International Students Welcome Neuharth as New Home at USD

         Unlike many colleges across the country, USD continues to see strong enrollment numbers. 

     In particular, one demographic of students has far outpaced everyone else: international students. 

     According to Gallagher International Center Director Patrick Morrison, there are currently 764 international students from 71 countries studying at USD. Roughly half (378) are graduate students while 364 are undergraduates with 22 exchange students.

     The top five nationalities are as follows: 251 from Nepal, 180 from India, 47 from Ghana, 40 from Bangladesh and 22 from Nigeria.

Using USD’s Enrollment Dashboard, USD saw a 382 student increase in international students from 505 in 2019 to 764 students in 2024. That is a more than 50% increase in five years.

     One of the largest contributing departments is computer science, which has seen a heavy increase in their graduate program in the same time frame.

     According to The Gallagher International Center Study Abroad Advisor Hailey Freidel, the Gallagher International Center helps students get to the United States and adjust to campus life at USD.

     “International Student Services works with the admission processes and the government dealings in the paperwork and visas in order to get international students here,” Freidel said. 

     “When they’re on campus, we have two wonderful advisors that work with them to make sure that they’re hitting their compliance marks and getting the assistance they need.”

     The Gallagher International Center has another side: Student Abroad Services.

     Students can travel, either on short-term trips or semester-long studies to universities in other nations that partner with USD.

     Freidel says the top five countries to students studying abroad are Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Australia.

     As both parts of the Gallagher International Center grew, they made the move over to Neuharth during the summer with the plan of being in one location. 

     Previously, Gallagher International Center employees were split between the first floor of ID Weeks Library and the Burr House on the corner of University Street and Cherry Street.

      “Right now, we just have your student-facing staff in Neuharth,” Freidel said.

     “The rest of the staff will be joining at some point in October.”

     For those interested in study abroad progams, you can contact Hailey at [email protected] or visit the staff on the first floor of Neuharth.