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Refugee Collaboration Team

The Refugee Collaboration Team is a group of campus and community leaders who meet on a quarterly basis to promote the following goals:

  • assist refugees in rebuilding successful lives in Southwestern Idaho,
  • educate our students and our community toward these efforts, and
  • make the resources of BSU fully accessible to refugees in Idaho.

This initiative was launched in August, 2009 by the Boise State Provost and Executive Director of Mountain States Group (now JANNUS) to further a mutually beneficial partnership. The current memorandum of agreement (see following section) outlines the activities of the group.

Membership has grown to include the Executive Directors of all local refugee resettlement agencies, and campus leaders representing experiential learning, curriculum development, research and grants, and student support.

Please contact MikeStefancic@boisestate.edu for more information.

Agreement of Cooperation/Collaboration (2019)

“Boise State University (BSU)* and leaders of the refugee resettlement community desire to further a mutually beneficial partnership.

Boise State, Jannus, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) share common interests and a commitment to: 1) assisting refugees rebuild their lives and become contributors to the greater community, 2) educating our students and our community toward these efforts, and 3) making the resources of Boise State fully accessible to refugees in Idaho.

Boise State, Jannus, and the IRC agree that cooperative activities under this MOA may consist of (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Expand programs and support services for prospective and current college students who identify themselves with a refugee past or refugee family background. Set metrics for increased recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of these students, and advocate for resources to attain these metrics.
  2. Expand service-learning, work-study, and internship opportunities for Boise State students to work with refugee populations.
  3. Continue to jointly sponsor an annual conference on refugee issues that addresses the needs and interests of Boise State faculty and students, refugees, governmental agencies, school districts, health care organizations, social service agencies, employment programs, and others.
  4. Explore collaborative research projects regarding refugee issues using mutually developed protocol for considering potential research studies; pursue grants that might be available for such research.
  5. Increase campus and public awareness through publications, media, events and other joint activities about and with people who arrived as refugees.
  6. Support existing and potential certificate programs and other academic offerings in refugee services and refugee studies.
  7. Cultivate a commitment from Boise State campus leaders to support faculty access to local community resources that provide opportunities to infuse global perspectives in the classroom.
  8. Cultivate a commitment among Boise State and community leaders to serving all students, including a focus on students with a refugee background.
  9. Advance the vision that Jannus, the IRC, and Boise State together can become an important resource for addressing refugee resettlement successes, serving Idaho and beyond.”