W3’s strategic plan focuses on 5 major initiatives: Language Barriers, Social Barriers, Cultural Barriers, Academic Barriers, and Financial Barriers.

Initiative 1: Language Barriers

Many international students are inhibited when speaking because they are painfully aware of their language issues. They fear not being understood, not being able to respond rapidly or correctly, and not being able to say what they mean. Often times they are intimidated by other students because they are not proficient in English. W3 will focus on assisting students needing help to improve their English and their self-esteem when communicating.

Initiative 2: Social Barriers

College life is not restricted to the classroom and a huge part of the college experience occurs after the class. For international students, social integration can be a hurdle. They like to interact with American students, but they don’t always know how. This is especially true when international students first arrive in the US.  As a result, they feel more comfortable making friends with other international students from their home country, which further isolates them from American students. W3 will guide these female students in how to deal with such social barriers.

Initiative 3: Cultural Barriers

One of the major educational goals of the internationalization of higher education is preparing students to function in an international and inter-cultural context. Cultural diversity on college and university campuses creates an ideal social forum for inter-cultural learning, yet one of the most disturbing aspects of internationalization of higher education in America is the lack of interactions between American and international students. W3 will assist students through one-on-one mentorships to help with some of these cultural barriers.

Initiative 4: Academic Barriers

Many college professors and educators in the United States want learning to be a collaborative experience and expect participation from students. Most colleges and universities require students to take general education classes, regardless of their major, to expose them to a wide variety of subjects. This can come as a surprise to international students who expect to take only courses related to their major. Through the mentoring program, W3 will assist female students to overcome their academic barriers.

Initiative 5: Financial Barriers

One of the biggest problems international students face is financial hardship. They pay higher “foreign student tuition,” and many come from emerging countries and do not have a lot of money. Therefore, financial support for such things as student assistantship, scholarships, and on-campus job opportunities is vital for their success. Although international students are required to bring some money with them when they enter the US, they often find themselves needing additional funds to continue their education. Students entering the US on an F-1 or F-2 student visa are not eligible for federal student aid. However, some colleges and universities provide limited financial support, such as private loans or scholarships for high academic achievers. W3 plans to provide partial financial support for low income female students based on an established list of criteria.

Our Four Pillars

Vision: To afford all foreign-born adult women access to a quality education in the United States.

Mission: To remove educational barriers facing foreign-born adult women by creating learning communities where financial and educational support are available, and women can achieve their educational dreams.

Values: To create a culture that includes our core values: Compassion, Academic Success, Respect and Empathy (CARE).

Guiding Principles: Women Walking West (W3) operates under the following guiding principles:

1. We serve women educationally, financially, and culturally to facilitate and support their educational goals.
2. We are an organization that believes in the women we serve and advocate for their needs regardless of nationality, sexual orientation, ethnicity or religion.
3. We view philanthropy as an important role in sustaining the organization.
4. We work to provide additional support for foreign-born, adult,  female students so that they can overcome social, cultural, academic, and financial barriers.
5. We work with women to develop strategic plans, and provide support for the duration of the process.
6. We expect respectful and ethical behavior from all involved in the organization.
7. We practice ethical stewardship of funds and available resources. The organization’s finances are transparent and available to all.