International Student Center gives students cultural experience
From the moment they begin thinking about coming to Utah State until they graduate, multicultural students receive support from campus services, said Jeannie Pacheco, director of the International Student Center (ISC).
“Things have definitely changed for international students since 9/11,” Pacheco said. “Homeland Security knows all about them, their majors and how long they’re going to be here.”
The students have to jump through plenty of hoops not only to come to the country, but also to stay here for the duration of their education, and the ISC helps the students along the way, said Shukri Mohamed, coordinator for the ISC. Mohamed said there are students from more than 80 countries attending USU and the ISC tries to make so that their experience is beneficial to them and also to the rest of the students. She said the admission process is where the most energy is put in and is one of the biggest parts of the ISC.
“Our focus is global awareness,” Mohamed said.
Karli Salisbury, public relations director for the ISC, said there are activities done through the many different groups for the international students, the students on campus and also for the community.
“We try to open up eyes to see what different cultures are about,” Salisbury said. “And everyone is invited, no matter the ethnicity.”
Each year there are activities for international students, such as the International Student Pageant and the International Banquet, in which students showcase their talents and also the food native to their country, Salisbury said.
Pacheco said the ISC plans on continuing business as usual, even with pending budget cuts to the university. The same services will be offered and the changes will be minimal, she said.
“There’s a need, and the office was started to fill it,” Pacheco said.
However, the ISC should not be confused with the Multicultural Student Services (MSS). The ISC caters mainly to the international students, while the MSS deals with American students, Salisbury said.
“The clubs are different. For example, we have the African Student Association, while the MSS has the Black Student Union,” Salisbury said. “There is a lot of crossover but we’re different.”
Keith Osai, academic program coordinator said MSS is open to all students and is there to support students in every aspect of college life, from social aspects to academic advising.
“For some students, Utah is a little different. These programs help them feel at home,” Osai said.
There are plenty of activities to keep the students busy throughout the year, including Tip Toe Into Asia, the Native American Pow-Wow, the Latino Salsabration, Black Student Union Week, a Polynesian Luau and cookouts throughout the year, Osai said.
There is also recruitment done by the office and interaction with other state-wide groups, said Sam Curley, Native American programs director, and while scholarships are limited, they are available to all students.
The MSS is also focused on helping all students, of all racial and ethnic groups, to have a diverse collegiate experience, Curley said.
–seth.bracken@aggiemail.usu.edu