Texas Tech University

Texas Tech Global Guides

Who are the Global Guides?

Global Guides are current TTU students who volunteer their time to MENTOR new incoming international students.

All new international students will be assigned to a Global Guide who will help you as you adjust to life at Texas Tech and in Lubbock. Because Global Guides have already experienced the ups and downs of living and studying abroad, they are a great first hand resource to students. Global Guides act as peer mentors who volunteer their time to communicate with you and help you ease into life in a new country. Global Guides are available to chat with you at any time, and you are encouraged to reach out to them if you have a question about life on campus.

Applications are now closed. They will re-open in the Spring of 2025.

Who Gets a Global Guide?

At the beginning of each semester new or newly transferred international students are assigned a Global Guide. Your Global Guide is assigned to you based on one or more variables. This could be your major, country or native language. We do our best to pair you with a Global Guide who has something in common with you, but sometimes this is not always the case. Not matter what your global Guide is here to help you adjust to Texas Tech and life in the United States. They were all once in your shoes too and that is why they have volunteered to be part of this program.

Global Guides are screened and interviewed before they are chosen. We then choose Global Guides from all of those interviewed. We pick students we feel will are the most passionate about helping others and who are actively engaged on campus.

When will I hear from my Global Guide?

You will begin to receive emails from your Global Guides TTU email before the start of the semester. Watch for an email from your Global Guide with helpful information about life on campus. You will also be invited to meet them in person, hang out, study, and get to know them once you arrive.

You will already have a friend before you get to the USA!

This Years Team Intro Videos

Watch each Global Guides Short intro Video on our YouTube Channel!

Read Personal Advice from Each Global Guide

If you would like to read advice from our current global guides,  visit their advice page.

Global Guide Emails

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Name: Tahmina Bintay Younos
Country: Bangladesh
Email: tyounos@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, Gujarati, and Sanskrit a little bit
Major: Geography and Environment, GIS

Name: Harini Joshi
Country: India
Email: harijosh@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, Gujarati, and Sanskrit a little bit
Major: Kinesiology

Name: Teddy Waweru Njuguna
Country: Kenya
Email: tnjuguna@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Swahili
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Name: Aqsa Vohra
Email: aqvohra@ttu.edu
Country: India
Languages: English, Hindi
Major: Interdisciplinary Studies (Food and Nutritional Sciences)

Name: Muskan Tiwari
Country: India
Email: mutiwari@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, Punjabi
Major: Plant and Soil Science

Name: Rhoda Osei
Country: Ghana
Email: rhosei@ttu.edu
Languages: English
Major: Communication Studies

Name: Emmanuel Kwadwo Edmund
Country: Ghana
Email: emedmund@ttu.edu
Languages: English and Twi
Major: Media and Communications

Name: Nishan Khatiwada
Country: Nepal
Email:  Nishan.khatiwada@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Nepali, Hindi
Major: Interior And Environmental Design

Name: Rituparna Sonowal
Country: India
Email:  rsonowal@ttu.edu
Languages: Assamese, Hindi, English
Major: Animal Sciences

Name: Mary Afari
Country: Ghana
Email: mafari@ttu.edu
Languages: English
Major: Political Science

Name: Masoud Askarnia
Country: Iran/Azerbajzan
Email:  m.askarnia@ttu.edu
Languages: Turkish (Azeri), Persian (Farsi), English
Major: Instructional Technologies

Name: Sreenija Padala
Country: India
Email:  spadala@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Telugu, Hindi
Major: Computer Science

UNDERGRADUATES

Name: Shravani Kardekar
Country: India
Email:  skardeka@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, and Marathi
Major: Computer Science

Name: Bolaji Atinsola
Country: Nigeria
Email: batinsol@ttu.edu
Languages: English and Yoruba
Major: Computer Science

Name: Othon Rios Serna
Country: Mexico
Email:  oriosser@ttu.edu
Languages: English and Spanish
Major: Civil Engineering

Name: Atharva Lade
Country: India
Email:  Atharva.Lade@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, and can do conversational German.
Major: Computer Science and Mathematics (Dual Degree)

Name: Faiyaz Mostafa
Country: Bangladesh
Email:  fmostafa@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Bengali, and Hindi-Urdu (a bit)
Major: Computer Engineering

Name: Parth Bhatia
Country: UAE/India
Email:  parbhati@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, and Sindhi
Major: Computer Engineering

