Today, the Woodbridge Society's ever-growing list of programs includes monthly dinners with international faculty members, monthly open houses that feature different cuisines, open discussions and a mentorship program that matches international first years with older students from their home countries, according to Mahajan.

"The Woodbridge Society has done an amazing job thus far in setting up international study breaks and dinners, establishing a mentor program, and helping in the orientation events in the fall," says Assistant Dean of Freshmen Eleanor A. Sparagana, who is responsible for international first-years.

Sparagana outlined some of the group's upcoming programs, including the design of a World Wide Web home page and a booklet on the international experience.

Today many College administrators who had doubts about the group's viability regard it as one of the most important international student groups.

"The Woodbridge Society came together for the first time just about a year ago, and because it was spearheaded by a graduating senior, we feared that it might not continue this fall," says Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth S. Nathans. "It has, and it's an important and welcome new resource."

But not all international students feel the need to bond with their fellow foreign classmates.

"What can you do other than sit around and have a drink, talk about international issues?" says Suhail P. Shah '96, who is from India. "Such an amorphous topic is better left to specific cultural organizations."

Official Help

While the Woodbridge Society and the other ethnic and cultural organizations give international students a place to discuss issues that interest them and to realize that they are not the only ones going through hard times, foreign students often turn to the College for more official help.

Consider, for example, the case of a stranded first-year who needed a place to go over Christmas vacation.

In order to encourage students to go home for the long vacation, the Yard and Union dorms close during the winter break.

International students who do not go home or stay with friends sometimes have trouble finding a place to spend the vacation, says Nathans.

One first-year from Bulgaria who decided to stay in Cambridge turned to the International Students Office for help after her vacation plans fell through

"I planned to stay in of the upper-class dorms, but the Dean called me and said that the house master didn't want to take responsibility for a freshman staying all by herself in the dorm," says the student, who wishes to remain anonymous. "This was three or four days before the freshman dorms were to be closed."

W. C. Burriss Young '55, assistant dean of first-year students, contacted the International Office, which was able to find a local family to house the student over the break, she said.