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Glowing and Giving: The Big Give at International House

Ways to support I-House during Big Give

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I-House Executive Director Spotlight: Joe Lurie

I-House Executive Director Spotlight: Joe Lurie #ihouseberkeley #internationalhouse #ucberkeley #oralhistories

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Joe Lurie: I-House Berkeley Through His Eyes

While International House at UC Berkeley shares a vast 90-year history, Joseph “Joe” Lurie arguably knows it the best. As its third executive director, Lurie led I-House for nearly 20 years from 1988-2007. Every room in the building has a story, even down to the details of the ceiling, and, given his extensive research of the residence, Lurie can tell you all about them. A native New Yorker,…

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Reopening Approved by Board of Directors

International House Fall 2021 Reopening Approved by Board of Directors

Hello I-House Community.  I am very pleased to share an announcement from I-House Executive Director Shaun Carver. Dear I-House Alumni and Friends, I am pleased to announce that on February 1, 2021, the Board of Directors of International House at UC Berkeley unanimously approved moving forward with reopening in the Fall.  This decision was made after six months of study during the temporary…

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All best wishes for 2021!

Message from I-House Executive Director Shaun Carver #ihouseberkeley #internationalhouse #gratitude

Seasons Greetings! Read the latest message from I-House Executive Director Shaun Carver. Dear I-House Alumni and Friends, As we make the transition to 2021, we look towards our future with hope and intention.  When we made the difficult decision to close I-House earlier this year, we understood that it was unprecedented but necessary to ensure our top priority—the safety of our I-House…

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A Semester Like No Other: An I-House Berkeley Spring 2020 Recap

A Semester Like No Other: An I-House Berkeley Spring 2020 Recap By Chan'Cellore Makanjuola

With the school semester dramatically disrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic, most colleges and universities moved to online instruction, with students having no choice but to adjust to the changes. Given the lack of in-person classes and social distancing measures in place, quarantining while studying became a new balancing act.

At International House, UC Berkeley, a place known for…

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Last Thursday, March 12th, was Cal Big Give. A day where friends, family, and everyone part of the UC Berkeley community could donate to support fundraising efforts for individual schools and programs. Current residents, including myself, and members of the I-House Resident Council, came together to rally support for the event by encouraging others to donate to I-House during the 24 hours of Big Give.

A week prior to the event, Resident Council members Mikey Mohan and Benny Corona wrote letters that were sent to former resident council members about the Nancy Stock Tivol Resident Council Match. Nancy, an I-House alumna who lived here between 1965 and 1967 and served on the Resident Council, pledged a challenge match if I-House were to receive at least 180 gifts before the event was over. With a $10 minimum donation, the Big Give team gathered support from I-House residents and staff who helped us exceed our giving goals before the 9 p.m. (PDT) deadline on March 12th. 

Left to right: Mikey Mohan, Benny Corona, Sumedha Bhat, and Amy Yeung promoting Big Give in the Great Hall.

The Big Give team brainstormed different ideas that would appeal to residents. A table was set up in the Great Hall on March 11th, with cakes and raffle tickets ready to hand out for those who donated. Due to new COVID-19 regulations around public gatherings, the coffee hour scheduled for that evening was canceled, however, students could still come to the Great Hall to study. For the Big Give team, this was a great opportunity to still reach out to students for their support. One idea was setting up a large tri-fold poster display and taping colorful notecards on it that residents signed after giving.

Poster display was a clever way to capture gratitude and keep count of our resident donations.

Sumedha Bhat, an I-House resident part of the Big Give team, helped implement the idea with Mohan. 

“What gave us the idea was just brainstorming and discussing what would make us want to stop in our tracks and actually come to the Big Give table and ask questions about it. What would make us want to see our name up there?” she wrote in an email response. “The idea was to give a creative outlet to everyone who donates including a peek into their mindset around the concept of giving back.” 

Many residents wrote warm messages on their cards describing their reason for giving: 

“I give to I-House because every day here is a blessing of comfort & generosity & a true home away from home”—Aparna 

“I give because I-House gave me amazing friends!!!”—Ryoko 

“I give because I-House makes my life amazing”—Mikey 

See our slideshow to view more residents’ reasons for giving: 

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    For me, I gave because I-House at UC Berkeley is a special place. I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship to live here as are many other residents. As a grad student I was able to have my own room, and dining including was definitely a plus. Before moving in, I watched several videos from the I-House YouTube channel and read previous resident reviews online to get a sense of what living here would be like. Now, as a Social Media Ambassador, I’m able to show others what fun it is by creating videos to help with Big Give and share my experience. I was glad to donate on Big Give to show my support and keep opportunities available to help future residents enjoy living here like I have. 

Here I am pictured with Angela Rauch, giving out cakes, buttons and stickers to residents who donated during dinner on March 12th.

We made it easy to donate by using our digital screens and signs around the house with QR codes that linked directly to the donate page.

