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High number of international
students attend University
By Megan Finnerty
Assistant
Campus Editor
With a record 4,458 international students enrolled
this year, Purdue has the highest international enrollment among U.S.
public universities for the second year in a row.
Students from 130 countries, 1,934 undergraduates
and 2,524 graduate students, came to Purdue this year, increasing international
enrollment by 7.9 percent, said Mike Brzezinski, director of the International
Students and Scholars office.
"Purdue cares; we care about how students are doing,"
Brzezinski said. "When students see that academic advisers really care
and go the extra mile, when internationals see that offices like ours
are really involved and have a friendly and efficient attitude, I think
it speaks loudly."
Tanvir Khen, president of the All Pakistan Student
Association, said he sees the number of international students on campus
as evidence that Purdue is doing the right things.
"We play cricket in the Armory and Space Management
always makes sure we have space to play there," he said. "If there is
something going on there, we can't use it, but if not, we're always
are welcome there and they let us know when we can use it."
Before and just after internationals arrive, the
International Students and Scholars office helps them prepare and adjust.
International Undergraduate Admissions staff asses academic credentials,
evaluates transfer credit, verifies a student's English proficiency
and issues the documents internationals need in order to apply for student
visas.
When students arrive, they spend their first week
in an intense orientation that includes programs on immigration, employment,
health and safety. The rest of the week is filled with activities such
as a trip to Wolf Park and a parents' reception.
The office employees also provide immigration services
and are specially trained to deal with the academic, financial and emotional
issues facing international students.
Adey Zaghab, president of the Organization of Arab
Students, said he gives Purdue a lot of credit for helping international
students.
"There are a couple of organizations here —
Turkish, Egyptian — that you can't get anywhere else," he said.
"It wouldn't be so popular here if international students' needs weren't
being met."
In an effort to continue to meet the needs of Purdue's
internationals, which include 455 international faculty and staff members,
some faculty are developing plans to build a large-scale international
center.
Michael Stohl, the dean of international programs,
heads a committee to plan the center, which, according to Brzezinski,
will house the Office of the Dean of International Studies, International
Students and Scholars and Study Abroad. He said organizers hope to have
several classrooms and rooms where international conferences can be
held using multi-media and simultaneous translation technology.
"This is not a place that will compete with the
off campus International Center," Brzezinski said. "We want to view
it as international programs building with goals outside what the current
center can provide. We've entered a new era in terms of what we need
to do for our students, both foreign and domestic.
"There is a need to provide students with an international
experience, to prepare them not only to working a global work place
but to learn to interact with people that are not from the same backgrounds."
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CAMPUS DESK PHONE:
(765)
743-1111 ext. 253
Campus editor: Kelly
Lucas
Assistant campus
editors: Megan Finnerty,
Mary Jester
To
send a letter to the editor, please email opinions@purdueexponent.org
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