University sees international influx

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Chinese students Karl Guo, left, and Jeff Hiu listen as Katherine Garlough, an instructor with the King George International College, visits with Syed Usman, who works in the Northeastern State University Office of International Programs. The relationship with the King George college is one of many programs NSU offers for international students. Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding
NSU’s Office of International Programs attracts students through web pages in many languages, including Korean. Staff photo by Cathy Spaulding

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August 16, 2012

University sees international influx

NSU expects record foreign enrollment

By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer The Muskogee Phoenix Thu Aug 16, 2012, 12:31 AM CDT

— TAHLEQUAH — Syed Usman can speak from experience when foreign students come to his receptionist desk at Northeastern State University.

Usman, a graduate student from India, is working at the NSU Office of International Programs as he earns his Master of Business Administration degree at NSU.

“I’ve always wanted to go abroad to study, to get exposed to new countries,” he said.

Usman could be extra busy in the International Programs office. NSU is on its way to having a record number of foreign students this year, said Dr. Richard Carhart, NSU executive director of International Programs. He said he anticipates a 7 percent increase from the 255 international students NSU had in 2012.

“Freshmen and sophomore enrollment for international students is up over 35 percent from last year,” Carhart said, adding that NSU had about 30 foreign freshmen last year. “These are the numbers we like because freshmen become sophomores, sophomores become juniors, juniors become seniors. Our biggest growth came in graduate students, up nearly 87 percent from 15 to 28.”

Carhart could not give current figures on international student enrollment because the NSU census for the 2013 school year is not complete. He said international students were still flying into the United States on the first day of classes Wednesday.

“We still have students coming in from Africa, from Ghana,” he said Wednesday morning.

Students are coming from 38 countries so far, Carhart said. “And that goes up every year.”

He said NSU had about 15 to 20 countries represented on campus three years ago.

Students come for various reasons.

Ivana Bolejova, a senior from Slovakia, said she came to NSU to play tennis.

“I have one friend from Slovakia, and we played tennis together,” Bolejova said. “I like it here. I like the team over here. They have good coaches.”

Bolejova, who is seeking a degree in financial management, said she can speak four languages. That’s a plus because the tennis team also has players from Russia, the Czech Republic and Morocco, she said.

She recalled challenges she faced during her first semesters at NSU.

“It was hard at first because there was a different language and everything was new,” she said.

Carhart said many foreign students are attracted to NSU through the International Programs website. The site has information pages in German, Arabic, Korean and other languages.

NSU also works with several exchange and international programs. For example, King George International College in Canada works with NSU to offer an English as a Second Language Program. Some foreign students take the class before becoming freshmen.

“Without it, these students wouldn’t have a chance to go to an American institution,” said Katherine Garlough, instructor with the King George program.

Usman came to NSU as part of an exchange between NSU and the Seshadripuram Academy for Global Excellence in his home city.

“We spend one semester in Bangalore, then three semesters at NSU,” Usman said. “Then, I hope to get one more year of experience in the U.S., so I can take what I learned to India.”

Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com.