A Brief History of ISI  

International Students, Inc. was incorporated in 1953 in Washington, DC. At that time there were approximately 33,700 international students on study visas in the US, and ISI had four area ministries. During the 1960s, the international student population grew to over 100,000, and the staff expanded to 35, adding nine additional ministry areas.

ISI shifted its ministry approach to more of a conference-based strategy in 1972 with the purchase and relocation of the ministry to Star Ranch in Colorado Springs. During the next 15 years, the international student population exploded to 420,000. ISI began ministries in 70 locations with a combined staff of 150 full-time and part-time individuals (team members), and founded sister international student ministries in Canada and Great Britain.

Because of the immense number of international students to be reached, ISI again adjusted its strategy. In the mid-1980s, ISI embarked on a path of equipping local church members to reach out to international students on nearby campuses. ISI took this strategy a step further by building a regional ministry structure to better support and serve local ministry teams.

Today, there are over 700,000 international students and scholars enrolled at colleges and universities across the US. In the last five years, ISI has further targeted its strategy to increase emphasis on raising up student returnees committed to reproducing themselves in the lives of others as well as reaching international students in other parts of the world.

ISI’s President, Dr. Douglas Shaw, joined the organization in December 2001. After growing up and receiving his initial education in Calcutta, India, he came to the US as an international student where he earned both an MA and a Ph.D. His heart for and extensive experience in missions is evidenced in his passion for international students