MS NEWS: We make it home
Community welcomes new international students
ఈ కథనాన్ని తెలుగులో చదవడానికి క్లిక్ చేయండి
How to find sense of belonging when your home is across the world and your family can say hi only through WhatsApp?
This is what international students at Central Michigan University and across the United States face every day: making home through challenges with the help of familiar spices, songs in native language and welcoming community.
According to the most recent CMU enrollment data, in the fall of 2023, the university reached historic highs with 1,726 international students enrolled on campus. The spring 2024 numbers have not been released yet.
Finding home and fighting challenges
When first arriving in the U.S. and coming to CMU, Jana Al Jurdi, a doctoral student from Lebanon, said fitting in was a “huge challenge.”
“It was a culture shock, because I came from the Middle East, essentially halfway across the world,” she said. “Everything was different. The food is different, the people.”
It was also hard to make it through and feel like she belonged in her business major, because it did not have much diversity, Al Jurdi said.
What kept her going was being an example for her younger sister back at home. Al Jurdi is a first-generation student. As her sister looks up to Al Jurdi, she wants to show her how to not give up.
“I’ve been through a lot to come here,” she said. “So, I didn’t want to stop.”
Pallavi Ravindra and Spurthi Maddala are graduate students from India. For Ravindra, who misses her cat in India, friends and events like ISO one make her feel welcome and a sense of belonging
“We have a lot of Indian music,” Maddala said. “Indian vibes, we always try to keep that (vibe) wherever we go. We make it home.”
Al Jurdi, Ravindra and Maddala all said what they miss and what makes them feel at home is their traditional food.
“Maybe add … Mediterranean restaurant in Bovie (University Center),” Al Jurdi said. “I know there are some Arabs here … I am pretty sure they would appreciate that.”
Located in the Bovee University Center, Idli Dosa, an Indian cuisine restaurant has been widely embraced by students, staff and faculty on campus since it first arrived, according to CM Life.
Similarly, ISO President Joseph Marah said an African market is within an one hour distance, where he is able to “grab a little bit of home."
But even if Marah is able to make that drive, for others -- transportation can be a hassle.
“We don't have proper transport,” Maddala said. “It takes a lot to travel.”
For questions like where to find transportation or traditional food, how to survive winter and where to find friends, CMU’s International Affairs office has a Welcoming Center which opened at the end of the Fall 2023 semester.
Tracy Nakajima, director of International Students and Scholars Services, said the committee, appointed by the provost, that reviews issues that have been voiced by international students, came up with an idea of a center, to provide resources and community.
“(Welcoming space) helps students feel connected to the campus and helps them understand they are an equal part of student life here at CMU, makes them feel safe, (and) firms their choice,” she said.
The center is located on the third floor of Ronan Hall, in front of the International Affairs office. The space is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Besides being a space to ask questions and receive resources, students can also hang out, do their homework, bring and play games.
Welcoming a sense of belonging
International Student Organization also makes efforts to welcome international students and to provide them with community. For example, more than 100 international students attended the Welcome Event on Feb. 10.
Marah said the Welcome Event is a long-standing tradition of their organization, started even before he was a president.
According to a Central Michigan Life video story, ISO welcomed new international students with dances, food and games on Jan. 21, 2023 as well.
Al Jurdi, who is a service committee chair for ISO, said she came to a Welcome Event last year when she was new to CMU, and it helped her feel like she belonged.
“It’s very hard being an international student, especially in the United States, (it is) huge, and you don’t know anyone,” Al Jurdi said. “(The Welcome Event) is just a great way to get to know each other, for international students specifically, but, of course, it’s open to everyone.
“We mainly do it to welcome all our previous and new international students. It’s just a great way for members to get to know each other and even new international students to get to make friends with other international students.”
Marah said the event is like an orientation but is more student-focused and interactive. Attendees engaged in icebreakers, played Kahoot based on their knowledge of other countries and enjoyed food.
He said the event was also an opportunity to learn resources that exist at CMU and make connections with staff and faculty. For example, Ling Zhang, executive director of International Affairs, mingled with the students.
Michelle Bigard from CMU Counseling Center spoke at the event, and shared information about the center’s resources while she bonded with students over the fact that she is Canadian herself, and has faced international person struggles in the U.S. as well.
“Their presence helps the new students feel belonged and helps us feel a sense that our leaders care,” Marah said.
Ravindra was excited to make new friends, especially with American students. They both said they feel welcome at CMU.
“There are so many things, which we know after coming to college, and we really like them,” Maddala said. “It is totally different from what we heard. And (CMU) really reached beyond our expectations.”
Marah said welcoming international students to CMU helped break barriers for them to get the sense of community.
“The community makes me feel welcomed,” Marah said. “That hospitality that Mount Pleasant provides makes life on CMU campus enjoyable.”
In other welcoming events, ISO is organizing a Cultural Expo event, where students can represent their culture. It will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on April 6 at Finch Field House.
