FIUTS Blog

Every FIUTS experience begins with something someone else planted. 

A student finds a welcoming community because others helped create it. A friendship begins at an event that volunteers and donors made possible. A young person discovers their confidence as a leader because someone believed that opportunity was worth supporting. Long after a program ends, these relationships continue to shape how people understand one another and the world around them. 

Please join us in welcoming Alexander Radi back to FIUTS as our new Executive Director!

One of the best ways to get to know a city is through its food. Seattle's restaurant scene reflects the people who call this region home, bringing together flavors, traditions, and stories from all over the world.

Starting college in a new city, or even a new country, doesn't have to mean starting alone. With FIUTS Connections, you can make a friend before you even arrive!

GiveBIG is a shared moment across Washington—one that highlights the many ways people show up for their communities. At FIUTS, that support turns into real experiences: students arriving, families hosting, and connections forming across cultures.

Looking for a volunteer role that makes a real difference? Consider applying for the FIUTS Board of Trustees. We are looking for people who care about global connection and local community, who believe that relationships across cultures strengthen understanding, and who want to help guide FIUTS through this next chapter.

At a recent FIUTS Board of Trustees meeting, we asked a simple question:
What’s a favorite PNW spot you’d recommend to a new student… that they might not find on their own?

The answers were thoughtful, a little unexpected, and very Seattle. Some are tucked into neighborhoods. Some are a drive away. All of them offer a different way to experience the Pacific Northwest.

This spring, FIUTS wants to provide opportunities for students to experience the beauty of Puget Sound—but rising transportation costs make group excursions harder to afford.

Contribute to our Puget Sound Adventures campaign to keep participation fees reasonable, so more students can join trips around the region—from forests and mountains to beaches and waterfronts.

1961 FIUTS Alumna Ludmila Marjanska helped bring the texture of English‑language poetry to readers in Poland and enriched her own work through this cross‑cultural dialogue. Her experience was meaningful, and she stayed connected with FIUTS for decades after. In a heartfelt letter dated January 1, 1991 she shared a copy of her poem “Canyons”.

In the early nineteen fifties, FIUTS was part of a special program called Operation Goodwill. Each Thanksgiving, 30-40 international students studying in Seattle traveled to Chehalis, Washington to spend the holiday with local families.

“Being part of a community where everyone brought their own stories, perspectives, and knowledge was truly inspiring. It reminded me how powerful learning and cultural exchange can be. My FIUTS experience helped shape my understanding of global perspectives and motivated me to bring those insights back home to empower my own community.”

Focusing on what we have in common, building empathy, and connecting across differences shaped how I approach both work and life.

This Thanksgiving, you can share more than just a meal, you can share an experience that connects people across the world.

Your Seattle-area company can play a key role in cross-cultural exchange by hosting a Fellow through the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative in spring 2026!

Your support makes it possible for students to explore, connect, and grow through FIUTS programs, and to develop skills that last a lifetime.