Diversity: International students have hard time adjusting

With a 20 percent spike in international students currently residing on USD’s campus, International Student Services struggles to keep up with the increasing flow of foreign-born students. 

Food, slang terms, party culture – it was all unknown terrain to the international student who traveled from India to the campus town of Vermillion. And it was not an easy transition.

“Honestly, I still don’t fit in, but I think the best part that USD has provided me with is ‘nothing,’ ” Gupta said. “That helped me a lot, because I learned to deal with (transitioning) by myself and accept things the way they are.”

As Gupta was able to adjust to social norms and decipher financial aid by herself, her reliance on USD’s International Student Services (ISS) was nearly nonexistent. And with a 20 percent increase in international students at the university this year, how many more Preeti Guptas are on campus, weathering the storm of cultural shock on their own.

The growth of international students at USD is apparent, with 182 currently on campus, said Meghan Lunders, assistant director of ISS. And of these students, all have access to Kevin Doyle, USD’s sole international and multicultural adviser, a newly-created position this semester.

“The university wants to make sure it has resources available to help these students be academically successful,” Doyle said.

With eight years spent studying in America, JP Abbate has experienced U.S. colleges on a private and public level. And both times, Abbate said the experience is not inclusive but an expected assimilation to American

standards.

“There is really little infrastructure for international students,” Abbate said. “There is a feeling like we are being neglected, because colleges do not concern themselves with embracing global culture but expect international students to blend in with other Americans.”

Abbate, a member of the African Student Association and the International Student Club, said one way to improve international services could be through USD’s Student Government Association. Abbate suggested that SGA could add a committee dedicated to involving international students in everyday student life, because right now, part of the student body is being ignored.

“International students are not just here to fit into the student body; they are here to be part of a growing

process that is going on all over the world,” he said. “We are all interrelated, so why not embrace each other’s cultures.”

From speaking to other international students who experienced a less Westernized upbringing, Abbate said it would be helpful if student services provided small amenities like blankets and toothbrushes for students who lose their luggage on the way over.

He also said that for the more guarded or scared students, to provide welcoming events on campus that include American students, and more general interaction between American and international students would help campus culture as well.

“Unity is not just an international student problem, it is a USD student problem,” Abbate said. “Just look at a USD football game at halftime, and you understand that staying involved is a problem for many students, international and American.”

While unity may be a struggle on campus, one active international group is the Chinese Student Association. It includes Chinese graduate and undergraduate students and staff, as well as non-Chinese members.

Senior Zesheng Li, president of the Chinese Student Association, said there are about 170 members in the group. While being a role model to new international students, Li said coming to America and living in this environment becomes a total life experience.

“Being in college was like going from a child to transforming into an adult,” Li said.

Established to inform more people about the Chinese culture, Li said the group wants to expose people to foreign culture, and in return, they would like students to teach them about American culture.

One thing that has helped Li’s transition in particular was joining a fraternity. He is in the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and Li said it helped him to adapt culturally and to get to know people.

Doyle has been the official faculty adviser for the Chinese Student Association for about a month, but he has been involved with the group and a couple other international associations for several years, he said.

Doyle added that he also worked closely with several of the Chinese students, along with students from other countries, but he is still working out the kinks within his new position as international and multicultural adviser.

Before Doyle’s current position, there was an adviser for international students in regards to residence halls, clubs and meal plans. The system worked for the most part because of the low numbers, Doyle said, but now, with increasing domestic and international numbers, USD decided to offer the international students their own adviser.

One adviser does not seem like enough for Howie Bao, a first-year student at USD and an international student from China. Bao, who joined his older sister in Vermillion, said while the transition to America was made easier with family, more isolated international students need more support from the university.

“Some other students here are really lonely; they have no idea what is going on at USD,” Bao said.

Bao said he does not remember ever meeting with anyone from USD’s ISS when he first arrived on campus. While he said that these services may have worked for some students, more attention from the university as a whole needs to be placed on international students.

“I have friends who have no American classmates, and they really want to learn more about the American culture,” Bao said. “I think international students just need to have better access to meeting American students and interacting.”

For some students, even with little assistance from ISS, the size of USD’s campus has helped their cultural transition.

Elvis Ngonga, a third-year law student at USD School of Law, has been in the U.S. for about 11 years. He came to USD in August 2010, but remembers when he first came to the country how the culture and food were so much different than he was used to.

“It is better for someone coming to America to go to a smaller school like USD where the campus is small, and it is very friendly,” Ngonga said.

Ngonga is also from Cameroon, and he came to the U.S. by himself. He said he has adjusted to the culture since he first attended school in Utah back in 2001. However, he said he wishes he had come here first, now knowing what USD has to offer.

“My advice is you need to try to have an open mind and learn the whole culture,” Ngonga said.

Senior Sama Patel is American-born but was raised in a traditional Indian family. She was born in Chicago, where her father moved to when he came to America about 35 years ago, and then her mother 10 years later.

“I come from a collectivistic society-based culture, meaning what the society says, goes. Whereas here in America, the culture is individualistic,” Patel said.

Patel said she was raised to care about studying, education and a career more than friends and love.

“International students need to be open to new experiences. From what I’ve learned, everybody in America is willing to be educated on your culture,” Patel said.

For some students, they try to dive into the culture, while for others, it is not as easy, Doyle said. The international adviser said he hopes that international students are aware of the services offered to them and that they are willing to take advantage of them.

“International students have a great opportunity at USD to meet, live with, study with and become friends with great people from the area,” Doyle said. “Our American students also have a great chance at USD to learn more about the cultures/countries represented by our international students.”

His position was just created this semester because of the growing international student population.

Before Doyles position there was a position that advised the international students with residence halls, clubs and meal plans. The system worked for the most part because of the low numbers, but now, with increasing domestic and international numbers, USD wanted to offer the international students their own advisor, he said.

The Chinese Student Association has several parties and activities each year that everyone is invited to. They are a chance for all students to meet and learn about the Chinese culture.

Elvis Ngonga, a third-year law student at USD School of Law, has been in the U.S.  for about 11 years. He came to USD in August 2010 and remembers the culture and food were so much different than he was used to.

“I believe it is better for someone coming to America to go to a smaller school like USD where the campus is small and it is very friendly,” Ngonga said.

Ngonga is from Cameroon, West Africa, and he came to the U.S. by himself. He said he had adjusted to the culture since he first went to school in Utah back in 2001. However, he said hewishes he had come here first, now knowing what USD has to offer.

“My advice is you need to try to have an open mind and learn the whole culture,” Ngonga said.

Senior, Sama Patel is American-born but Indian-raised. She was born in Chicago, where her father moved to when he came to America about 35 years ago, and then her mother 10 years later.

“I come from a collectivistic society-based culture, meaning what the society says, goes, whereas here in America the culture is individualistic,” Patel said.

Patel said she was raised to care about studying, education and a career more than friends and love.

“International students need to be open to new. From what I’ve learned, everybody in America is willing to be educated on your culture,” Patel said.

For some students they try to dive in the culture, while for some other it is not as easy.

“I think that international students have a great opportunity at USD to meet, live with, study with, and become friends with great people from the area. Our American students also have a great chance at USD to learn more about the cultures countries represented by our international students,” Doyle said.