Facilitator Corner: Bader Alfarhan

Find out why Bader Alfarhan calls the world his home, what he plans on doing after his time at the UW and FIUTS, and how he has tried to promote global understanding at peace through our community!

FIUTS Facilitators are student leaders from all over theworldwho welcome new international visitors, help organize events, and lead activities for hundreds of students each quarter. Read on to find out more about the FIUTS facilitator experience from Bader Alfarhan.

Name: Bader Alfarhan
Country: Kuwait
Major: Anthropology (Minor: Education, Learning and Society; Diversity)
Class: Senior
FIUTS Facilitator Since: Winter 2013

Brief Introduction

I was born in Saudi Arabia and raised in Kuwait, but I call the world my home. From an early age, I have enjoyed traveling around the world and befriending people from different walks of life. I am a jogger by day and a bookworm by night. FIUTS has been my home for the past four years. Through FIUTS, I have grown to appreciate the diversity of the student population at UW. Eventually, I would like to become a multicultural educator and work in a setting that would allow me to interact with students of various backgrounds.

What does it mean to be a FIUTS facilitator?

Being a FIUTS facilitator is more than just leading events for international students or adding an additional line to your résumé. It is about being actively involved in a community that is always striving to promote cross-cultural understanding and global peace among a very diverse student body. As a FIUTS facilitator, I challenge myself everyday to find better ways to serve the community that I am privileged to be part of.

Favorite FIUTS anecdote as a facilitator

"As a FIUTS facilitator, I challenge myself everyday to find better ways to serve the community that I am privileged to be part of."

Bader hosting the Kuwaiti booth at CulturalFest Expo 2016

I have always enjoyed facilitating the culture and transition small group discussions that take place during the annual International Student Orientation. I find it important for students to have a safe space to share with others their insights and concerns. Leaving home - wherever that may be – for the first time could be very stressful, but so is trying to connect with people who might know nothing about where you come from. By actively engaging with others in these forums, we gain new insights into other people’s perspectives and begin to familiarize ourselves with viewpoints that are different than our own. It makes me happy to see students leave these guided discussions feeling more confident than they were when they first walked in!

Tips/comments for peer facilitators

Be yourself and be kind to everyone you meet. Be honest with the people you are spending time with and keep everyone in your group - both fellow facilitators and event participants - in the loop. Don’t be afraid to seek advice from others if you are confused about something or unsure about what do next. And above all, remember to have fun and a great time!

Check out our past Facilitator Corners:

Peirce Kirkham, Alissa Mustre, Ang Li, Wedward Wei, Terry Jung, Hassan Almuzaini, Isabella Ning, Lucy Deng, Nhung Le, Abigail Lim, Ferris Maghi, Kevin Sander, Joey Liao, Anya Raj, Minhtu Nguyen, Jianyang (Jane) Zhang, Jialu Sun, Fleur Xuanlin Li, Saleh Alwabel, Clara Jiayao Lu, Le (Juliet) Huang,David Veth, Yili (Jacky) Chen, Jonathan Cheng, Fah Thamsuwan, Charlie Warner, Katherine Li, Nabil Sutjipto, Jeremy Sculley, Ani Antonyan, Jaisang Sun

Learn about our facilitator program here!