Our Team

- From our President -

Working with International Students, Inc. offers a unique, global, and cross-cultural experience right here in the U.S.

As the world comes to us, we get to cross paths with international students from a variety of nations. This offers us the opportunity to befriend present and future world leaders.

Along with practical assistance and service, it opens doors to dialogue on the most significant issues of life—the spiritual search for meaning, the values that comprise true and lasting greatness, and the message of future hope available through Jesus Christ.

You will become part of a family of hundreds of staff and thousands of volunteers who find fulfillment in connecting with international students in a hospitable and impactful way.

Lifelong friendships are formed—and nations are influenced for God and for good.

Thank you for considering this strategic opportunity!

Seng Tan
President/CEO
International Students, Inc.

- Regional Field Directors -

These dedicated Regional Field Directors serve and care for the team members in their regions.

Please indicate the Regional Field Director you wish to contact in the subject line
and your email will be forwarded to the correct person. Thanks!

Simon Zeigler - Western Regional Field Director

Roy Yabuki - Rocky Mtn/Plains Regional Field Director

Jonathan Guest - Northeastern Regional Field Director

Ed Germann - Southeastern/Great Lakes Regional Field Director

David Larson - International./Director of Global Reach

- Recruitment Support -

Welcome to International Students, Inc.! We are excited that you would consider the possibility of serving with us in this strategic missions venture of reaching the world that God has brought to us! This could be one of the most exciting adventures of your life as God uses you to reach the nations.

We are here to serve you. During the application process, you will interact with me, Teresa, Jennifer, and one of our excellent coaches. You will also hear from the Regional Field Director (RFD) from the area in which you desire to serve. Once your application is accepted, you will be assigned to a coach to take you through our Modules. As you get to know International Students, Inc., and we get to know you, we will pray together that God will clearly lead regarding your becoming part of our team.

We encourage you to take the next step and fill out the Inquiry Form. Once we receive that, Jennifer will send you an application form.

We are here to help in any way we can as you seek God’s leading in your life. Let us know if we can answer any questions for you.

Teri Crowell
Director of Recruitment
International Students, Inc.

- Testimonies -

Ian – Millenial family man following THE Great Commission

“When I joined International Students, Inc. I was in my mid-twenties and still finishing my bachelors degree. I had a heart for the nations, but I did not have much experience actively reaching out cross-culturally. International Students was a great fit. International student ministry is full of opportunities to expand your skill set and use your talents to make a global difference. It is also a family-friendly ministry. My wife is also on staff, and as our family grows, we find that there is a lot of flexibility to adjust with the seasons of life. Ten years in, I still am grateful to be working with a great ministry like International Students, Inc.”

Jennifer – Doing missions in America

“I always thought I would work overseas after I graduated, but suddenly that desire disappeared, and I was left with a passion to work with internationals—but a heart to stay in the US. After hearing the mission of International Students, Inc., I realized instantly that this was the place I belonged. I would be in contact with college students from around the world while remaining in America—and my work would be eternally significant. The flexible schedule, the freedom to design programs that would best meet the needs of my students, and the opportunity to show the love of Christ in so many situations combine to make the campus staff position a wonderful way for me to invest my life for the glory of God.”

Mike – Single and relational

“I truly enjoy the relationships that are formed in reaching international students. After my involvement with this ministry, my heart has grown further burdened to pray for these students, who do not know Christ, that they would come to the true knowledge of the Savior. God has used this mission to change and disciple me. As much as I like the sports, curry parties, staying up late at night in apartments with people from other countries, I like even more how God has revealed His heart to me. My life has drastically changed in the few, short years I have been reaching my international friends. It is all because of God’s grace.”

Alex – International Scholar becomes staff

“I came to the US as an international scholar, having been involved with local evangelism in my home country but not with outreach to internationals. I heard about an International Students, Inc. event and thought it might be a good way to meet people. There I met the leader of the International Students, Inc. campus ministry, and he invited me to the weekly fellowship group. There was a natural fit with my passions, gifts, and circumstances, and I contributed to regular meetings, out-of-town trips, and hospitality events. The hardest part was making the transition to full-time staff, but I am glad of it. Now I have more time for interaction with students, which I enjoyed as a volunteer, but also get opportunities to mobilize other participants.”

