US Consul General Preeti V. Shah Visits ISR: An Inspiring Exchange and Insightful Engagement
Thursday, May 8th, 2025
On May 8th, 2025, we had the distinguished honor of welcoming Ms. Preeti V. Shah, who has served as the U.S. Consul General at the Consulate in Düsseldorf since August 2024, to the ISR International School on the Rhine. Consul General Shah brings extensive diplomatic experience from previous postings in Nicaragua, Turkey, Afghanistan, Mexico, and Indonesia. Most recently, she served as Deputy Director of Public Diplomacy Training at the Foreign Service Institute in Washington, D.C. Her consular district encompasses the entire state of North Rhine-Westphalia, a region with profound economic and cultural ties to the United States.
Her visit continues a valued tradition of U.S. consuls from North Rhine-Westphalia visiting ISR to nurture and expand the trusted collaboration between the school and the American consulate.
During a comprehensive campus tour led by our ninth graders Amanda and Gian, and accompanied by the Head of our ISR Parent Network Ms. Williams, and School Director Ms. Eileen Lyons, Ms. Shah gained an in-depth perspective on daily life at ISR. She was particularly impressed by our IT and AI teams, who demonstrated the innovative integration of AI-supported teaching at ISR. Additionally, she visited the library, where she met a group of third graders being read one of her favorite books – a passion she shared with Amanda and Gian.
A highlight of the visit was the Career Talk with our eleventh-grade students. Consul General Shah provided valuable insights into her professional journey and answered numerous questions from our engaged students. Her key message, “Never stop being a student,” left a lasting impression on the approximately 100 attendees. She emphasized the importance of openness to new experiences, readiness to embrace challenges, and the necessity of lifelong learning-values deeply embedded in ISR’s mission.
The visit concluded with a meeting between Ms. Shah and our management team to discuss current developments and further strengthen cooperation between the consulate and ISR.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Consul General Shah and the US Consulate General for this enriching afternoon, their time, and the invaluable inspiration imparted to our students.
