As A Non-Profit Organization, How CISI Gives Back to International Students

1. Mission of CISI as a Nonprofit Organization

Nonprofit organizations are dedicated to serving society and promoting social development, operating not for profit but driven by a social mission. In the U.S., registering a nonprofit requires submitting a rigorous application to the respective state. Unlike typical commercial entities, nonprofits must use all profits to fulfill their organizational missions and cannot distribute earnings as shares or dividends to stakeholders. The Carnegie International Student Institute (CISI) is registered in Pennsylvania as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is certified by the U.S. Federal IRS. CISI’s mission is to provide comprehensive support and services to international students, focusing on facilitating their academic and career development in the U.S. 

As a nonprofit, CISI serves all international students seeking help, and has become a guardian for international students within American society. Since its inception, CISI has created several projects like isFRIEND and Tree IS Planted to build support networks among international students and to amplify their voices. Additionally, CISI is committed to providing international students with free school selection, scholarship applications, internships, and employment guidance, and uses technological means to break down information asymmetry and language barriers, spreading more knowledge about studying in the U.S.

2. CISI Operational Model

Many people consider nonprofits as not-for-profit, which is a significant misunderstanding. In fact, to maintain normal operations, nonprofits also need to generate revenue to serve their mission. Unlike typical business entities, nonprofits usually generate benefits for the advocacy groups and services they support. CISI has developed a sustainable operational model in its mission to support and serve international students in the U.S. 

CISI collaborates with numerous U.S. universities, keeping up-to-date with university and program information, and offers professional, free, end-to-end study abroad consulting services to international students, helping them to grasp comprehensive information about school selection. As of February 2024, CISI has successfully matched thousands of international students with academic programs suitable for their personal development, receiving high acclaim. To support CISI’s mission, these partner institutions provide annual financial support to fund CISI’s international student service projects. A portion of these funds goes to CISI’s core projects, such as “Stay Good Status Scholarship” (https://en.cisi-edu.org/scholarship/) and “Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award” (https://www.cisi-edu.org/diversity-and-inclusion-leadership-awards/). The former provides financial support to academically excellent international students facing academic or career obstacles, encouraging them to maintain good student status; the latter praises professors and staff who are friendly to international students, contributing to an inclusive academic environment. Additionally, to ensure the personal safety of international students in the U.S., CISI has established the “International Students’ Student Aid for Emergency (IS SAFE) Fund,” (https://www.cisi-edu.org/safe/) which provides direct help to students and their families who are victims of violence triggered by racial discrimination, prejudice, and hatred.

Besides financial assistance, the Carnegie International Student Institute (CISI) has set up a variety of public welfare projects that comprehensively promote the academic and career development of international students in the U.S., including the isFRIEND (https://en.cisi-edu.org/isfriend/z) international student buddy project, the “Tree IS Planted” (https://en.cisi-edu.org/tree-is-planted/) project, and the IS Me international student public speaking event (https://en.cisi-edu.org/is-me-speech-contest/). Through these diverse projects, CISI gradually builds a mutual aid community for international students in the U.S., ensuring that each student receives the highest quality of assistance, aiming to make their study, work, and life in the U.S. smoother and more secure.

3. Community-Centered, Ongoing Care for International Students

CISI places international student services at the core of its operations, ensuring that every international student in the U.S. receives the best possible help and support. Whether it’s providing comprehensive study abroad consulting services or engaging in various public welfare projects and activities, CISI prioritizes the needs and interests of international students, striving to provide them with the best support. Unlike for-profit educational consulting firms, CISI is not driven by financial gains and therefore does not sacrifice service quality for profit efficiency. True to its community-first principle, CISI is committed to offering the most caring services and genuine guidance to help international students thrive in the U.S. Its nonprofit nature ensures the fairness and objectivity of its services, allowing CISI to continually care for the student community, ensuring that every international student who needs help receives equal and substantial support.