Afghan Community Support
Beginning in Fall 2021, Tulsa began welcoming 850 Afghan newcomers to the city. Welcoming these newcomers relies on collaboration between numerous community organizations and individuals, and the University of Tulsa is contributing to this community effort through legal support, cultural orientation programing, and housing. Read more about the program in the winter 2023 edition of @utulsa magazine.
For questions about TU Afghan Community Support initiatives, please reach out to Danielle Macdonald.
22 Afghans in TU Housing
45 Afghan Youth in the TU-ACE Program
850 Receiving Legal Screenings
50+ Campus Volunteers
Welcome.US Campus Network
The University of Tulsa has joined the Welcome.US Campus Network, a coalition of campuses across the US who are helping support Afghan newcomers. Welcome.US highlights and amplifies the work being done at higher education institutions welcoming Afghans, including scholarships, housing, and community sponsorship.
TU-Afghan Cultural Exchange Program
The TU-Afghan Cultural Exchange (TU-ACE) mission is to build a sense of community between young adult Afghans and The University of Tulsa (TU) students. The program helps young adult Afghan newcomers develop their English skills, gain a better understanding of US cultural practices, and develop friendships in Tulsa with university students.
During the TU-ACE program, Afghan youth (ages 18-25) meet weekly with University of Tulsa students to practice English language skills (for Afghans) and Pashto/Dari (for TU students), and exchange cultural knowledge. The program aims to build a sense of community for Afghan newcomers to Tulsa, help them develop friendships with students at The University of Tulsa, and practice English in a supportive environment.
In addition to the weekly meetings, the group visits local Tulsa cultural institutions and events, such as museums and sports games, to explore Tulsa together and help further develop connections and community.
For more information about the TU-Afghan Cultural Exchange Program, download the TU-ACE flyer.
If you are interested in participating in the program, please contact Danielle Macdonald.
Project 850: TU Legal Clinic
Project 850 began when The University of Tulsa Legal Clinic mobilized to ensure the 850 individuals arriving in Tulsa from Afghanistan will have stable futures here in the United States.
Because the 850 individuals are not legally classified as refugees, they are not able to simply apply for legal permanent residence after a certain amount of time. Rather, each family or individual has to apply for another form of legal relief such as asylum or a special immigrant visa in order to remain legally in the United States after their two years of authorized parole. Tulsa was desperately in need of more immigration legal resources before the arrival of the 850 individuals from Afghanistan, so now that need has increased exponentially.
Project 850 is our response. We are actively recruiting and training volunteer attorneys and law students, hosting legal clinics, and organizing a substantial legal response to ensure every single individual who is resettled here in Tulsa has the opportunity to permanently remain in the United States.
If you are a trained attorney and are interested in volunteering for Project 850, please contact Matt Flynn.
Afghan Student Scholarships
Recognizing the educational needs of the Afghan community, the University of Tulsa is supporting Afghans through scholarship opportunities. Many of the Afghan newcomers in Tulsa were university students in Afghanistan, unable to complete their studies before they had to flee. “TU has long been one of our nation’s most international universities, welcoming students from more than 60 countries to the heartland,” said President Brad Carson. “At a time when these brave young people need us most, we are opening our doors to provide a safe place to learn and grow”.
For more information about Afghan scholarships, please contact the international admissions office at international@utulsa.edu.
Building a New Home
In addition to supporting the broad Afghan community, The University of Tulsa has opened its doors to house 22 Afghans on campus in unoccupied apartments. For these newcomers, the campus has become their new home.
Community support is essential for Afghan newcomers as they navigate a new country, new culture, and a new city. Faculty, staff, and student volunteers are needed to help support Afghans in our community and those who are living on campus. If you are interested in volunteering or want to learn more about the broader community efforts in Tulsa to support Afghans, please complete the volunteer form below.
