Strengthening Campus Communities; Building Resettlement Capacity

• In Event: Local Immigrant Organizations, Community Sponsorship, and City Level Policies

Abstract

Every year, around 150 young refugees are welcomed by approximately 100 Canadian higher education institutions (HEIs) through the Student Refugee Program, implemented by the World University Service of Canada. To date, the program – which operates as part of the Canadian private sponsorship program – has empowered more than 2,400 refugees from 39 countries. With over 4,000 HEIs, campuses in the U.S. present a significant untapped potential to serve as resettlement spaces.

In July 2023, the Department of State launched the Welcome Corps on Campus, which, for the first time, allows campus communities to privately sponsor refugee students who qualify for resettlement to the United States and meet academic eligibility criteria. Campus sponsor groups coordinate with institutional leadership to provide core sponsorship services to refugee students for a minimum of 12 months. Participating campuses leverage their on- and off-campus ecosystem and resources providing holistic support services, a softer landing, and better long-term integration outcomes to sponsored refugee students.

In its first year, the program mobilized 18 campuses across 12 states to welcome 33 refugee students through the Welcome Corps on Campus. Students will begin their studies in fall 2024. The program’s goal is to support 150 refugee students annually after three years, engaging 2- and 4-year, private and public, urban and rural institutions across the United States, providing experiential learning and civic engagement opportunities for campus stakeholders while strengthening the local ecosystem to support refugee and immigrant populations.

This paper conducts quantitative analysis to analyze the role that university sponsorship plays in expanding resettlement capacity. Data obtained through surveys are analyzed to identify the campus networks that emerge to implement the Welcome Corps on Campus and the impact of this on the experiences of sponsors.

Author

• Nele Feldmann, Community Sponsorship Hub