International Education Spotlight
Jase Owens
Graduate student in architecture
Describe your international education experience.
I participated in a faculty-led study abroad program in the summer of 2023. I spent nearly a month studying the architecture of Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
Why do you think international education is important?
Generally, I think that it's healthy to get out of your home country and experience the cultures of other parts of the world. With regards to architecture specifically, the Nordic countries are very forward-thinking designers. Their approaches to sustainable design and urban planning make for excellent case studies.
Neily Randall
Undergraduate student in English
Describe your international education experience.
My international education experience in Holzkirchen, Germany greatly expanded my understanding of myself. I learned how to independently navigate unfamiliar situations using a foreign language. I learned just as much outside of the classroom as I did within it. While living with a host family, I formed a lasting intercultural connection that I'll remember forever. I returned to the United States as a far more confident and open-minded person.
Why do you think international education is important?
International education is important because it provides access to new perspectives. In learning about another culture and way of life, we gain a new understanding of our own. While living abroad, I felt like a fully independent adult for the first time. I learned how to communicate with others despite language barriers, how to operate a foreign transportation system, and how to form relationships with people whose cultural context differs from my own. I emerged from this experience a more adaptable, open-minded, and self-directed individual.
Alexandra Navarro
Graduate student in global and international studies
Describe your international education experience.
As a Fulbright Scholar from Honduras, a lawyer, and an Undergraduate Professor in my country, experiencing an International Education is providing me not only the knowledge but also the motivation to go back and promote a better education among my students.
Why do you think international education is important?
International education is an opportunity to learn from professors that have performed research abroad, your peers experiences, but also, what other cultures are doing to improve their societies. Education is a channel where people can improve their lives and develop a stronger community.
Dorcas Yeoh
Graduate student in speech-language pathology
Describe your international education experience.
I am a Malaysian and have spent all my life living in Malaysia. However, in 2021, I embarked on a new journey as an international student in the United States. I started my journey at UW-Eau Claire as a junior undergraduate student and recently graduated in May. Currently, I am pursuing my master's degree in speech-language pathology (MA-SLP) at KU, marking my third year as an international student in the U.S. Being an international student has always been a rollercoaster ride, with its highs and lows. However, I can confidently say that I am embracing every aspect of this experience, making the most out of my time here. One of the most rewarding aspects has been the incredible support I've received from both my peers and faculty members. Whenever I found myself in need, there were always helping hands and open hearts, making me feel right at home despite being thousands of miles away from my country (Malaysia). Another thing that I cherish the most about my international student experience is the opportunity to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. I always enjoy engaging in meaningful conversations with individuals who, like me, come from different cultural upbringings. These conversations have allowed me to explore the similarities and differences in our perspectives on life, fostering a deep sense of understanding and appreciation for the world's cultural tapestry. Overall, my international student journey in the U.S. has been a transformative and enriching experience. I am excited about the ongoing adventures and new experiences that my international student journey will bring.
Why do you think international education is important?
International education is important because it fosters cultural understanding and appreciation. It exposes us to diverse perspectives, beliefs, and traditions, promoting tolerance and empathy among people from different cultures. It also challenges us to step out of our comfort zones, enhancing personal growth, independence, and self-confidence. As a Malaysian who has studied in the U.S. for 3 years, I can truly say that this experience has opened my eyes to different perspectives and humbled me as a whole. It is not an easy journey, but I promise, it is very worth it.
Hugo Santo
Undergraduate student in economics
Describe your international education experience.
Even though I never had any courses or specific classes on the subject, I believe I got to learn a lot by experiencing other cultures in a daily basis. Having already lived in Brazil, Belgium and in the US, as well as having visited more than 7 different countries, gave me a first hand contact with people from all around the world, who shared parts of their daily costumes and culture. I deeply believe I could never acquire such understanding and interpretation of different countries by simply hearing about it in a class. The biggest experience was by far the exchange program in Baldwin City, Kansas, where I attended my senior year in Baldwin HS. Not only I had to live 24/7 in the US for a year, but also I had to live in a complete different family with massive differences from the household I'm from. It was an eye opener about how important those experiences are to truly understand people worldwide.
Why do you think international education is important?
It is definitely important to learn AT LEAST the basics on world history, world geography and international relations, but at some degree it is important not to stress too much about having theory classes and venture out the world. It is truly an amazing experience to observe and learn different cultures by your own eyes. All you get to know while staying abroad becomes part of your personality and only adds up to your perception of life. Furthermore, having second, third, fourth or even fifth languages is something fantastic for personal development, for it increases your capacity to communicate with people and widens your range of communication beyond your own language speakers. Personally, I deeply encourage people to have the ability to speak at least 3 languages, it is a competitive amount of languages that would definitely highlight you in a professional world.
Jose Fabián Elizondo
Graduate student in educational psychology and research
Describe your international education experience.
KU feels like a home away from home. The transition from a Costa Rican education system to an American one was very smooth thanks to the support and guidance of the staff and faculty members in the Educational Psychology Department.
Why do you think international education is important?
Understanding how people from other cultures work, think, and live is essential in a multicultural world.