Briefing – University Sponsorship of Refugee Students: Initiative on Increasing U.S. Education Pathways for Refugee Students

On December 2, the Presidents’ Alliance and its partners in the Initiative on U.S. Education Pathways for Refugee Students held a briefing to discuss our newly released report and recommendations on university sponsorship of refugee students. Since an inaugural strategy meeting in May 2021, over a hundred individuals, representing over 60 organizations, have collaborated to create policy and program recommendations for the establishment of a refugee student pathway to US higher education through a college/university refugee sponsorship program, which involves providing refugee students expanded pathways to study, resettle, and obtain legal permanent residence in the U.S. This event featured a conversation with refugee students, and speakers discussed the scope of the global challenge, the profound impact it can have on refugee students and campuses, and how we can mobilize U.S. higher education leaders and campuses to advocate for and engage in a new university sponsorship program.

You can find the resource folder, including speaker bios and slides, here.

You can find details about the RESPONSE campaign and how to get involved here, and find the full report here.

Speakers:
Gillian Triggs, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College
Miriam Ciing, Student at Trinity College
Sarah Cross, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM)
Shabnam Fayyaz, Student at Columbia University
Erin Fitzgerald, Director of the Center for Global Education & Fellowships, Salve Regina University
Miriam Feldblum, Executive Director, Presidents’ Alliance
Eric Hoover, Chronicle of Higher Education
Mary Maker, UNHCR High Profile Supporter & Student at St. Olaf University
Diing Manyang, Student at The George Washington University