  The Big Give Leader Board which shows how we reached our gift-giving goal!

In the end, we exceeded our goal and made 204 total gifts for I-House! You can see the “Big Thanks” video that I made and the list of everyone who made a gift on our Big Give page. 

While Big Give may be over, you can still support I-House by visiting their website at ihouse.berkeley.edu/support

Thank you for your support! Go Big Give! 

Big Thanks for Big Give! #CalBigGive #InternationalHouse Last Thursday, March 12th, was Cal Big Give. A day where friends, family, and everyone part of the UC Berkeley community could donate to support fundraising efforts for individual schools and programs.

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Fall 2015 was the beginning of a new journey for Dania Orta Aleman. A native of Mexico City, Mexico, she came to UC Berkeley as a master’s candidate at the School of Public Health. Little did she know that an I-House Gateway Fellowship dinner the following year would lead her to her soulmate.  The dinner was to honor fellowship donors and recipients. Zunaid Omair, a Ph.D. candidate in electrical engineering from Bangladesh, happened to be at the same event. 

Dania Orta Aleman (IH 2015-17)

Zunaid Omair (IH 2016-17)

“We were just sitting at the same table and I remember he changed his card to sit by my side,” she said. Although he had to change tables again, Aleman said she was able to get his contact information. “I asked for his Facebook, and when he first told me his name, I didn’t understand it,” she said, giggling. “I just pretended I understood it. I added him on Facebook just to make sure I got the name correct and, yeah, that’s how we met, basically.”

Afterwards, the two would often see each in the I-House Dining Commons.  “I usually sat alone because I was very busy,” she said. “It was my last year, and I was applying for Ph.D. programs . . . and every time he saw me at the table sitting alone, he changed his table to join me.”

Soon after, the two began dating with their first date being at the Oakland Museum of California. Coming from different backgrounds helped the couple learn more about each other’s cultures. “I knew nothing about Bangladesh and the South Asian culture,” she said. “With [Omair], now I know everything with food . . . how family relationships are . . . religion, and the history of Bangladesh [including] all the countries around Bangladesh.”

She said her husband has also learned from her culture as well. The two have traveled to Mexico and he has met her family. “I have introduced him to all sorts of Mexican food that they don’t sell here in the U.S., and he’s learning Spanish,” she said, adding that the dynamics of their relationship were very interesting because they were raised in very different cultures.

When asked what their families thought of the relationship, Aleman said her parents were very open, but it was a bit more difficult on her husband’s side. “My family’s reaction was good . . . I guess they saw me happy and they were okay. On his side, it was a bit more complicated mainly because of religious issues,” she said. “We are from completely different religious backgrounds. Although we are not religious, our families kind of are.” Aleman was raised Catholic, and Omair was raised Muslim, where “the rules around marriage [are] very different,” she said. Aleman said that now his parents are on board with the relationship. We’re very happy about that.”

Aleman stated that she enjoyed living at I-House while pursuing her studies. “For me it was one of the best experiences I had in Berkeley, if not the best experience,” she said. “I think [Zunaid and I] both made great friends there, and in a way, I think it gave . . . well for me, it gave us everything. Like, we met each other. We are very grateful [for] being able to live there.”

The opportunity to experience other cultures was a defining moment for Aleman while at I-House. “When I was living in Mexico, I had very little interaction with other cultures,” she said. “But when I came [to I-House], it was the first time that happened. Now I am marrying someone from [the other side of] the world. That’s fantastic.”

Dania and Zunaid returned to I-House on February 13, 2020 to take photos for their wedding.

Dania and Zunaid on their wedding day

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Dania and Zunaid holding I-House “Love Grams,” an I-House tradition for Valentine’s Day

Bonnie Johnston, Financial Aid Coordinator for international students, remembers them well as they were both Gateway Fellowship recipients.  Bonnie said, “My heart was so warmed just now as I just happened upon a wedding photo shoot at International House at UC Berkeley. Angela Rauch, our Alumni Coordinator, called me to tell me that two I-House Gateway Fellowship recipients were getting married later today. I greeted the groom, Zunaid Omair, Ph.D. student from Bangladesh who began in 2016 and Dania Orta Aleman from Mexico, who began an MPH in 2015.” She adds, “I can’t quite take credit as the matchmaker, but I come close.” 

  Bonnie found the group photo below taken at the 2016 Gateway Fellowship dinner that fateful night when the couple first met. For Dania and Zunaid, I-House truly was a “Gateway to love.” ❤

Gateway Fellowship Recipients Fall 2016

For more I-House love connection stories, visit ihouse.berkeley.edu/love

I-House, a Gateway to Love: Mexico Meets Bangladesh Fall 2015 was the beginning of a new journey for Dania Orta Aleman. A native of Mexico City, Mexico, she came to UC Berkeley as a master’s candidate at the School of Public Health.