ISOW is a student-led and student-funded humanitarian initiative at Wilfrid Laurier University that provides full scholarships to international students living in conflict zones. ISOW’s scholarship fund is supported through contributions from three sources: Laurier students, Wilfrid Laurier University, and our partner organizations. Since beginning the initiative in 2014, we have successfully partnered with 9 organizations, and we are actively looking for more partners. Every semester, Laurier students pay up to $8 to help support bright students whose education has been negatively impacted by conflict. The ISOW scholarship is managed, and the initiative’s daily operations are overseen by ISOW’s management team, a team of over 20 student volunteers. ISOW’s Faculty Advisor and Program Assistants also provide guidance and support to the Management Team. Since 2015, ISOW has sponsored over 34 scholars affected by conflict from 8 different countries of origin. This initiative not only allows us to impact the lives of our Scholars, but these remarkable scholars also impact our lives and make Laurier a stronger community.
