Welcome Campus Network
The Welcome Campus Network amplifies the work of colleges and universities in welcoming and supporting newcomers who are seeking safety from across the globe.
Supporting newcomers' higher education goals
Welcome.US launched the Welcome Campus Network (WCN) in December 2021 in partnership with the National Association of System Heads, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, the Texas International Education Consortium, Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR), and the University of Texas at El Paso—whose president, Dr. Heather Wilson (former Secretary of the United States Air Force) recruited 27 other universities and colleges as members of the network.
WCN members are active participants in welcoming, providing scholarships, housing, community sponsorship, pathways to education, and other support to thousands of newcomers. The Welcome Campus Network highlights the innovation and transformative power of higher education institutions.
Now with additional resources through the Supporting Higher Education in Refugee Resettlement (SHERR) program, the Welcome Campus Network seeks to grow and deepen its impact. The SHERR program is funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.
Supporting Higher Education in Refugee Resettlement (SHERR) builds the capacity of higher education institutions across the U.S. to support refugee resettlement with the aim to improve newcomers’ experiences and outcomes upon their arrival into the United States. SHERR is led by World Learning in collaboration with the Ethiopian Community Development Council, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, and Welcome.US. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.
Join the Welcome Campus Network
Joining WCN means joining a community of colleges, universities, and organizations working with campuses that are committed to welcoming newcomers. Members participate (as available) in meetings twice per month to share information and best practices; learn from national, state, and local officials, advocates, and practitioners on opportunities, trends, and events; participate in communities of practice; and build common solidarity and community. Through SHERR, WCN members benefit from tools, trainings, and resources.
Please complete the Welcome Campus Network Membership form to join. Questions? Contact [email protected].
Members are invited to join the Welcome Campus Network as either an institutional or individual member:
Institutional members
Institutional members are listed on the WCN webpage, join the network’s list serv, attend virtual meetings (held twice a month), and are messengers of welcome.
Individual members
Individual members join the network’s list serv, attend virtual meetings (held twice a month), and become messengers of welcome.
You can also join the listserv. Learn more about upcoming Welcome Campus Network meetings, member events, and presentations; access resources; and join a community seeking to learn from and support one another in advancing a shared commitment to welcoming refugees and other newcomers.
Resources
WCN Resources
Members can access exclusive resources (coming soon), including presentations and resources shared from guest speakers; resources, tools, and trainings developed by the SHERR consortium; and tools and materials shared by other WCN members.
Welcome Campus Networks invites a number of national, state, and local officials, advocates, newcomers, and practitioners to present on current opportunities, trends, experiences, and events in refugee resettlement. View the WCN meeting schedule.
SHERR Resources
The Supporting Higher Education in Refugee Resettlement (SHERR) program hosted a two-day National Workshop, “Higher Education and Refugee Resettlement: Partners in Action,” on November 8-9, 2023, held in person at the University of Maryland, in College Park, with the university as the campus host. The workshop brought together leaders, experts, and practitioners from across the U.S. to share information, learn, connect, and develop strategies for advancing the role of colleges and universities in the resettlement and welcoming of student and non-student refugees using campus resources and community collaboration. Learn more here, including viewing the workshop summary report.
Partner Resources
AHLAN: A Manual for Establishing Resettlement Campuses Together, or AHLAN, for short, is the premiere guide on how to create inclusive campuses that are welcoming to refugees. Read this press release for more details.
Welcome.US thanks our partners for their support. Learn More about SHERR and our partners through the Presidents’ Alliance Higher Education Portal.
Refugee Resource Hub: A “one-stop” refugee-focused hub, provides access to a suite of resources, tools, and training to support the work of colleges and universities desiring to engage or already engaged in supporting refugee students and non-students.
Refugee Resource Hub Directory: A new public directory of practitioners and other experts in building refugee and displaced communities' success in the U.S. through higher education institutions.
Welcome Campus Network Members
The WCN members listed above are institutional members who have agreed to share their logos.
List of Welcome Campus Network Institutional Members
WCN institution members include:
Alamo Community College, Arizona State University, ArtLords, California Sacramento State University, Central Washington University, Chemeketa Community College, Colorado State University, Eastern Washington University, Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR), Franklin & Marshall College, Hands to the Future, Houston Community College, Illinois Institute of Technology, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Metropolitan Community College—Penn Valley, National Association of System Heads (NASH), Northeastern University (International Affairs Program), Ohio State University Office of International Affairs, Oklahoma State University, Owensboro Community and Technical College, Pima Community College, The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Russell Sage College, Salt Lake Community College, Salve Regina University, San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, Texas Women's University, The University of Texas at Dallas, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), The University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC), University of California—Riverside, University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Colorado Denver, University of Illinois—Chicago, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), University of Maryland - College Park, University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Oregon, University of Southern Maine, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Tulsa, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies, Washington State University, University of Connecticut (UCONN), University of Houston, World Learning, Abilene Christian University
