SMIT Treasurer, Maurizio Messinella (civil engineering master's student in Construction Engineering and Management) tells, `SMIT was founded 15 years ago with the goal of enhancing the mobility of international students.' The organization is part of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), a Europe-wide student organization which develops and supports student exchanges. Ruud Raaijmakers (civil engineering master's student in Water Management), a longtime member of SMIT, explains that SMIT works `on a small scale, on a personal level,' helping individuals as they come to study at the UT. There are about 20 active members whose primary objective is to smooth the wrinkles inevitable in any international exchange.
Messinella discusses the cornerstone of SMIT, the mentor program. `Every international student is paired with a SMIT member who serves as a mentor.' The mentor helps the new student learn the ins and outs of the UT. Both Raaijmakers and Messinella participated in study abroad programs - in Poland and Italy, respectively - where there were no such arrangements. They are pleased to be help exchange students in ways that were sorely lacking during their experience abroad.
Through its mentors, SMIT helps international students with administrative matters like banking, paperwork and local transportation. Coming to a new university is a daunting experience. Raaijmakers tells of helping students get used to the extraordinarily friendly rapport between Dutch professors and students, of teaching foreigners how to bike, and of helping them navigate biker-friendly Dutch roads by car. Raaijmakers mentors up to 15 international students each year, keeping in touch with many of them after they return to their home country. So grateful are they to him for the support he lent that he regularly receives invitations to visit former exchange students all over Europe. `It's grown into a vacation network!'
The second most important role of SMIT is facilitating social relationships. On Tuesday nights, SMIT hosts drinks and dancing in the Vestingbar. Once a month, SMIT and AEGEE throw a gigantic (150+) party in Asterion in the Pakkerij. And, once or twice a month SMIT offers excursions. In recent months, SMIT members have visited Amsterdam, Münster and Ameland. They have also gone ice skating and salsa dancing. Raaijmakers comments, `We come to know all these people personally. It's like inviting friends.'
Raaijmakers notes that over the past four years, SMIT has become more professional. It now serves as a liaison between students and the UT Roomservice. It is also a stronger political voice for international students, protecting their rights and interests. Messinella remarks that SMIT was one of the organizations Rector Zijm met with when he learned about the dissatisfaction experienced by international students at the UT.
The weekend of June 9 - 11, SMIT will celebrate its 15th anniversary. There are actually two events in one: the anniversary celebration and a national conference of ESN The Netherlands. On Saturday, various speakers, including Rector Magnificus Henk Zijm, will address conference participants. Workshops on intercultural communities will take place from 4 pm - 6pm. In the evening there will be a sumptuous barbecue at the Boortoren, followed by a party with live music by Exposur3. The weekend will close with one of the quintessentially international events: the World Cup match (outdoors, weather permitting) between the Netherlands and Serbia-Montenegro. Activities are open to all interested participants for an all-inclusive fee of 5 euros.
