FOREIGN STUDENTS ENRICH OUR CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Among the more than 8,300 students at Southeast Missouri State University this fall are 350 international students. About 50 of those are new to the campus this fall.

We welcome these foreign students to the city, and hope they will enjoy Cape Girardeau hospitality.

We believe these foreign students will benefit from their Southeast Missouri experiences, as the community benefits from the inter-cultural exchange.

These international students interact with the community in many ways. The university's International Center, directed by Margaret Popham, oversees an active Friendship Family program. About 100 area families provide a friendly contact for the students. New families are always sought.

The center also promotes a speakers bureau in which foreign students talk about their homelands to school and church groups, scouts, area organizations and nursing homes. Called "Expanding Horizons," the program is a great example of cultural sharing. About 45 countries are represented on campus, and most of these students are anxious to talk about their homeland and cultures.

As a another way to reach out to the university and the community, the foreign students host and International Week in November.

Japanese students comprise the largest single nationality with about 160 students. The second largest group are Malaysian students, with about 70. All foreign students attend regular classes. Although some are exchange students for a semester or a year, the majority are degree students. Students must pass a language proficiency exam for regular university admission. Those without sufficient language skills must enroll in an intensive English program.

The university has a recruitment effort, in which promotional materials are sent to agencies and schools overseas. But the most successful recruitment tool has been word of mouth. Students who attend Southeast tell their friends and family of agreeable experiences.

Over the years, Popham said the university and community have been very receptive to Southeast's foreign students. And that's how it should be. Their very presence provides an educational experience for us all.