International Increase

By Kate Stringer, Staff Writer stringer14@up.edu

Representing over 30 different countries, UP sees a ten percent increase in international students.

The taste of savory okonomiyaki. The soft chiming of hand bells. The swish of skirts moving to the steps of Latin dancing. International Night ended the University of Portland's International Education Week Nov. 17, a global event to educate and celebrate world cultures. All week students hosted and participated in events celebrating more than 30 countries represented by UP's student body.

UP has seen nearly a 10 percent increase in international students over the past year. There are 122 undergraduate and graduate international students at UP, whereas last year there were 111, according to Krista Kennedy, assistant director of international student services.

The number of international students has also been on the rise at universities across the United States, increasing 5.7 percent in the 2011-12 school year, according to the Institute of International Education.

Michael Pelley, director of international student services, attributes the increase of international students to the reputation of the higher education system in North America.

"People respect how higher education [in the U.S. and Canada] develops students, prepares them for the workforce, prepares them for the future," Pelley said. "There's this idealism about the U.S. that somehow our academic higher education system is regarded as being very good. Is it really better than other cultures? Straight across the board, no, but it's got a reputation that would be attractive."

Kennedy also attributes the growing number of international students to the interest in cross-cultural understanding and values as well as the need to fill science, technology, engineering, and math fields not filled by U.S. students.

Freshman Francesca Centazzo, from Italy, agrees cross-cultural understanding is a draw.

"[International education] helps broaden your horizons. I come in contact with a lot of different cultures," Centazzo said. "That's what I really like about the States - here you meet people from all over."

Freshman Lama Al Habib, from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, likes the similarities in values between UP and her culture.

"I'm not Catholic but I know that the values they have here go hand-in-hand with our values back home," she said.

Countries of origin

Pelley and UP's admissions adminstrators spend time abroad recruiting students from China to Indonesia. Approximately one-third of UP's international students come from the Middle East. The majority, 25, come from Saudi Arabia, according to Kennedy. Following Saudi Arabia, the most common countries of origin include Egypt, South Korea, Vietnam, and Kuwait with 24 students from these countries attending UP.

Other countries of origin include Ivory Coast, Belarus, Macedonia and Singapore.

In comparison, the majority of international students studying in the U.S., 25.4 percent, come from China, according to the Institute of International Education.

While UP's international student population may be small in comparison to other U.S. universities, Kennedy emphasizes the value of having international students in the classroom.

"International students bring diversity to campus," Kennedy said. "In a lot of classes students are learning about what people are doing in the world - how to be competitive on an international level, and I think to add to that discussion it's valuable to have students from all over who can contribute."

International Perspectives

Senior George Mathew, a marketing major from Singapore, sees the value of a global education.

"Especially in a business sense you get a world perspective," Mathew said. "Think about it - what are the major markets in the world? China, India, America.

I was born in India, and I'm in a Chinese country so I've got those two covered. What's the only frontier that I have to overcome? That's the American market."

Al Habib, who plans to major in psychology, wants to return to Saudi Arabia after graduating.

"As a woman I get the same education as a man here, as opposed to back home where I wouldn't," Al Habib said. "I plan to apply what I learn to help my society grow because a lot of women back home are oppressed."

Centazzo plans to remain in the U.S. and go to law school.

Mathew says he will return to Singapore after graduating, but wants to continue traveling.

"I definitely want to come back here," Mathew said. "I've always travelled a lot. I wouldn't want to stop that ever."

Adjusting to the classrom

While Mathew values his experience at UP, he feels cultural differences are still present.

"It's seamless for professors to ask someone local about something like Costco or Walgreens or McDonalds or something someone's lived around their whole life as opposed to international students who may or may not be as accustomed," Mathew said. "I will always feel like an international student because I didn't grow up here."

Centazzo said it's hard to adjust to the course work.

"Getting used to the homework and school work - it was really different from what I was used to," Centazzo said. "We don't really write papers in Italy, we just study and take a test."

Al Habib has faced many cultural differences but appreciates that students are accepting.

"They're interested in learning more about someone from a different country," she said.