Creating a diverse and welcoming organization is one of the greatest priorities for the newly elected International Students’ Council president.

“I love working with all the international students and I love to see people mix their cultures together,” Ximeng Li said. “I love seeing people smile.”

Li, who is originally from Chang Chun, China, came to the U.S. five years ago, and graduated from high school in Puyallup.

Now, the third-year hospitality student said she is excited to apply her studies to her new role as president. Li said she loves ISC’s events because they help international students get involved at the university.

“We help guide them,” she said.

ASWSU Vice President Garrett Kalt, who oversaw the election with President Jordan Frost, said he thought the election went great.

After facing some issues, Kalt said, ISC did an internal review over the summer to see how to better the organization with the help of some ASWSU members.

A previous ISC president faced the possibility of impeachment by the ASWSU Senate. The ASWSU Judicial Board recommended impeachment after a student complained she was unconstitutionally removed from her position, but the president resigned before the impeachment hearing.

ISC has a certain degree of independence, Kalt said, because it is not under ASWSU, but within it. ISC is a part of ASWSU’s programming and service committees, he noted.

“I’m really excited to see them reach their goals that they have set out,” Kalt said. “I’m very confident in the president and her vision.”

Li said she is looking forward to ISC’s future events, including a Valentine’s Day party and International Women’s Day event.

She said she wants to make sure she, as well as the members of ISC, have integrity and that they do not repeat the past. She also wants people to know that ISC works for free.

“We only want to help others because we want to,” Li said. “[We’re] not just doing this for a resume.”

She said she wanted everyone, not just international students, to get involved in the ISC. The organization is willing to help anyone with anything from life advice to school work, she said.

For ISC’s future, Li said, she hopes to build a community and help people work together. She noted that ISC elections are coming up in April.

“It’s a short term,” Li said, “but a lot of things to do.”