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Holdorf, from Mexico City, Mexico, was among a number of Western students sharing her culture during a celebration as part of federal International Education Week.
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WTC students Amanda Rumbaugh, left and Karly Stapelton learn some facts about the Hmong from Laos during Western Technical College International Day at the school. Dick Riniker photo |
“We hope we can get a dialogue going between Americans and people from different countries,” said Carol Anderson, Western’s English language learning program coordinator.
International students bring knowledge, diverse culture and more revenue to local colleges. Western has 18 international students enrolled in degree programs and nearly 30 in goal-oriented adult education programs.
Western’s international student numbers declined after Sept. 11, 2001, when federal Homeland Security made it more difficult to get a visa. However, those numbers now are on the rebound, said Anderson.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has seen a similar trend, said Hong Rost, assistant director for UW-L’s Office of International Education.
In recent years, UW-L’s international students and scholars — primarily lecturers, researchers or assistant language teachers — have increased significantly. UW-L had about 180 international students and scholars in 2006-07, about 290 in 2007-08, and about 350 this academic year, said Rost.
In addition to the diverse perspective, UW-L sees an economic benefit, Rost said. The NAFSA: Association of Inter-national Educators estimated UW-L foreign students contributed more than $6 million in tuition, fees and living expenses in 2007-08.
The increase in international students at UW-L may be due in part to stronger recruitment efforts in recent years, including attending higher education fairs throughout the world to promote UW-L, said Rost.
The number of international students at Viterbo University also rose slightly, from 25 last year to 30 this year, said Beth Moore, Viterbo’s director of global education.
That increase is more pronounced when short-term and summer study-abroad programs at Viterbo are included. While only about 10 to 12 students participated in these programs in 1991, 60 to 80 students has been the trend in recent years, said Moore.
About 500 UW-L students studied abroad last year, more than in previous years, said Rost. Students realize they will be more competitive in the future job market with greater knowledge about the world, said Rost.
“An international experience, for me, is a necessity, not a luxury,”said Rost.
