Bridging Cultures in Graduate Enrollment (GEM): A Roundtable on Cultural Competence in Practice

Overview: Graduate Enrollment Management (GEM) professionals are often the first point of institutional contact for incoming international graduate students, shaping how they experience admissions, visas, and their entry into U.S. higher education. This front-line role requires not only procedural expertise but also the ability to communicate across cultures with empathy, adaptability, and clarity. Yet cultural competence—essential to this work—has not been consistently defined, taught, or recognized as a core GEM competency. This roundtable invites participants to explore how cultural competence is interpreted and practiced in their daily interactions with incoming international students. Discussion will focus on real-world challenges, such as navigating shifting immigration requirements, addressing cultural misunderstandings, and supporting diverse student needs with limited resources. Attendees will share strategies that have worked in recruitment, admissions, and student support, and reflect on gaps in training and institutional readiness. The session will be facilitated by a doctoral researcher whose dissertation examines cultural competence in GEM, ensuring that the dialogue informs both professional practice and scholarly research. Participant voices will directly contribute to advancing understanding of cultural competence as a critical professional and leadership competency in graduate enrollment.