Karen Michael MIKEL

Abstract: As international education enters the AI age, institutions are challenged to preserve the human relationships that sustain student belonging, wellbeing, and intercultural learning. This session presents Pilina Circle, a collaborative, place-based initiative that supports international students through intentional connection, dialogue, and community-building at a U.S. public university in Hawaiʻi. Developed through a partnership among the Office of Global Engagement, International Student Services, and Outreach College / International Programs, Pilina Circle aligns with the university’s strategic goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning by grounding international student engagement in pilina, or relationship and connection. The initiative creates a safe, welcoming, and nonjudgmental space where students can share common challenges, discuss their experiences, learn about campus resources, and seek support before concerns become more serious. The session examines how culturally responsive engagement can reduce stigma around mental health, especially for international students unfamiliar with available resources or from contexts where discussing mental health is less common. Presenters will share the design rationale, cross-office collaboration model, implementation plan, and early lessons from the Fall 2026 pilot. Participants will consider how similar models can be adapted across Asia-Pacific institutions to strengthen belonging, wellbeing, academic success, and community. Learning objectives: Participants will be able to: - Examine Pilina Circle as a collaborative model for supporting international student belonging, wellbeing, and early connection to campus resources. - Identify how global engagement, international student services, and continuing education/international programs can coordinate around a shared student-facing initiative. - Consider how culturally responsive, place-based engagement can help reduce stigma, normalize help-seeking, and create safer spaces for international students. - Apply practical design elements from the Pilina Circle model to their own Asian-Pacific institutional contexts, including shared roles, referral pathways, student voice, reflection, assessment, and sustainable cross-office coordination. Target audience: International education leaders, student services professionals, global engagement officers, mobility program staff, continuing education administrators, and campus partners interested in belonging, wellbeing, and cross-office collaboration.