Dear GWU friends and Alumni:

My name is Gloria and I am applying to be the Recent Alumni Trustee on the Board of Trustees at the George Washington University. Selection for the position is not made by voting and you don't need to vote. If you want to support my application please sign this document. I will submit this document along with all signatures as "support material" along with my application.

Note: It is not a petition, I just use this way to gather your consents and supports.

For a long time, I and my fellow classmates—particularly those who also came from abroad—have all shared the feeling that it is extremely challenging to achieve academic and career success in a foreign country, partially because of the legal immigration restrictions on us. The college community does not provide enough support. As international students, we need to spend more time and energy to understand the basic rules of academic and professional life. We learned them by making mistakes, by being laughed at, and worst of all, by missing opportunities. There are so many international students who never get to the real battle because we miss the basics.

From the college side, many initiatives were set up to help international students to better fit into the campus and the country. We appreciate the university’s efforts but without a representative who has the experience of an international student, the Board can never really know what it’s like to be in our shoes.

That’s why I am applying to be the Recent Alumni Trustee with the Board of Trustees at the George Washington University. I will bring a different understanding, provide first-hand information, and be a voice for the unheard.

I will fight for my dream and together we will fight for our dreams!

If you want to support my application, please sign this document and share it with your GW friends and Alumni. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Best!

Gloria Zhang

ESIA 16'