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And he probably didn’t expect to be carrying a business card written in English letters on one side and Mandarin Chinese characters on the other.
But that’s where he’s ended up as the university’s first Asian representative, living in Beijing, China, and recruiting across Asia.
And Jay Lokken, director of International Education, who hired Hemmesch for the position, probably didn’t plan on welcoming 291 international students to campus this fall, 113 more than last year, which was the highest ever. They came here from 46 countries and five continents.
To see Pamela Mukaire of Uganda, click here.
To see Hjalti Kristjansson of Iceland, click here.
To see Daniel Jerome of India, click here.
To see Tong Ye of China, click here.
To see Crystal Gris of Mexico, click here.
To see Denise Ohl of Germany, click here.
It takes no genius to realize the direct role Hemmesch played in the increase. Last year, about five Chinese students enrolled at UW-L. This year, it’s up to 65, the most dramatic part of an overall increase in Asian student enrollment at UW-L.
“I think (the increase) was kind of the culmination of all the work we’ve done in China and Asia,” Lokken said. “It all kind of came to somewhat of a head this year.”
He credited Hemmesch’s work on the ground in Asia, telling UW-L’s story at college fairs and in prospective students’ homes. But he also credited the work of Danny Wan, a Taiwan native and Chinese speaker who joined the International Admissions team last year.
But dramatic as the Asian increase is, it’s just one piece of the overall surge in international students. Some came from places well-traveled by people in the region: Germany, Mexico, the Bahamas. Many others arrived from places most know only from maps: Saudi Arabia, Iceland, Uganda.
So what put La Crosse, a place Hemmesch said is considered “smaller than a small village” to people across Asia, on their maps?
First, it’s the rankings, Lokken said.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re in China or Vietnam or Germany,” he said. “There’s a recognition of U.S. News and Kiplinger’s.”
U.S. News and World Reports magazine ranked UW-L second among Midwestern regional public universities last year. Kiplinger’s magazine ranked it the 36th-best value among public colleges nationwide. The rankings, Lokken said, get UW-L noticed and ignite a first spark of interest.
From there, he said, it’s key to sell UW-L on its merits: a safe city friendly to foreigners, an academically rigorous university, an appealing setting on the Mississippi River and an easy train ride to Chicago or the Twin Cities. And he pointed to a wide variety of sources here and abroad who have helped that process over the past two decades.
The university’s faculty and administration have established dozens of partnerships with universities throughout the world, he said. And more than 425 UW-L students are studying abroad this year, up from 75 students a decade ago.
Reaching out to the world means the world is more likely to reach out to La Crosse, Lokken said.
And he noted that the international students are their own category of admissions. They pay full out-of-state tuition of about $13,500 a year, meaning an estimated infusion of about $100,000 over four years from each student. But the benefits go beyond that, he said.
“If we’re ever going to solve some of horrific problems globally, having students from 46 countries living here is a good place to start,” he said.
Friends needed
The La Crosse Friends of International Students matches community members with international students at all three local colleges for informal friendships. If you’d like to befriend an international student and help that person feel comfortable in La Crosse, call the International Education office at 785-8016.
Dan Simmons can be reached at (608) 791-8217 or dsimmons@lacrossetribune.com.
