Emma Tannanbaum

Position »

President of Global Union

Year and Major »

Third year, Industrial and Systems Engineering

Reason for Nomination »

As President of Global Union this past year, he has led numerous initiatives to make the RIT campus more friendly to international students.

What is GU, and how are you involved?
Basically, GU is an organization that was founded about 11 years ago by an international student. Ever since, it’s been promoting diversity on campus. The [international enrollment] numbers have been growing steadily every year. So right now, we’re representing about 1500 international students and 15 different cultural clubs. We address international student issues, and we try to help all of them out. In my third year, I got elected as the president of GU, and I got re-elected [for 2008-2009].

Where are you from?
I am originally from Bombay, India. I came here in 2005.

I understand that you swept the SG awards banquet. What was that like?
I wouldn’t use the word ‘swept,’ but yes, I did get a few honors at the SG awards banquet... There were two scholarships and one award. Basically, RLI (the RIT Leadership Institute) had scholarships for student leaders on campus. I applied for a few of them. There was the Kathleen Keyes Award for service to SG. I used to serve as the Senator for international students and representative for GU in the Senate for the last year...The second one was the Isaac Jordan award for student diversity...The third award was the Outstanding International Service award, which I shared with another three students. Those were the ones in the SG banquet...It was very exciting to get those. It was a great honor, and I’m just trying to keep myself level and keep myself humble.

What do you see as your greatest accomplishment as GU president?
I just feel like I’m getting to the point where I’m the right medium between my constituency and people who can make changes. So knowing International Student Services quite well, knowing Campus Life closely, knowing the office of the Vice President of Student Affairs closely, and working with them, helps me tell all of the students’ problems to them. If the students are not comfortable, it helps me to be the common person in between...My impact has basically been that I’m approachable, people can feel comfortable talking to me.

What kind of problems have you faced thus far?
The biggest problems that international students have been facing are the housing and transportation problems... About 60% of these students live off campus, and many of them live in housing complexes such as Rustic Village and Winton Village. They need transportation from there. They have trouble getting to and off campus and many of them don’t even know what’s beyond Henrietta.

I’ve also been Peer Advisor Leader, which is like an OA for international students, for the last two years. We saw that students who come in have issues with airport pick-ups and issues with housing. Some of them did not get housing before they came in, so they had to live with some friends as temporary accommodations. I used to drive the Public Safety vans to the airport every year to pick up students and that was only one day. About 300-400 students come every year from around the world, and I don’t think in one day that you could pick up all of them. So the major change that I made...was that we’re extending that one day pick-up to one week pick-up. We have to cater to incoming students and the already-present international students and at the same time also show the rest of RIT American students what kind of diversity exists on campus.

What improvements would you like to make in the future?
I want to see this campus [be more friendly for international students]. Students should feel like they are welcome here. There are already factors going against us, such as the weather and the quarter system. Most of the students come from semester system colleges and many of them come from warm climates. If we can do something to help them out, just to make it so they can settle down over here, that will actually help increase admission of international students. Things like transportation or housing should not be an issue when students are coming here for higher education. These are just the most elementary needs that students have. If I can solve these problems before I leave, then I think my job will be done.

What’s your favorite thing about RIT?
I think most of the people are very good to you. When I was first coming here, I always thought, ‘How would the Americans treat me? How will I fit in?’ ... I’m from a big city, so I didn’t ever experience a small town environment. Rochester and RIT and everyone over here were kind of friendly. So I think I like the people more than anything. It makes up for the climate.

And your least favorite?
The climate! I wish that winter was shorter.