Spring Break
Study Abroad program flourishes at UA
Maiko Michishita
Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: News
Why do international students decide to study in America? Why in Arkansas? Why at the UA?
This fall, more than 200 international students participated in international student orientation, said Matthew Sokoloski, a program coordinator for International Students and Scholars. This year's international student orientation was the biggest the ISS officials eve had with a large number of international students, he said.
International students' total enrollment for Fall 2007 was 958, which accounts for about 5 percent of all UA students, according to the UA Institutional Research Web site.
More than 900 international students from about 100 countries are studying at the UA, according to the International Admission Web site. The UA admission has a large population from India and China, and the number of students from the Caribbean has recently grown, Sokoloski said.
Orientation for international students, which started two weeks before the first day of the Fall semester, offered many activities to help them settle in, feel comfortable and make connections with each other, with American students and with different departments and resources, Sokoloski said.
Yusuke Hirono, a sophomore physics major from Japan, attended the UA in the fall of 2007 and worked this year to help organize an orientation for new international students. He said he wanted new international students to enjoy American life and make many American friends.
In fall 2007, he met the best American friend in his life and enjoyed studying and chatting with him. He didn't expect to have the best friend who was born in a different country and speaks a different language, Hirono said.
Hui Yun Jien Chang, a freshman elementary education major from Bolivia, who arrived in August, said she wants to get a better education in America than she would get in her country. She used to go to an American school in Bolivia, but she sought the first-hand education.
Web sites that contain information about study abroad programs in the U.S. also give ideas for students who are interested in coming to the UA. Long Thanh Bui, a freshman finance major from Vietnam, who also arrived in August, said the he chose UA after he did research on the Internet to look for a university which has a good business program.
This fall, more than 200 international students participated in international student orientation, said Matthew Sokoloski, a program coordinator for International Students and Scholars. This year's international student orientation was the biggest the ISS officials eve had with a large number of international students, he said.
International students' total enrollment for Fall 2007 was 958, which accounts for about 5 percent of all UA students, according to the UA Institutional Research Web site.
More than 900 international students from about 100 countries are studying at the UA, according to the International Admission Web site. The UA admission has a large population from India and China, and the number of students from the Caribbean has recently grown, Sokoloski said.
Orientation for international students, which started two weeks before the first day of the Fall semester, offered many activities to help them settle in, feel comfortable and make connections with each other, with American students and with different departments and resources, Sokoloski said.
Yusuke Hirono, a sophomore physics major from Japan, attended the UA in the fall of 2007 and worked this year to help organize an orientation for new international students. He said he wanted new international students to enjoy American life and make many American friends.
In fall 2007, he met the best American friend in his life and enjoyed studying and chatting with him. He didn't expect to have the best friend who was born in a different country and speaks a different language, Hirono said.
Hui Yun Jien Chang, a freshman elementary education major from Bolivia, who arrived in August, said she wants to get a better education in America than she would get in her country. She used to go to an American school in Bolivia, but she sought the first-hand education.
Web sites that contain information about study abroad programs in the U.S. also give ideas for students who are interested in coming to the UA. Long Thanh Bui, a freshman finance major from Vietnam, who also arrived in August, said the he chose UA after he did research on the Internet to look for a university which has a good business program.
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