and front desk assistants. You can...

The I-House Connection: August 2024

August 8, 2024
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director
The I-House Connection: Exciting Updates: Reunion Brunch, New Board Members, Gateway Fellows, and Meal Plans!

The I-House Connection: August 2025

August 18, 2025
Shaun R. Carver, I-House Executive Director

I-House in 1930 with model T Ford car

Dear I-House Community,

Today is a special day: International House opened its doors 95 years ago on August 18, 1930. We're celebrating this milestone while welcoming a new group of residents who will join our vibrant community.

As I look out the window, I see families and friends helping move in...

From the Archives: The Rockefeller Letter

August 18, 2025
John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s Letter to Robert Sproul
On the occasion of our 95th Anniversary, we are sharing a piece of I-House history in the letter from our benefactor, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to UC President Robert G. Sproul. Written on September 29, 1930, the year International House Berkeley opened its doors, this letter outlines the vision and purpose behind the establishment of International House on the West Coast.

My dear President Sproul:

The completion and opening of International House in Berkeley and its acceptance by the University of California, suggest to me the advisability of sending you a...