Southern Utah University hosts international students from all over the world who leave their home country to pursue an education in Cedar City. Because these students are far away from their families for extended periods of time, building a “home away from home” on campus is essential. So, how do these students find their T-Bird family?
One helpful resource offered by the SUU International Student & Scholar Services is International Student Advisors. These advisors assist international students with typical college tasks such as registration and career readiness. However, in addition to academic assistance, advisors are also there to ease the challenges of international travel and help students adapt to living in the United States.
“We wear lots of hats,” said Natasha White, an international student advisor. “We’re kind of like the first point of contact for international students. We also handle their immigration status. We are the middleman between the government and the school.”
White explained that international students are required to take an acculturation class, which is designed to mitigate culture shock and ease the transition to the United States.
The Global Landing is located just outside the International Affairs Office.
“It’s [often] very different from where they are from,” said White. “The food is different, the weather — a lot of people are also shocked by the snow. They miss home and don’t always know how to adjust.”
Miranda Garza is an international student ambassador who came to SUU from her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico, to study business management and marketing. According to her, one of the biggest challenges of attending college in another country is homesickness. Garza also mentioned how cultural differences can make the adjustment more difficult.
“I obviously miss my parents,” said Garza. “But I also miss the food. Religion is really different here compared to back home, and I come from a really big city, so coming to Cedar was hard to adopt. You do get used to it. It has its spark, its charm.”
Monterrey, which is located in the northeastern part of Mexico, has a population of nearly 5.2 million people compared to Cedar City’s 66,000. That makes Garza’s hometown 79 times larger than Cedar City.
The International Student Ambassador organization is a group dedicated to building a community for international students facing homesickness and other challenges. ISA is responsible for campus events commemorating holidays such as Lunar New Year, the Spring Festival and Holi, the Festival of Colors. Hallie Woodruff is an ambassador who has found a tight-knit community in the ISA program.
The International Food Festival is one popular event hosted by the International Student Ambassadors.
“ISA has been like my second family,” said Woodruff. “I love the events and that we are able to showcase specific countries. We’ve tried to get even more specific in the last couple of years by not just celebrating a country but a specific festival. That way, they can see their home reflected in the event.”
Along with their event planning, international student ambassadors work to make international students feel welcome and help them find a community at SUU.
“I remember my first semester here, and at the beginning, it was actually kind of hard for me because I knew nobody at all,” said Alonso Rivera, an international student ambassador hailing from Lima, Peru. “But then I remember the ISAs did a great job of welcoming me. I actually became an ISA because one of the ISAs encouraged me to do it.”
ISA events are fun ways to celebrate diverse cultures, but they also serve as much more than that. According to Rivera, helping students feel like they have a home is key to their academic success at SUU.
“The very first words that come to mind are ‘sense of belonging,’” said Rivera. “I’ve known some students that were unable to get that sense of belonging and who struggled a lot with culture shock. Most of them went back home.”
Rivera recommended that students looking to socialize should stop by the International Affairs Office, located in the Sharwan Smith Student Center Global Landing.
“Anytime, you can walk by the International Affairs Office, and you are going to see a bunch of international students chatting,” said Rivera. “The office is kind of a safe place where you can just hang out and meet people.”
Fortunately, ISA events are specifically designed to help students feel at home. Garza emphasized the power of international events to enhance the college experience for all students.
“Even for national students, being away from home can be super hard,” said Garza. “But I think you create your second family here. Getting to meet people from every different continent is amazing. It’s super cool to get that immersive experience.”
Various national flags displayed in the Sharwan Smith Student Center.
“It’s a chance to get outside of yourself,” added Woodruff. ”As you build a community, you get to know other people, and you don’t feel as alone anymore. You build empathy.”
Although traveling to another country to attend college can be a challenging experience, it also provides an opportunity for all SUU students to expand their horizons and learn about cultures all around the world. Thanks to the efforts of international student advisors and the ISA, each student can feel like they have a “home away from home” at SUU.
Author: Nick Stein Photographer: Nick Stein Editor: Kale Nelson
This article was originally published in the Spring 2024 edition of the University Journal.
