ISC 23' | Losing and Finding Myself

Date: January 29, 2023

Location: The Governor's Academy

Host: The Governor's Academy & Phillips Exeter Academy

Our first ever in person conference was held on Sunday, January 29th, 2023 on the campus of the Governor's Academy. We received over 170 sign ups, and hosted more than 160 people at the conference.

This year’s conference theme is Losing and Finding Myself, emphasizing assimilation and finding one's identity in a foreign environment.

Our keynote speaker is Abel Amado, Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Simmons University. He spoke on his experience assimilating into different cultures within him lifetime, from England to the US.

Student-held workshops included Queerness in International Cultures, Self Identification in Age of Globalization, Break 101: where to go during break, Put a Ring on it - Marriage in International Cultures, Contrasting monetary value from our backgrounds, The Vietnamese Narrative: Redefining Experiential Travel, Tearing Down The Lies - Body Stereotypes & Cultural Norms, The Melting Pot, Zumba, Class, Privilege, and Culture, Found in Translation, Reflecting Across Borders: What does Identity Mean in the Twenty-First Century?

Participating schools include Fay School, Cushing Academy, The Governor's Academy, Phillips Exeter Academy, Milton Academy, The Newman School, St. Paul's School, Thayer Academy, Dana Hall School, Loomis Chaffee, Middlesex School, Tabor Academy, The Cambridge School of Weston, St. Mark's School, Choate Rosemary Hall.

"The ISC was a memorable experience, as a planner, workshop host, and a participant. It connects me with people with an array of backgrounds and unique life stories. It expands my horizon as I see how others navigate their own identity in foreign cultures. In short, it’s superb." - Brian Zheng 24'

"As the cofounder of the conference, ISC 2023 marked a new milestone in our conference's journey! I loved all the amazing conversations I had throughout the day, whether it is about our thinking behind the founding of the conference, the nuances of International marriages in our workshops, or the supremacy of Govs dinning hall icecream. ISC 2023 brought our visions of an international student network into fruition, and I can't wait for next year!" - Judy Wang 23'