2008 Woodie Awards
Guilford needs to invest in a larger international community
Deena Zaru
Issue date: 3/30/07 Section: Forum
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Given that Guilford is a Quaker college that preaches diversity, I strongly believe that we need a much larger international community.
Richmond, Indiana's, Earlham College is about the same size as Guilford and preaches the same Quaker values, yet the international community there is more than triple the size of Guilford's.
"Guilford should have a larger international community," said first-year Emma Priya Graham. "(When visiting Earlham) I noticed very quickly that Earlham had a huge population of international students, which I loved!"
"At Earlham, I learn everyday that there are differences between the cultures, but I also learn about some unexpected similarities," said Laila Rabah, a Palestinian Earlham first-year. "We learn here that we're all people, and we can come together regardless of our differences and celebrate our similarities."
Guilford needs to invest more financially and provide more emotional support for international students, because what they can add to this community is priceless.
"For Guilford to truly be a more diverse and more multi-cultural based institution there needs to be a significant international community," said Palestinian senior and secretary of the International Club Maisa Zeedani.
"Right now, we don't have specific scholarships for international students. We just have merit aid, so most of the ones that come now are ones that already have resources to come here," said Jorge Zeballos, international student advisor.
For Guilford to be able to support the current international population and attract more prospective students, we need to plan to give them more resources like a full-time international advisor, ESOL programs and counselors that can help them deal with issues like culture shock and homesickness.
"Jorge Zeballos is the only international student advisor, and in the summer and spring time that's problematic, because that's when we're trying to recruit people," said senior Bosnian student Aleksandra Babic, who is the current president of the International Club. "He needs to be given a full-time position."
Richmond, Indiana's, Earlham College is about the same size as Guilford and preaches the same Quaker values, yet the international community there is more than triple the size of Guilford's.
"Guilford should have a larger international community," said first-year Emma Priya Graham. "(When visiting Earlham) I noticed very quickly that Earlham had a huge population of international students, which I loved!"
"At Earlham, I learn everyday that there are differences between the cultures, but I also learn about some unexpected similarities," said Laila Rabah, a Palestinian Earlham first-year. "We learn here that we're all people, and we can come together regardless of our differences and celebrate our similarities."
Guilford needs to invest more financially and provide more emotional support for international students, because what they can add to this community is priceless.
"For Guilford to truly be a more diverse and more multi-cultural based institution there needs to be a significant international community," said Palestinian senior and secretary of the International Club Maisa Zeedani.
"Right now, we don't have specific scholarships for international students. We just have merit aid, so most of the ones that come now are ones that already have resources to come here," said Jorge Zeballos, international student advisor.
For Guilford to be able to support the current international population and attract more prospective students, we need to plan to give them more resources like a full-time international advisor, ESOL programs and counselors that can help them deal with issues like culture shock and homesickness.
"Jorge Zeballos is the only international student advisor, and in the summer and spring time that's problematic, because that's when we're trying to recruit people," said senior Bosnian student Aleksandra Babic, who is the current president of the International Club. "He needs to be given a full-time position."
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