Name: Gargi Parthak
Country: India
Email:  gapathak@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, Bangla, Gujarati, Sanskrit
Major: Computer Science
Major: Computer Science

Name: Avi Vyas
Country: India
Email:  avvyas@ttu.edu
Languages: English and Hindi
Major: Computer Science

Name: Advitiya Gaikwad
Country: India
Email:  advgaikw@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi
Major: Computer Science

Name: Daksh
Country: India
Email:  dashra@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi
Major: Computer Science with a minor in Business and Math

Name: Ngoc Pham
Country: Vietnam
Email:  Pha52106@ttu.edu
Languages: Vietnamese and English
Major: Marketing

Name: Samir Hossain
Country: Bangladesh
Email:  samir.hossain@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Bengali, Hindi
Major: Computer Engineering and Mathematics

Name: Parth Botre
Country: India
Email:  pbotre@ttu.edu
Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi
Major: Computer Science

Name: Aakash Bora
Country: India
Email:  aakash.bora@ttu.edu
Languages: Hindi, English, Marathi, Marwadi
Major: Computer Science and Mathematics

Informational Videos

Global Guide Events for New Students

Global Guide Hangouts

Reels and Wheels

How to Become a Global Guide

The International Global Guides program connects current Texas Tech University Students with prospective students to promote, share, and support their efforts to attend the university. Global Guides will also provide assistance with student life and retention activities through the Office of International Student Life.

We are looking for a diverse group of students, of both undergraduates and graduates from each college to represent the whole of the international student population at Texas Tech.

What the Role Looks Like:

The following are expected from all Global Guides:

  • Reach out to, teach, befriend, and mentor an assigned group of new international students (your "Cohort") before and after they arrive to Texas Tech, and potentially be the reason a student chooses TTU
  • Attend International Student Orientation, supporting students as a friend, peer, and mentor, and serving on an international student panel
  • Communicate with potential new students ahead of arrival, alerting them to what they need to know before they arrive, sharing your Texas Tech experience, and helping them with the immediate transition process once they arrive on campus
  • Attend ISL events and functions, encouraging other new students to do so, and occasionally helping with the setup of such events
  • Help recruit new potential international students through social media channels in partnership with OIA's International Undergraduate Admissions team.
  • Host hangout events on your own. This means organizing fun activities such as attending student org or on-campus events, study sessions, attending off-campus events, and any non-related ISL events with your cohort.

Benefits of the Global Guide Program

  • Gain an in-depth knowledge of TTU resources, history, & traditions.
  • Develop leadership, interpersonal communication, and social skills.
  • Build significant relationships with fellow Global Guides, new international students, and TTU OIA staff.
  • Meals during ISO and other OIA events.
  • End-of-the-year party
  • End of Semester stipend, if you complete all responsibilities.

Expectations

  • Participation in the program for at least a full academic year is expected
  • Must attend all training sessions
  • Serve as a mentor for assigned incoming student groups
  • Serve as a knowledgeable and friendly representative of TTU and the Office of International Affairs (OIA)
  • Attend monthly meetings (required)
  • Global Guides are REQUIRED to attend ISO (International Student Orientation) and must be back on campus to attend this orientation and training at the beginning of August.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, all Global Guide candidates must:

  • Maintain a minimum 3.0 TTU GPA during participation in the program
  • Be in good academic and disciplinary standing with Texas Tech University
  • For Undergraduates: have been at Texas Tech for one full academic year and be a sophomore, junior, or senior undergraduate student by the upcoming Fall semester
  • For Graduate Students - Must have attended Texas Tech for at least one semester ahead of your Global Guide year. ( for example, must have started in Spring '24 to be eligible to be a GG for 24-25)
  • Must have spent at least one full academic year at the Texas Tech Lubbock campus, before the start of Global Guide obligations.
  • Positive attitude and strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
  • One recommendation letter from a TTU faculty or staff member
  • MUST Attend Orientation on August 19th

Returning Global Guides

If you have previously been a global guide and are returning:

  • Maintain a minimum 3.0 TTU GPA during participation in the program
  • Be in good academic and disciplinary standing with Texas Tech University
  • You are not required to have a letter of recommendation
  • Students can only serve two terms as a global guide.
  • Positive attitude and strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
  • Shown in the past year that you have put in a good effort in your global guide role to fulfill the requirements you are expected to uphold.
  • MUST Attend Orientation on August 19th

Global Guide Info Session Video. Click and Learn!

Adeola Omoloja