With the beginning of the 2010 academic year, the University of Louisiana at Monroe has welcomed 63 new international students – nearly three times more than usual.

Dr. Mara Loeb, director of International Student Programs and Services, states that ULM has revamped recruiting efforts for international students by forming two new relationships. One is with Dikshya International, a company in Nepal, and the other is with a program for Taiwanese students majoring in education. However, she says “students who come here and have a good experience also recommend ULM to their friends and relatives, which is really the most powerful recruiting tool we have.”  One new student who learned about ULM through word of mouth is Krishna Sapkota, or Kris, who is a freshman computer science major from Kathmandu, Nepal.

Iren Marinova, a Spanish major from Sofia, the capital city of Bulgari, says “I’m still in the beginning, but it’s fun.” She came to ULM to be part of the volleyball team, and is living on campus with another international student, who is from Guatemala.

Leaving home for college is a big step for any student, with living arrangements to be made, classes to be scheduled, and tuition and fees to be covered.  The challenge is only intensified for students who are leaving behind not just their home and family, but also their country. Sapkota says that although adjusting to the new environment has been difficult, it has also been enjoyable, and he thinks he “made a right decision till now, but no one knows what will happen tomorrow.”

For students without a support group of friends from their native countries, Dr. Loeb’s department offers plenty of assistance. She helps the students find apartments, track down luggage, find conversation partners, and even get furniture if they need it. “Dr. Loeb really helped me,” says Marinova, “because I was one of the first students who came in the beginning of August.”

The department also offers events for international students throughout the year. There is an upcoming welcome party planned for September 24th, a student expo in November to celebrate International Education Week, and an international food fair in the spring.

Hopefully, ULM will continue to welcome new international students, since Dr. Loeb plans to continue to expand the program in coming years. In her opinion, “international students [can] bring so much to campus in a global society.”