Hello, it’s me, Globie Globe, FIUTS’ longtime mascot. I’ve been here for 77 years, welcoming students from all over the world to Seattle and connecting them with this community.

Right now, FIUTS is in real danger. Federal funding for international exchange is under attack, and small organizations like ours may not survive. We were already working hard to recover after the UW canceled our contract three years ago, and now these national cuts and delays have cut more than $500,000 from FIUTS' budget just in the past 6 months, threatening to erase the opportunities that have kept FIUTS alive for generations.

If FIUTS disappears, new international students arriving in Seattle will lose a place to find belonging. Thousands of students each year will lose opportunities for leadership and exploration of our region. Our community will lose the chance to connect to a network of people tied to this place, committed to building relationships that reach across the globe and lead to peace and understanding.

I’ve seen firsthand the power of this work for decades. But without urgent support, my voice may go quiet, and after 77 years, FIUTS may become one of many treasured local organizations lost in this moment.

Please don’t let that happen. Every gift, no matter the size, helps keep FIUTS alive for the next generation of students and community members.

Together, we can make sure the globe keeps turning at FIUTS.