Patrick – Engineer challenged by Japanese student

The introduction to international student ministry for Patrick began at an Urbana Student Convention while he was a University of Virginia civil engineering student. He was unsure of God’s place for him in world missions, but encountered a Japanese student while at Urbana who challenged him to reach out to the tens of thousands of Japanese students already studying in the U.S. Patrick was told that these students are much more receptive to the Gospel when away from their own country’s spiritual strongholds.

He had known of International Students, Inc. at the University of Virginia and began to explore further the ministry possibilities of reaching international students for Christ. Soon thereafter, Patrick joined our ministry team as Campus Staff at the university and is now active in reaching thousands of international students. In his words, "Working with international students, God is using my gifts to make a significant impact on the world for Him."

Lisa – Started as A Volunteer Friendship Partner™

“When I read the Great Commission in Matthew 28, ‘Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,’ I get excited because that is what I get to do working with International Students, Inc. I signed up for my first student match (i.e. international student) as a Friendship Partner™ in the fall of 2007. I was matched with a young lady I will call Grace. Grace is quiet and shy but very adventurous. She came to me with no religious background. She really just needed a friend, so my invitations were always welcomed. After a year of casual gathering, meeting for tea and family occasions, she started to come to church with me and attend our international student events on her own. I found out she played the piano. When I was given a free keyboard, I passed it on to her. She was so touched.

“The second year, Grace took my offer to read through The Purpose Driven Life (Rick Warren) with me, and I was able to present the Gospel to her three different times. When we had reached the end of the book, I asked her to respond to Jesus’ invitation for a relationship and she replied, ‘Lisa, I’m not ready to follow Jesus yet.’ Grace continued coming to church, reading the Bible, and started to pray, which led me to invite her to move in with me in the Women’s Ministry House. Within two months, Grace made a profession of faith, committing her life to Jesus. ‘Jesus is the answer, Lisa, and I want to follow Him,’ she said. I found out later that when she went home for the summer before moving in, her cousin who followed a religion similar to Buddhism, challenged Grace by asking her where she was going to go after she died. Grace told me she answered, ‘I believe in Jesus so I’m going to heaven.’ Not liking that answer, her cousin tried to make her feel bad by asking her where different members of her family would end up, knowing that she would not want to condemn them to hell. Grace got scared and told me she could only answer that she did not know and ran away from the rest of that conversation. As we got into the Word together, I encouraged her and told her that she need not worry for she will for sure grow in the knowledge of God. Grace was baptized in April and now I get to watch as her music repertoire changes from classical and pop to worshipful songs to our King.”

Hannah – Seminary grad reaching the nations

“I greatly enjoy obeying my Savior’s commands by sharing my life with international students. I could bring up many passages about how biblical this ministry is, such as: how harassed and helpless some students are and that Christ would have compassion on them, how we should show hospitality to the foreigners among us, or how so many of the students are completely ignorant of the Gospel; therefore, we should share it with them. But one verse encapsulates what every Christian on this earth is to do. I must go to where these students are. However, without leaving the city limits, I can interact with people from the nations. I am challenged and encouraged by the dynamics of interacting with Muslims, Hindus, agnostics, Buddhists, etc. from around the world. What I find even more stimulating is the awesome privilege of helping them become followers and imitators of Christ. What I like best about being involved in this ministry is that through it I become a better disciple and more obedient to Jesus Christ, who holds all authority in heaven and earth and who is with me to the end.”

Kathy – Significance in THE “second half” of life

“God’s timing is perfect whether I understand it or not! God had been developing a missional heart in me from the age of 20 years old. I’d envisioned a life of Amazon adventure or a calling to return to Western Europe where I’d ministered for two years in college.

“Do I feel that the years God redirected to caring for the unique needs of our three children with Tourette’s Syndrome or twelve years working in a construction office were wasted years? Not for a moment! Through a series of events in our late forties, the book Half Time (Bob Buford), the influence of a ministry called Finishers, and one powerful evening spent at an International Students, Inc. student gathering brought forth the realization of the dream—to reach all nations with the life- changing power of the Gospel.

