UW Madison · Madison, Wisconsin

You don't have to
do this alone.

ISMP at UW Madison is a group of volunteer mentors who meet international students here on campus. Come to one event or get matched with a mentor and start from there.

See what's happening Get a mentor

On campus

What's happening at UW Madison.

Come and meet the mentors here. Everyone is welcome.

Free Airport & Bus Stop Rides for UW–Madison International Students

Happens regularly

Daily

August 1, 2026–September 5, 2026

Free Airport & Bus Stop Rides for UW–Madison International Students

Choose a Pickup Date and Time
Coach USA / Van Galder Bus Stop (250 N. Lake St, UW Campus) or Madison Airport (MSN)

New international student arriving at UW–Madison? Get free pickup from Madison’s Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) or the Coach USA/Van Galder Bus Stop on campus and a ride to your Madison housing. This service helps new international students arrive safely and conveniently with their luggage.

Choose your pickup location, date, and time, then provide your Madison drop-off address through our simple sign-up form.

How to Connect & Build Relationships: Classmates, Professors & Colleagues in the U.S.

Upcoming

September 4, 2026

How to Connect & Build Relationships: Classmates, Professors & Colleagues in the U.S.

6:30–8:00 PM
Student Activity Center, 333 East Campus Mall - Caucus Room

New to UW–Madison or finding it difficult to connect with people in your classes, lab, or workplace? You’re not alone! Join fellow international students for an evening with Nelson Chan, M.Eng., an engineering graduate of UCLA and UC Berkeley with 20 years of professional experience. Nelson will share practical tips on how to build meaningful relationships with classmates, professors, and colleagues in the U.S. You’ll also have the chance to: 🗣️ Practice having conversations in English 🤝 Meet new friends, international students, and alumni 💡 Learn practical networking tips for U.S. university and professional settings 🍜 Enjoy a delicious Asian dinner in a relaxed, welcoming environment Who should attend? This event is perfect for UW–Madison international students, exchange students, graduate students, and anyone who wants to expand their network and make new connections in Madison. Come ready to meet people, practice English, and build connections that can last beyond the classroom!

Reserve your spot through our simple sign-up form.

How to Connect & Build Relationships: American Work Culture & Academia

Upcoming

September 11, 2026

How to Connect & Build Relationships: American Work Culture & Academia

6:30-8:00 PM
Student Activity Center, 333 East Campus Mall - Caucus Room

How do you start a conversation with Americans navigating through the cultural differences? And how can you build relationships that go beyond a simple “hello”? Join us for an interactive evening with Irene Wu, PharmD. and Daniel Wu, M.S. as they share personal experiences and practical advice on communication, relationships, and American work and academic culture. You’ll have the chance to: 💬 Learn how to approach and communicate with people in different settings 🎓 Better understand relationship-building in American academia 💼 Hear real stories from professionals about workplace relationships 🗣️ Practice conversational English in a relaxed setting 🤝 Meet other international students and build your community 🍜 Enjoy a free Asian dinner! Who should attend? Perfect for international students, exchange students, graduate students, and anyone interested in navigating American academic and professional culture while making new connections in Madison. Come with your questions, meet new people, and discover practical ways to feel more comfortable connecting with others in the U.S.

Click the link below to reserve your spot!

Your mentors here

Some of the mentors you'll meet here.

They run the workshops, host the dinners, and stay in touch long after your first semester.

Irene WuPharmacist, Prime TherapeuticsUniversity of Minnesota, Twin Cities · PharmD

Sharon DangClinical Dietitian, SSM HealthLoma Linda University · MS, Nutritional Sciences

Fran ChanProject Engineer, Wisconsin Department of TransportationUC Berkeley · MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Daniel WuData Scientist, First AmericanUniversity of Minnesota, Twin Cities · MS, Biomedical Engineering

Phan DangDirector of Software Engineering, Unified Sentinel Data NetworksNational University · MS, Computer Science

Nelson ChanSenior Product Designer, REDEEM HealthShareUC Berkeley · M.Eng., Civil and Environmental Engineering

What to expect

What a mentor actually does.

Real help
Open to everyone
Your pace

Get help with the real things.

How to email a professor, a roommate problem, a housing question, and what looking for a job in the U.S. is really like. These are the parts of life here that nobody explains. Our mentors are unpaid volunteers who know how hard it is to move to a new country, and they are happy to help.

Open to everyone.

ISMP is built on Christian values, and all of our mentors are Christians. Their faith is what motivates them to volunteer and invest in the lives of international students. What you do together is practical and personal: studying, working, and building a life here. There is no requirement to be Christian to participate. Every international student is welcome.

You set the pace.

You meet your mentor once to start. After that, you decide how often you meet and what you talk about. Some students meet every week. Others only want to talk once, before something important like a big presentation. You can stop at any time.