Since 1955, Loyola Marymount University has welcomed students from around the globe, now representing more than 100 countries and September 2025 marked 70 years of international community and support with the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS). Occurring on the same weekend as the LMU Alumni BBQ weekend, the timing allowed alums to participate in the full weekend of events.
OISS has its roots in LMU’s long-standing commitment to welcoming global perspectives, which began with enrolling international students in 1955. Over the decades, LMU expanded its support for this growing population, culminating in the establishment of OISS as a dedicated resource for international students and visiting scholars. Today, OISS plays a vital role in ensuring immigration compliance, providing advising, and fostering cultural exchange through programs and events that promote global engagement. Serving students from more than 100 countries, the office reflects LMU’s mission to create an inclusive, internationally connected campus community. In addition, 2025 also marks the 25th anniversary of LMU’s Global House, which also saw celebration from attendees during the weekend as they shared their experiences living in the house to become global citizens during their time at LMU.
LMU’s Global House, established in 2000 as a dedicated space for fostering international community and cultural exchange, is located just off campus on Loyola Boulevard. The house was created to provide both international and domestic students with an opportunity to live and learn together in an environment that promotes mutual respect, understanding, and global awareness. Each year, undergraduate students reside in the house, participating in programs such as orientation, monthly dinners, and cultural events designed to strengthen ties between diverse cultures. Over its history, the Global House has become a cornerstone of LMU’s commitment to global citizenship, offering residents a unique living-learning experience that extends beyond the classroom and into the heart of LMU’s mission to educate the whole person.
Alumni came from around the globe to attend the reunion weekend, some came from across the U.S. where they now reside with their families. “The reunion represented a full-circle moment for me both professionally and personally,” said Csilla Samay, Ed.D., associate dean of students, international initiatives and special projects “I worked in the OISS office when I was a student, and then went on to take on the role leading the office. And even as the numbers of international students grew at LMU, our level of care for those students didn’t change.”
President Thomas Poon, Ph.D., shared with program attendees how for the past seven decades, international students have enriched LMU’s academic and cultural life, fostering connections, and transcending borders. “For 70 years, LMU has grown its international student presence; this year’s first-year class comprised students from 43 states and 66 nations, bringing our overall student population to 48 states and 89 nations,” shared Poon. “To support these many backgrounds and passions, we’ve expanded the programming, mentorship, and resources available to support student flourishing … I’m grateful to our Student Affairs and OISS leadership and staff for stewarding our international community and providing our students with personalized care during this time of uncertainty.”
That growth in the international student population began in 2007 when Rev. Robert B. Lawton, S.J., served as the 14th president of LMU and he tasked the vice president of Enrollment Management to build an international student recruitment plan. Samay was working in the Study Abroad office at LMU after leaving the Fulbright Commission in Budapest where she advised students on studying in the U.S. (sending several Hungarian waterpolo players to LMU) and previously recruited students for Marymount College. With her background, she was recruited to then to help increase the number of students from around the globe at LMU. “The first big recruitments happened in Indonesia, mainly because there were already so many LMU alums from the area and from there they expanded into the Gulf region,” shared Samay. Since she had worked more on the recruiting side at the time, she would often directly connect back with the Office for International Students and Scholars staff members such as Denise Folga, who currently serves as the director for OISS. “I would connect with Denise as I was bringing in students and their families so we could also introduce them to current international students from their home country,” said Samay.
One of the things that came out of that growth was the need to also provide a specific orientation for international students, while all new students would receive an orientation to LMU, there were a number of things including the culture shock of being in the U.S. Commonly known as International Student Orientation, it was Folga who created the orientation program around 2005 with a focus on a peer-to-peer model. “It’s so important for us to have all of the program content done by students for students,” said Folga. “We want them to hear from their peers on what has helped them be successful in their own LMU journey. The program doesn’t end with orientation, we’re training and helping students become lifelong mentors with the opportunity for every international student to be able to identify with something, sports, theatre, their majors, etc.” Both for intentionality in how student leaders are able to practice cura personalis, and those who may not be leading sessions, can take moments to seek out students who may be struggling or not as engaged.
During the 70th celebration with alumni, Folga was honored for her work and 25 years of service to the international community at LMU. Surrounded by familiar faces from international alumni and staff who had seen Folga’s service for others in action, she was presented with a plaque from Poon and Samay. “It was truly touching and meant even more to be surrounded by our international alumni and current and former OISS staff,” said Folga. “One of the international alumni in attendance who currently lives in the Westchester community was a first-year student the year I started in OISS. And he was able to share stories that we were all able to reminisce about together during my first years as a staff member at LMU.”
The bonds within LMU’s international alumni network run deep, stretching across continents and generations. Some alumni now call the U.S. home, others are parents of current international students, and all share a common thread: the transformative power of connection and care that came from their experiences as an international student at LMU. This spirit shines through the work of OISS every day on the bluff. In fact, for a group of local alumni, the desire for deeper engagement after September’s event led to something special, an invitation to join the annual Friendsgiving celebration during International Education Week. There, alumni and current international students came together in community, forging new friendships and lasting connections that embody LMU’s global heart.