Maretta Ardelia
Hello Aggies! My name is Maretta Ardelia, and I am running to be your next ASUCD International Student Representative (ISR) because I believe every international student deserves to feel supported, connected, and empowered throughout their time at UC Davis.
As an international student myself, I experience firsthand the mix of excitement and overwhelm that comes with starting over in a new country: navigating unfamiliar systems, finding your footing, and building community from scratch. This is what I am going to focus on, I want to make that transition smoother for International Student by strengthening resources and creating meaningful opportunities for connections.
I have the experience and commitment to excel in this role. As former Vice President of the Indonesian Student Association, I organized large-scale cultural and social events that brought students together and eased the transition into campus life. I also built connections between Indonesian student organizations across universities, fostering collaboration and a stronger sense of community. These experiences showed me how much it matters for students to feel welcomed, seen, and included and I am ready to create that space for ALL international student.
As your next ISR, I plan to advocate for a comprehensive international student orientation that supports students before and after they arrive. This will include pre-departure resources such as packing essentials, travel logistics, and airport transportation guidance, because your journey starts way before landing. After arrival, I'll ensure students have clear, accessible information on dorm essentials, local shopping, and campus life, so no student has to figure it out alone.
Community building will be a priority for my office. I will organize cultural festivals, sports events, and food and language mixers so students can connect and learn from each other, all in collaboration with campus organizations and the International Student Center. Along with that, as a Student Outreach Assistant, I developed the ability to connect students with resources and communicate information effectively, skills I will use to ensure every international student feels informed and engaged.
Another focus of my office will be accessibility. I want to look into providing shuttles to the Sacramento airport apart from the ones that we have going to San Francisco or create a rideshare/carpool program for our international students to make travel more affordable and convenient for students.
I am also committed to supporting academic and professional success. As a tutor, I have worked with students to make sure they thrive academically. Because of that, I want to expand workshops, mentorship programs, and career resources that are tailored to international students, which include resume building, internship guidance, and understanding the academic timeline here in the U.S. Many times, our students feel behind in these areas and don't know where to start, and if elected, I will ensure these resources are available. Finally, I'll advocate for increased awareness of scholarships and housing resources.
Vote Maretta, and together we can break these barriers and can build a community that creates opportunities for all students.