“Have you ever felt that while you were praying one thing, God was doing ten things? These eight years later—life could not be more full or exciting! Where we had hoped to minister to one people group, God has surrounded us with students and scholars from every nation within a few miles of our home. The combination of the organization’s resources and strategy alongside the phenomenal spiritual hunger of university students and scholars at this time in history is nothing short of explosive and supernatural.”

David – Former missions pastor now mobilizes churches

“Working with International Students, Inc. gives me the freedom to take an active role in fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). I firmly believe that international student ministry is going to be one of the catalyst ministries that God will use to bring the Gospel to every nation. International Students is an organization where every staff member (Home Office and Field Staff) has a servant’s spirit and is motivated by the powerful, inspiring vision of befriending every international student and leading them to a relationship with Christ.

“Prior to coming on staff, I was an associate pastor who created overseas short-term missions opportunities for people who had a calling to be a part of God’s Kingdom work. God used that leadership experience to prepare me to mobilize the church around a vision of taking advantage of the strategic missions opportunity that God has brought to us—RIGHT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

“I want to be faithful to the calling that God has put on my life to lead lost people to Christ and equip them to reach others for Christ. In my mind, there is no better way that I can do that than to work with this organization to labor in the harvest field of university students who come from diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. This work is not without its challenges, but it will reap eternal rewards.”

Lucy – Homeschooling mom provides spiritual care for students

“I went to college to be a nurse and totally enjoyed the 7 years I worked before I had children. Once I had our five kids...I totally enjoyed raising them, homeschooling them and teaching them how to reach out to the international students in our midst. We were so happy volunteering in my husband’s ministry as he worked full time for International Students, Inc. Once my youngest two kids hit their teenage years, I started thinking to myself, ‘Hmm...what am I going to do now? Go back to work as a nurse? Wow, that’d be great to make some good money. But wait…how would that effect my volunteering with International Students? I do so love working alongside my husband in the ministry. Wow, God...what should I do?’ After much prayer and discussion with my husband, we came to some clear understandings: 1) Why ‘rock the boat’? We are a great team together hosting our int’l friends in our home. 2) Other people would go to the hospital and work as nurses...but WHO would take my place working as a missionary to the international students? I love sharing Christ with them, and I can also share medical information and mothering tips with them. And, finally and most importantly...3) If I have about 20 plus years left in me...I’d rather spend that time doing KINGDOM WORK...not physical work in a hospital. I absolutely LOVE taking care of people SPIRITUALLY and helping them draw closer to God. It’s so rewarding and so fulfilling!”

Anne – From missionary kid to pastor’s wife reaching wives of students

"'…a longing fulfilled is a tree of life’ (Proverbs 13:12).

"Coming to International Students, Inc. in my fifties was just that for me—‘a longing fulfilled’! As a young woman, I felt that God was calling me into the mission field with Muslims; I grew up a “mish-kid” in the Middle East and felt called to those people groups that so many others shied away from. As I pursued a missionary career through a summer mission trip and was accepted by then ‘North Africa Mission’ (now Arab World Ministries), it seemed that God was confirming this call in every way. But, as God often does, His plans for me turned out to be different than my plans!

“Instead, I ended up marrying a wonderful young man, who although he was very committed to missions, felt that his call was to pastor churches here in the US and develop their passion for missions. Years later, after raising two children and pastoring several churches, we were transitioning into a new phase of our lives when I was introduced to International Students, Inc. I immediately felt the tug of God’s Spirit. As I filled out the application online, I remember weeping with joy as I could see how God had worked through my whole life to bring me to this place! All my background and experiences overseas, my experience as a pastor’s wife leading bible studies and interacting with all kinds of people, my varied work experiences in teaching English to the “foreigners in our midst”—God would use it ALL in this calling to work with international students.

“I have found an incredible joy in being right where God wants me, next to my husband here but still interacting with different cultures to point them to Jesus, and doing what He has uniquely prepared me for at this time—truly ‘a tree of life’ for me!”