When Lyla Wadia came to Whitman College from India this year, she felt surrounded by a large group of other international students. Her feeling was justified. The class of 2014 has a higher number of international students compared to last year. Many of these students are also from countries that were previously unrepresented at Whitman.
This fall there are 16 international first-year students and two others who are doing exchange programs. This figure accounts for 4 percent of this year’s first-year class. Last year there were only eight international first-year students.
“Last year’s class was quite small,” said Kris Barry, the international student and scholar adviser.
The class of 2014 includes first-years from Lesotho, Lithuania, Montenegro and Venezuela–countries not previously represented at Whitman.
“The result this year is primarily because of improved yield on the students we admitted; more of the students enrolled than we had expected,” said Tony Cabasco, dean of admission and financial aid.
Whitman’s number of international students, however, is in the middle of the range for other small colleges.
“Our numbers are about the middle. Some liberal arts colleges have upwards to 10 to 15 percent of their students who are international students. Many others have none or 1 to 2 percent,” said Cabasco.
Cabasco additionally noted that adding any more international students per year demands new financial strategies, as many receive large or full scholarships.
“Increasing the number of international student numbers would require additional scholarship funds,” said Cabasco.
There are many challenging aspects of coming to Whitman for international students, and Whitman attempts to smooth that process.
“International students face many challenges from applying for a visa, travel arrangements, culture shock, adjusting to the US and American society, homesickness, different foods and adjusting to a new educational system,” said Cabasco.
Due to the number of international students in recent years, Whitman created a Buddy Program for incoming international students, now in its third year. This program matches rising sophomores with international students for one semester so that there’s a network beyond institutional departments.
“I think it is a nice idea and great opportunity to meet upperclassmen and make more friends on campus with people with whom you would not normally be in contact,” said Ivana Vukovic, a first-year from Montenegro.
The Academic Resource Center offers tutoring for students who speak English as a second language as part of the Greenhouse program. This resource is in its fourth semester.
Barry also organizes a three-day international student orientation prior to the beginning of school each year. This orientation includes a chance for the international students to bond with each other and meet their student academic advisers prior to new student orientation.
“I thought the camp was good because we got to know a couple of people before starting college, which was nice because those are still good friends of mine,” said Wadia.
