Samantha Lu

Samantha is the Director of International Student Services for ISSO Morningside. She oversees and manages the Morningside team of Student Advisers and serves as a point of contact for academic departments. Samantha specializes in student & scholar regulations as well as programming for international students and scholars. She has been with the ISSO since 2018.

In addition to her work with the ISSO, Samantha also serves as a facilitator, mentor, moderator, presenter and trainer both nationally and internationally through NAFSA: Association of International Educators. She has co-authored several NAFSA training manuals: J-1 for Beginners, F-1 for Beginners, as well as Campus and Community Programming.

Samantha has over two decades of experience in the International Education & Compliance fields. She previously served as a Director of International Students and Scholars and as an International Student Advisor of International Education prior to joining Columbia. She is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Education.

In her free time, Samantha is an avid traveler; she has visited over 22 countries and even participated in a summer study abroad art program in Florence, Italy, where she got to touch the pages of Rembrandt's sketchbook. She also enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, camping and zip-lining. Her favorite spot on campus is College Walk––especially during the winter when its trees are lit up.