The University of Dallas has a proud tradition of attracting a number of students from outside of the United States. In order to understand a little more about these students, Staff Writer Johannes R. Carrillo interviewed a couple of UD’s international students.
The University of Dallas is very well known in the US in the liberal arts, Catholic, and homeschool circles, but how do international students hear about UD and what makes them come?
Jaime Cervantes, an MS Business Analytics student in COB, says “I started by looking for a college based on location, seeking comfortable places to live in the US… Once I decided on Texas, UD stood out as one of my top options.” After that, the choice follows a much more standard form as Jaime compares “factors like reputation, fees, location, job opportunities and diversity.”
Junior Comp. Sci. major and Basketball player Micheal Kennedey heard of UD primarily through sports: “Basketball is a very small sport in England and my dream was to make it to America. When the UD coaches found my highlights and reached out to offer me to play it was a very easy decision to come here.”
Once here, international students usually face a double conundrum: How do I adjust to college AND being in a completely different country with its new culture?
Alexander Borisov Bozhilov, freshman business major, says “Culturally, the difference [between the US and Bulgaria] is more or less extreme! Bulgaria (being smaller than most states) compared to Texas is a complete cultural change for me. My social life has also changed completely, as I know no one here and making friends is crucial, but I’m starting to get the hang of living here now.”
Kennedy adds “I am from a very very different place… While there are definitely lots of different cultures and people in London, there is no sense of community – you expect to not know the people that you see each day. Here it is almost the opposite, I am on a small campus where everyone knows everyone and almost everyone is Catholic.
“Every time I am out at like a Walmart someone will hear my accent and then ask where I am from and what I am doing here – it does get old answering the same question all the time but it also helps me get used to Texans, they are definitely a lot more actively social than what I am used to.”
Even though the international community is small and takes a little time to adjust to UD and the US, its students do believe that they are making a difference and impact.
Cervantes says, “The impact of cultural diversity is remarkable, especially with representation from most continents. We [in COB] learn about business practices, communication styles, social norms, greetings, work habits, and thought processes from various regions around the world. This exchange of ideas enriches our experience in Texas and at UD, especially as we collaborate on projects and build friendships with local students. The result is invaluable.
Before you know it, you’re discussing the Dallas Cowboys with friends from Texas, California, India, Pakistan, and South America. Most importantly, we develop genuine friendships, learning to appreciate and embrace our differences.”
Kennedy adds, “Well we [international students] definitely have an impact on basketball, this year there are two freshmen from Australia and Canada, so we really are an international team now. I think the biggest impact though is during classes – I had a very different education in my high school so I definitely have different opinions and ideas that I am not afraid to voice in class.”
Bozhilov concludes, “I believe that bringing more international students to UD puts more color and makes the university more diverse as a whole.”
We applaud our international students for the accomplishments they achieve simply for being here and thank them for making UD a stronger and more diverse school for all its students.