International Alumni Welcome New Graduate Students

September 3, 2025

During the first week of September the newest cohort of Bloustein School international students were welcomed at a networking event. Current international graduate students and recent alumni shared their experiences, offering valuable advice about navigating life and academics in a new country. They highlighted both the challenges and the triumphs of adapting to graduate school, while also providing reassurance and encouragement to incoming students embarking on their own journeys. We are especially proud to welcome students from diverse backgrounds and countries, whose perspectives enrich our classrooms, research, and community.

We are grateful to the alumni who returned to give their time and insight to help new students feel supported and connected as they start their Bloustein experience. Their guidance serves as a bridge for international students learning to navigate both academic expectations and cultural adjustments.

This event was made possible with the dedicated efforts of the Student Services staff, whose support in areas such as visa navigation, housing, and campus resources ensures that international students can transition smoothly and feel at home in our community.

Pictured left to right: Courtney Culler, Associate Director for Graduate Student Services, Andrea Garrido, Assistant Director of Career Management, Prateeksha Sehgal (MCRP ’23), Rimshah Jawad (MPI ’26), Ivania Martinez (MPI ’26), Ghazi Ahmed (MPP ’26), and Cheryl Egan, Assistant Director for Career Management.

Recent Posts

EJB Talks: Alumnus Helps Rethink Jersey City’s Public Spaces

Alumnus Helps Rethink Jersey City's Public Spaces: A Conversation with Barkha Patel MCRP '15 Dean Stuart Shapiro talks to alumnus Barkha Patel, MCRP '15 this week on EJB Talks. Initially a sociology undergraduate at Rutgers, Barkha discusses how a chance visit by Dean...

NJSPL Report: Equity Initiatives in the United States

Report Release: Equity Initiatives in the United States Read Report The New Jersey State government proactively advances equity through its Office of Equity in the Office of the Governor, and through budget initiatives such as the “Cover all Kids” program ensuring...

Adrian Ponichtera is recipient of Ververides Scholarship

Adrian Ponichtera (MCRP '26) is the recipient of the New Jersey County Planners Association's George Ververides Honorary Scholarship. The scholarship is open to New Jersey residents entering their third or fourth year of undergraduate study or advanced degrees at a...

Bhuyan & Broom Publish New Healthcare Management Textbook

  Soumitra Bhuyan, Executive Director of Health Administration Programs and Associate Professor at Rutgers University-New Brunswick’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, is the co-editor of a new textbook Fundamentals of Healthcare...

BEAT Students Participate in PATH Track Tunnel Tour

Graduate and undergraduate students who are part of the student group Bloustein Enthusiasts and Advocates for Transportation (BEAT) took part in an exclusive after-hours PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) tour on Thursday, November 20 through Friday, November 21. The...