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International students make right choice in UWEC

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International students have found a home on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus. 

The hard work and effort have proved to be successful in the Center for International Education offices.  The employers in this department have created programs designed to help international students mesh into United States culture along with domestic peers.  Though it is difficult to find tangible evidence that the programs are working, the welcoming feeling surrounding the campus is evidence enough.

“I think the Eau Claire campus just really opens their arms to the international students and really welcomes them,” said Stephanie Pyykola, Host Family coordinator at UW-Eau Claire.  With over 200 host families to coordinate, Pyykola needs to stay on her toes so she can keep the students feeling like part of the family.  “They like that feeling of support and somewhere to come home to.”

The Host Family program is just one of many targeted towards international students to help them transition into the Eau Claire society.  Another program that helps the students feel at home is the Orientation program.  Starting August 27 of this year, the week long program is for both international students and domestic UW-EC students who have cultural understanding and interests in other cultures. 

Another popular program is the Peer Guide program.  In this program, international students are paired with domestic students who have received training on being a guide.  The Peer Guides have gone through training to help the international students with advising, registration, and cultural adjustments.  Guides also take their students to social activities and workshops offered to provide the new students with tips and information about the adjustment to their new lives.

Jodi Simek, International Student Advisor, not only helps organize these programs, she also helps with the International Folk-fair.  Taking place on November 4^th of this year, the Davies Center will be transformed into an international community.  “People here are very interested,” said Simek enthusiastically when discussing the success of the folk-fair.  “We have a lot of heritage communities and they love meeting students of their culture.”

As if the success of the CIE hasn’t been successful enough, the center is about to take it one step further.  Starting this fall semester, residential building Katharine Thomas Hall will be hosting the Global Learning Community.  This 3 year in the making project is targeted towards both international and domestic upperclassmen.  The majority of the building is filled with students who are willing to be a part of this community and who want to explore others culture.  “What we’re doing is supporting something the kids are already doing,” said Simek. 

This fall semester, 160 international students will be studying at UW-EC, representing 40 different countries.  Of the 160 students, 80 of them are new to the campus, and the other 80 are returning.  “They created a different type of dynamic,” said Simek about the students’ enthusiasm about diversity.  “(Having international students) creates an environment where people feel more comfortable interacting and stepping out of their own culture group.” 

Over the last couple years, the program has had a steady number of international students coming to UW-EC.  After a peak with the numbers of international students in the mid ‘90’s and a plunge in numbers after September 11^th, the numbers have been slowly rising.  Here at UW-EC, the CIE is still struggling to get students to come here while trying to fight off competition from Britain and Australia.  When asked why countries are competing for international students, Simek simply stated the students “add international diversity on campus,” and having them there “adds to richness of campus.” 

While the CIE offers programs to help the students feel at home here at UW-EC, they cannot forget that the students’ home country will always be where home really is.  Because of this, the CIE offers other support for the students when things are rough.  They facilitate support with personal problems, a death in the family, or when a war breaks out at home. 

So with all the effort put into these programs and support systems, do the students love these programs as much as the creators?  The answer is an all-around “yes.”  Senior Toru Uchinokura of Japan expressed much enthusiasm when discussing the Host-Family program.  He said that if others wanted to experience real American life, the Host-Family program was the way to experience it.   

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