It's no secret that we here at the Student Union love books, and for the past few days we've been thinking about what to read over the next few months before school starts up again. Yesterday we shared some of the reading lists American students have been assigned this summer, which also make for great summer reading for international students looking to practice English, prepare for next year's classes, or just relax with a good book.

So what will our Student Union community be reading this summer? We asked you to share your picks and recommendations. Here's the result, which we're humbly titling: THE STUDENT UNION ULTIMATE SUMMER READING LIST FOR FUN AND LEARNING (because why not?). Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Javaria's picks
Inferno, by Dan Brown
And the Mountains Echoed, by Khaled Hosseini

I really want to read Inferno by Dan Brown and And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. Not so much because of the commercial value that these books are carrying with it, but because Dan Brown's books always let me learn something new and unique and Hosseini's books reinstate some very touchy concepts and ideas.

Another book that I really want to read and sadly have never read is The Great Gatsby! Because I have always heard about how great it is but never really got a chance to read this one classic. And now I have promised myself that I will not watch the movie till I read the book!

Anna's pick
Why Nations Fail, by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson

This summer I am preparing my graduate school applications, so I am reading books related to my discipline in order to be able to write a well-informed and thoughtful personal statement.

One I've just finished was published last year by a professor from Harvard and a professor from MIT (it took the two professors 15 years to finish the book!), and it has really influenced what I see myself doing in 10 years from now.

Promise's picks
Becoming Dr. Q, by Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa
The Pelican Brief, by John Grisham

Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa's story is quite similar to mine. He is an immigrant who is now living the American dream and now a reputable surgeon at Johns Hopkins.

A premed doesn't probably need to read John Grisham, but I love suspense and legal thrillers and reading the book is a good pastime for the hectic summer I have ahead of me.

I also think it's wise to start practicing for the MCAT a year before I actually take it.

Rin's pick
Somalis in Maine: Crossing Cultural Currents, by Kimberly A. Huisman, Mazie Hough, Kristin M. Langellier and Carol Nordstrom Toner

This summer I will TRY to complete all books I've got for classes. Usually I skimmed some chapters during the semester, but I'd like to revisit because I liked all of them. If I pick up one book, it'll be Somalis in Maine.

My college town, Lewiston, is known for secondary migration of Somalis, which I didn't know at all before. This book not only widened my view on immigration issues in the U.S., but also opened up my eyes to the local community of the college. I think it was one of the most precious experience of the year.

Phillip's picks
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe
Sutton, by J.R. Moehringer
The Yellow Birds, by Kevin Powers
Young Gerber, by Friedrich Torberg
Istanbul: Memories of a City, by Orhan Pamuk

Paula's picks
IQ84, by Haruki Murakami
Under the Tuscan Sun, by Frances Mayes
On the Road, by Jack Kerouac

I really miss reading novels, so I'm going to read four (even though it's going to be winter for me-- and no vacations).

I've read Murakami before and I'm fascinated by his style. Besides, one of my favorite books ever is 1984 by George Orwell and I heard that this book plays on Orwell's a little bit.

I bought Under the Tuscan Sun for someone else, read the first couple of pages, couldn't stop.

And On the Road is one of those classics you have to read some time in your life, especially if you've been to some of the places described in the book.

I'm also going to pick something by Isabel Allende to read. She is by far my favorite Spanish-speaking author and I'm really looking forward to reading whatever she's written lately.

I have other books in mind, some of which I've started already, but which I like to read in random order, all at the same time, depending on my mood.

Those are:

Everything but the Coffee, by Bryant Simon
It's about how the American culture and values are reflected through the consumption of products and added values from Starbucks and other corporate companies.

Will Write For Food, by Dianne Jacob
While in Portland, Oregon, city that inspired me to the max and brought out my artistic self, I decided I would take up food blogging, so I hope this book, full of advice for writers of all levels, helps me out a little bit.

I still have other stuff in mind, but I think it would be unrealistic to think I'll be able to cover more than this in just a couple of months. I just love reading so much that I can barely stop!

Shree's picks
The Reluctant Fundamentalist, by Mohsin Hamid
Catch-22, by Joseph Conrad

I'm reading The Reluctant Fundamentalist because it is in my incoming freshman summer reading list. I've heard that there is a movie released in 2013 based on this book. This book is really unique in terms of the voice of the author and it clearly reveals a South Asian type of character. Though I have only read through a few chapters and so far I've only got to the part of the book where the protagonist of the story just starts falling in love, I really love reading this book and hope to complete it soon.

There is another book, Catch-22, which I read after reading reviews of it in U.S. News. After reading through the first 50 pages, I find the book hilarious and very very interesting. However, the characters in the book are a bit hard to follow because there are just too many of them. So far, the book makes me want to read it more! I recommend you read it too!

And I assume course books don't count, or else there would be a long list of books that I'm reading right now :)

Annisa's picks
The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

I have heard really great reviews of this book, especially by people who I know to have excellent taste in literature and don't just pick up ANY book. I don't read just to read, but to go on an adventure (pardon my corniness). My bookworm sister persuaded me to read it by saying, "You will LOVE Night Circus because you love Harry Potter."

I have no idea how she related the two stories because when I read the summary, Hogwarts did not pop up even once in my mind. But I cannot deny the rave reviews ir has gotten and will definitely be picking up a copy.

Success Sei Kamara's pick
Doomsday Conspiracy, by Sydney Sheldon

I have grabbed a copy already. And interestingly it reveals a whole lot of Western intelligence secrets and presents a story line that cuts across love, science, espionage, weaponry, betrayal, disobedience and loyalty. So it's a whole kind of mind bluster and I wanna know whats its all about...the intense...the suspense...the climax and all...

Thanks again to all the recommenders. Will you be reading any of these this summer? What other books are on your summer reading list?

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

WASHINGTON — 

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.

The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.

It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.

In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.

"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.

The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.

An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."

House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."

Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.

Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.

The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.

"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."

The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.

STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)

U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.

Read the full story here. (January 2025)

US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)

A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.

Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.

Read the full story here. (December 2024)

Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health reaches out to international students by detailing the international student experience at the school.

Learn more about housing, life in Boston and more here.

BEIJING — 

China issued its first national action plan to build a "strong education nation" by 2035, which it said would help coordinate its education development, improve efficiencies in innovation and build a "strong country."

The plan, issued Sunday by the Communist Party's central committee and the State Council, aims to establish a "high quality education system" with accessibility and quality "among the best in the world."

The announcement was made after data on Friday showed China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, with the number of deaths outpacing a slight increase in births, and experts cautioning that the downturn will worsen in the coming years.

High childcare and education costs have been a key factor for many young Chinese opting out of having children, at a time when many face uncertainty over their job prospects amid sluggish economic growth.

"By 2035, an education power will be built," the official Xinhua news agency said, adding that China would explore gradually expanding the scope of free education, increase "high-quality" undergraduate enrolment, expand postgraduate education, and raise the proportion of doctoral students.

The plan aims to promote "healthy growth and all-round development of students," making sure primary and secondary school students have at least two hours of physical activity daily, to effectively control the myopia, or nearsightedness, and obesity rates.

"Popularizing" mental health education and establishing a national student mental health monitoring and early warning system would also be implemented, it said.

It also aims to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas to improve the operating conditions of small-scale rural schools and improve the care system for children with disabilities and those belonging to agricultural migrant populations.

The plan also aims to steadily increase the supply of kindergarten places and the accessibility of preschool education.

The Open Notebook, a site focusing on educating journalists who cover science, has complied a list of U.S. graduate program financial aid information for international students.

Read it here.