International Spring Festival
What is International Spring Festival?
Each Spring, the International Students Association Council coordinates the International Spring Festival, a week of events produced by various student groups on campus. International students and their local counterparts seek to promote culture and diversity through various cultural events, such as a fashion show, dance show, flag parade, international pageant and tabled events.
How do we celebrate International Spring Festival during the COVID-19 pandemic?
We strive and continue to celebrate diverse cultures and promote social networking and engagement during these challenging times. This year, we will be providing a mix of virtual, in-person and hybrid events. All the International Spring Festival events are free and open to the entire Georgia State community.
When will the 2021 International Spring Festival happen?
The 2021 International Spring Festival will take place from Monday, March 29 to Saturday, April 3. At least one event will be held each day during this week. See below for upcoming events.
Connect with ISAC on PIN, Facebook and Instagram and join us to celebrate together!
International Spring Festival 2021
Passport to the World
March 29 - April 2, 2021
Enjoy your week-long cultural journey with ISAC!
Click here to download a full passport. Follow the instructions on your passport to collect stamps and redeem a Spring Festival gift! Your Spring Festival gift is ready for pick up at ISSS Map Room (248 Sparks Hall) on the following dates:
- noon-2 p.m., Monday, April 5
- noon-2 p.m., Wednesday, April 7
Monday, March 29, 2021, 12-2 p.m.
Holi Paint Party
Sponsored by: Multicultural Center, Indian Cultural Exchange (ICE), Nepali Student Association (NepSA)
Location: Student Center East Ballroom, RSVP on PIN
Holi is a Hindu festival that has been celebrated since ancient times. The Holi festival is celebrated as a way to welcome in spring, and also is seen as a new beginning where people can release all their inhibitions and start fresh.
Monday, March 29, 2021, 4-5 p.m.
Culture Talks
Sponsored by: AMIS
Location: Zoom, register here
What cultural differences have you noticed between American culture and your home culture? What surprised you about living in the US? What aspects of American culture do you enjoy? Join AMIS for an interactive panel discussion on “Communicating Across Cultures" and explore the differences and similarities between American and global cultures and receive tips for thriving in a cross-cultural environment. Learn more about this event here.
AMIS is the French word for "friends" and is a nonprofit organization that welcomes international students and scholars and connects them to local friends in the greater Atlanta area. Learn more at www.amis-inc.org.
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Coffee & Chill: Buna Time
Sponsored by: Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association (EESA)
Location: Student Center East, RSVP on PIN
This event showcases the traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean coffee ceremony tradition which is central to everyday life in both countries, where coffee is drank three times a day.
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 3-4:30 p.m.
International Student Meet and Greet
Sponsored by: Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) at Georgia State
Location: 125 Edgewood Avenue, at the edge of Edgewood and Courtland, RSVP on PIN or via here
Meet with your international friends in a mask-required and social distancing environment! Come over to hang out with everyone on Tuesday afternoon and pick up a goodie bag from BCM!
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 5 p.m. & Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 5 p.m.
Food Wars: LASA x VSA
Sponsored by Latin American Student Association (LASA), Vietnamese Student Association (VSA)
Location: Stream on IGTV (lasa.gsu), join on PIN
This event allows us to feature our culture's cuisine. We will showcase dishes and open our series to the public by allowing them to participate to show their culture. There will be two main videos showing a battle between two dishes and we will have the viewers decide on who is the winner of the challenge.
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Financial Resources Workshop
Sponsored by International Student Ambassadors (ISA)
Location: Register
Discover tools to help you finance your college life!
Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 1-3 p.m.
International Student Job Search Workshop
Sponsored by: International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS), University Career Services
Location: Online, join on PIN
The workshop is to educate international students on United States job searching customs, processes and introduction to legal matters. We will also discuss H-1B and permanent residency.
Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 3-3:45 p.m.
Sri Lankan New Year Celebration
Sponsored by: Sri Lankan Student Association (SlaSA)
Location: Virtual, join on PIN
Join us for a brief look at how New Year is celebrated in Sri Lanka!
