Our Mission

The Global Village (GV) seeks to promote international awareness and global learning through engaging student programs and services. The center provides opportunities for cross-cultural engagement between international and domestic KSU students. The center sponsors academic, cultural, leadership, and social programs that enrich the educational experience of all Kennesaw State University students, with an emphasis on developing global competence through intercultural engagement.

The Global Village promotes global learning and understanding by providing programs and services that focus on intentional interaction between international and domestic KSU students, resulting in increased meaningful and impactful social and intercultural contacts, and the opportunity for all students to explore the ways in which internationalization and global learning affect and intersect with various other identities that students have.

The GV also provides students with leadership and cultural competence development opportunities, advocacy, guidance, out-of-class support in the form of academic intervention and educational programs and events, weekly workshops and discussions, networking and developing on- and off-campus partnerships, and personalized assistance.

This is accomplished through strategic planning and partnerships, development and increase of campus programming with a focus on cultural competence building, and through advocacy for the creation and evaluation of policies that affect the international student experience at Kennesaw State University and beyond.

Our Team

Name
Position

  • Nashma Carrera

    Program Coordinator, Global Village

    ncarrer2@kennesaw.edu

Our Space

The Global Village (GV) is a community space for students to gather, create new friendships, study, and gain access to resources. Within the GV, students are presented with opportunities to learn about various aspects of nationality and citizenship as parts of one’s identity, and how those intersect with other identities that the students carry. 

The GV provides students with access to a resource library collection, with games and book and movie titles related to English as a Second Language, travel, cultural exploration and adaptation, as well graduate exam preparation textbooks; a computer lab; professional and student staff, and informational pamphlets and bulletin boards covering topics of importance to the international community. In addition to these services, the GV also hosts weekly and monthly programming, including Workshops, Discussions, and more.

  • Our wonderful team of student staff greets students as they enter the Global Village. Our student staff are here to answer your questions about the various programs and services offered the GV. Students entering the GV will be asked to please check-in at the check-in station using their Talon One card or their KSU ID number (000…) The reception area also boasts a bulletin board that showcases various on- and off-campus resources available to the students, as well as upcoming program and event information. 

  • Within the Global Village, students will find a kitchenette, a large couch, a computer lab, our resource library, a television for group work and practicing presentations, a whiteboard, and a games and supplies cabinets. The Global Village offers a versatile way to accommodate the studious, as well as the social KSU Owls. The large and comfortable couch is a great place for engaging conversations, as well as a power nap. The large center tables offer a place to eat meals, study, or socialize. Additionally, the GV hosts a variety of programs including our weekly Discussion Series, some Workshops, and other events. 

  • The Kitchenette offers access to a hot water urn, hot and cold beverages, a microwave and some utensils (bring your own dish!), as well as a refrigerator/freezer. All unused refrigerated items are thrown away at 4:30pm every Friday, unless they are reusable (i.e. coffee creamer, condiments, a carton or gallon of milk, etc.). All expired contents will be discarded upon discovery. ALL REFRIGERATED AND FROZEN ITEMS ARE TO BE LABELED BY NAME. Unlabeled refrigerator/freezer contents will be discarded upon discovery. 

Student Testimonials

Being a transfer student from [another university] I wasn’t used to open and warm [staff] primarily in the International Student offices. I was scared of walking into an office and explaining my case at first because I felt that [...] no one had ever been in my shoes facing similar problems as I was. Having been referred to you by a good friend, it changed my view on interacting with [staff]. I am sharing my testament because I believe there are a lot of International students out there who could be facing a tough situation and are a bit hesitant to address it with [staff] because they fear to complicate things. The Global Village [staff] provided me with new perception and made Kennesaw State feel like my new home. I appreciate every bit of support and guidance you and your department provided and I will forever be thankful.

Leeford Nduru

Kenya, Computer Science/Cybersecurity

This place has been the best place for hundreds of students, including me. I met my best friends here. GV has helped me reach out to other members of the global community which now makes me more of a global leader. International students including myself have come and gone through GV and ISA whenever we have had a problem because they had the answers. The advisors knew what they were doing and could help us.

 

Akshita Maan

India, Bio/Pre-Med

It wasn’t until late September of last year that I would start to delve deeper into what it means to be a Filipino. I was asked to be more active with the FSA, ISA (International Student Association) and the GV (Global Village) at Kennesaw State University. I was welcomed into a family where race, ethnicity, culture and being international was celebrated. I even have met people of mixed heritages and cultures like myself.

Gerald de Jesus

England/Philippines, History

This place has allowed me to expand my horizons when it came to diversity. I feel more accepted here.

Giuseppe De Fazio

USA, Integrative Studies 

Home, simply. I am here at KSU because of the GV. I made deep relationships with people here. I was supposed to transfer but this became my home. The Global Village is why I’m still here.

Albaraa Alarjan

Saudi Arabia, Psychology

This place is a safe haven for internationals. You can interact with people from all walks of life. Without the GV I wouldn’t have the friends I have now. It gave me experience that has made my college experience wonderful. I spend all of my time here.

Anonymous