Dau-shen Ju
He’s reaching out to international students
As an international student from Taipei, Taiwan, Dau-shen Ju remembers what it was like trying to understand a foreign language, culture and geography at the same time as adapting to college life.
Ju received his undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Iowa. Now a professional at UI, Ju is director of Student Disability Services and assistant director of University Counseling Service. He helped start the counseling center for gifted students at the Belin-Blank Center and an Asian student center.
“I am working with people to find solutions to their problems,” Ju said.
In one capacity, he works to help students manage their disabilities. In another capacity, because of his heritage, he is a conduit for many international students.
Counseling is new to many international students, Ju said, and he tries to find a way to reach out to them in a way they are comfortable with.
“Because of my background as an international student, I have easier access to some of those communities,” Ju said.
Because Ju may have experienced some of what they are going through, some international students find rapport with him.
“I am able to relate to the common issues they face, but much of it is individualized,” Ju said, noting that students come from different backgrounds.
Some may come from a society with political oppression, while others may have left violence or poverty, he said.
“To be honest, I am flattered. I feel like I am doing what I should do,” Ju said. “It is the mission of this office to remove barriers.”
— Brian Morelli
