about ISA

The International Student Association at Minnesota State University, Mankato is the umbrella association for numerous international and cultural student organizations on campus and in the community. We support and represent the international students, give them a voice, and strive to help make them feel at home while they study at MSU, Mankato. As new international students join our student community, we strive to welcome them and facilitate their transition into the MSU, Mankato, and greater US culture.

ISA – Our Mission

The mission of the ISA is threefold. We work to advance achievement, well-being, and the association of MSU international students. We encourage closer affiliation among international and domestic students, and fuller integration with the MSU student body and the greater Mankato community. And, we promote common progress through facilitating cooperation among various organizations on campus.

ISA – What we do

To implement the ISA mission, we sponsor, promote, and coordinate activities that aim to increase awareness and understanding across cultures, foster cross-cultural interaction, and promote unity, respect and cooperation among various national and cultural groups, and between domestic and international students at MSU. We sponsor and coordinate such activities as Nationality Nights and Cultural Charisma Events, and actively contribute to various MSU and community events.

Nationality Nights and Cultural Charisma

Nationality Nights and Cultural Charisma events offer the MSU community an opportunity to learn about diverse cultures and traditions. Prepared by students representing their cultures and sponsored by the ISA and student nationality organizations, these events feature authentic national foods and performances, as well as presentations about cultures and traditions. In addition to great food and fun, Nationality Nights and Cultural Charisma events promote greater understanding of diverse cultures and traditions.

MSU and Community Events

We also encourage and sponsor active participation of international organizations and individual students in MSU and Mankato community events. Some of the most noteworthy of these include MSU Homecoming, a university wide celebration of the MSU pride and Maverick spirit, and the Mankato International Festival, a wildly popular international cultural event representing the diversity in the greater Mankato community. In addition, the ISA organizes university-wide events such as the ISA Olympics, which brings together amateur and aspiring athletes to compete in a variety of international sports.

ISA – Get Involved!

Join the ISA to experience authentic cultures from around the world, share your culture, have lots fun, make new friends, and learn cool new things about people and places around the world! The ISA membership is free and open to all MSU students. While it may seem that the focus of the ISA is on international students, to implement our mission of promoting greater intercultural understanding we get involved with the MSU and Mankato community and depend on the participation of all MSU students, domestic and international. So, whether you come from close-by or afar, whether you are an international student or a born-and-raised Minnesotan, help us make MSU a rich and diverse intercultural experience for all! Get involved with the ISA!