 "Photo: Chronicle Creative Team")
The number of international students on campus has gradually increased in recent years, but the U is far from reaching U President Michael Young's goal of making international students account for 10 percent of the student body.
At the U, there are 1,712 graduate and undergraduate students from foreign countries studying on students visas, making up more than 6 percent of the student body. That number has steadily increased by roughly half a percent each year during the last two years.
"Higher education is an exportable commodity for the United States," said Bill Barnhart, director of the International Center. "(The center) is working on the kind of development that will take some gradual process over the next few years, but our focus is on getting information to potential students in other nations who may be interested in studying at the U."
The U regularly participates in college fairs in other nations to generate buzz about U programs and departments. The school also works with U.S. embassies and foreign libraries to provide current information about the U, Barnhart said. In addition, the center works with national and private sponsors who provide funding for students to attend the U. Sponsors include Kuwait, Qatar Petroleum, the Fulbright Program and study-abroad foundations.
Most international students at the U are from Asia, but the U plays host to students from nearly 100 countries. Since 2006, the total number of international students in Utah has increased by 3.7 percent to 6,122 students, according to an estimate by the Institute of International Education's annual Open Doors report. Brigham Young University ranked first in the total number of foreign students with 2,212 foreign students enrolled. Barnhart said the center must now develop and expand its services to meet the demands of the U's growing international population.
"Our situation isn't different than our peer institutions," said Anjali Hammond, the assistant director for outreach and development for the center. "We're a small group of people serving a large number of international students with unique needs."
The center provides students with services such as academic advising, help obtaining work visas and cross-cultural events. Hammond said that the priority of the center is to get foreign students adjusted to the environment at the U and to connect them with academic departments.
Jurg Schmid, a student from Switzerland, has been attending the U since 2005. He's enjoyed his time here because of the academic programs offered on campus. He said the International Center's willingness to assist foreign students with navigating the bureaucratic nature of the U has made life easier.
The center has a lot of services it offers to foreign students, but sometimes they don't know what's available, Schmid said.
"We're collaborating more with academic departments to help students adjust when they first arrive and work with them directly for the next two weeks, but we need more follow-up with students to keep them engaged," Hammond said. "These connections are important because they let the students overcome their culture shock through programs that help students practice and learn English and collaborate with peers. We hope they're adjusting."
In addition, the center offers seminars and information to educate students about how to steer through the immigration process and obtain citizenship in the United States.
c.norlen@chronicle.utah.edu