Thursday, April 1, 2021, 3-4 p.m.
Healing Meditation Workshop
Sponsored by: The Test & Counseling Center
Location: Online, RSVP and join on PIN
Thursday, April 1, 2021, 8-10 p.m.
Drive-in Movie Night
Sponsored by: Vietnamese Student Association (VSA), Multicultural Center
Location: Georgia State Green Lot, RSVP on PIN
We are showing a famous Asian film Crazy Rich Asians to showcase the different cultures in honor of the International Spring Festival and APIDA Heritage Month.
Friday, April 2, 2021, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
US Educational Support & Resources
Sponsored by International Student Ambassadors (ISA)
Location: Register
Friday, April 2, 2021, 3 p.m.
Flag Parade
Sponsored by: ISAC
Location: Stream on IGTV (isac_gsu), join on PIN
Do you know how many countries our international students are representing? Join the flag parade on IGTV to learn more and showcase the diversity!
Friday, April 2, 2021, 5-6:30 p.m.
Let's Have a Tour in my Country
Sponsored by: Fulbright Student Association (FSA)
Location: Join on PIN
Questions? Please contact ISAC at gsuisac@gmail.com
Contact Us
ISSS is committed to maintaining support and services to you during this time and will continue to operate under normal operating procedures for the remainder of the semester, just from a remote and online platform. This means you can call us directly or email us to request information and/or telephone/web appointments for advisement during our regular advisement hours.
For the Atlanta campuses, please call 404-413-2070 or email isss@gsu.edu.
For Perimeter campuses, please call 678-891-3235 or email issspc@gsu.edu.
Location:
Sparks Hall - Room 252
ISSS, Georgia State University
33 Gilmer St. SE
Atlanta, GA 30303
Telephone: 404-413-2070
Fax: 404-413-2072
Email: isss@gsu.edu
Mailing Address (please use our physical address above for express mail):
International Student and Scholar Services
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3987
Atlanta, GA 30302-3987
USA
Georgia State-sponsored H-1B, TN, O-1, J-1 Scholar and Permanent Residency Petitions
Any advising for employment-based visas, green cards or hosting a J-1 Scholar (Research Scholar, Professor, Short-Term Scholar, Student Intern, Specialist) which are sponsored by Georgia State needs to be set up by appointment after the hiring department has requested the immigration process they wish to sponsor.
Office Hours:
8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday
Advising Hours (F-1 & J-1 Students) are as follow:
Monday: 1-4 p.m.
Tuesday: 9 a.m.-noon
Wednesday: 1-4 p.m.
Thursday: 1-4 p.m.
Friday: 1-4 p.m.
ISSS is committed to serving you in the safest and most efficient way possible.
Beginning Spring 2022: F-1 and J-1 students wishing to speak with an ISSS advisor at the Atlanta Campus over the phone or in-person must access the QLESS system in order to get into our virtual queue. Once in the virtual queue you will receive instructions regarding a call back from one of our available advisors or instructions on when to come into the ISSS lobby to meet an advisor.
If you wish to speak with an ISSS advisor, please click the QLESS link below during advising hours and get into the virtual queue.
Clarkston Campus
Location & Mailing Address:
Building CN 2230 (Student Center)
ISSS, Perimeter College, Clarkston Campus
555 N. Indian Creek Dr.
Clarkson, GA 30021
Telephone: 678-891-3235
Fax: 678-891-3068
Email: issspc@gsu.edu
Dunwoody Campus
Location & Mailing Address:
Building NB
Room 1200
ISSS, Perimeter College, Dunwoody Campus
2101 Womack Rd.
Dunwoody, GA 30338
Telephone: 770-274-5570
Fax: 770-274-5253
Email: issspc@gsu.edu
Office Hours:
8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday
Walk-in Advising Hours (F-1 & J-1 Students):
9-11:30 a.m., Monday and Wednesday
1:30-4 p.m., Monday through Friday
Occasionally it may be necessary to make emergency cancellations of advising times last minute. We apologize for any inconvenience.