Millbrook Holds Annual International Student Dinner

Living away from home as a high schooler is a challenge for boarding school students—especially for those from abroad. As a home away from home for a large group of international students, Millbrook School minimizes homesickness and maximizes belonging through activities such as the recent International Student Dinner organized by World Language Department Chair Zhaohong Wen.

After gathering at Pulling House with Head of School John Downs ’98, attendees enjoyed a catered dinner in the Class of 2018 Meeting Room. The menu featured delicious Thai food, including shrimp spring rolls and fried wontons with sweet chili sauce. Tropical flowers and bamboo placemats added exotic flair to the evening of cultural sharing between students and faculty from all over the world.

In addition to Wen and Downs, various other faculty members hosted the event. Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Patrice King and Assistant Dean Tatiana Quintanilla attended, along with Spanish Instructor Annabella Vizcardo Goshen, Database Manager Ines Nieves, and Dean of Students Anna Birnbaum. Millbrook CFO Jeff Smith and Photography Instructor Sarah MacWright were also on hand.

Smith and MacWright are well-connected with Millbrook’s international students. The two put together and chaperone trips around the Northeastern U.S. for international students who are unable to travel home during holidays.

Millbrook is a perfect place for international students to get the full American high school experience. Faculty and administrators work tirelessly to ensure smooth transitions from every country represented here by managing visa paperwork, helping students with travel arrangements, and always being available to answer parents’ questions.

Millbrook school’s mission of making students feel known and needed is extended to the entire world. The annual International Student Dinner, international student clubs, and a welcoming campus culture are some of the many ways we accomplish that goal.