![\"Dr.](\"http:\/\/lamp1.missouriwestern.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Ping-Pong-Tournament_9.jpg\")
<\/a>Dr. Krikor Partamian plays in the championship match of the inaugural ping pong tournament named in his honor. Approximately $4,000 was raised for International Student Services. Brian Hopkins ’87, was the winner of the double elimination tournament.<\/p><\/div>\n
The initiative to enroll more international students is paying off, she says. Since she took on the director\u2019s role in August 2012, international student recruitment efforts have increased, including a larger web presence and more recruiting trips abroad. Additionally, an international strategic enrollment management committee has been formed, which will handle exchange agreements with foreign universities and the University\u2019s processes for international students.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people talk about increasing international student numbers, a key piece is also making sure that when the students are here they have a good experience,\u201d Kotwani said. \u201cWe want them to go back home and look back and feel good about Missouri Western.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the international students have a lot of choices regarding which university to attend, so it\u2019s important that we not only have all the information easily accessible when they are making their decision, but that Missouri Western has a support system in place once they arrive.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of them have never been to the United States, and a lot may have never left their country. We want to make sure we provide as much information as possible so they can make the most of their time here.\u201d<\/p>\n
This spring semester, there are 87 international students from more than 25 countries. A<\/b>dditionally, eight students from Brazil are studying in the Intensive English Program for six months as part of a Brazilian initiative. There are also two Fulbright scholars teaching German and Spanish.<\/p>\n
A 2012 exchange agreement with Xidian University in China brought a professor from there for the 2012-13 academic year and again this year to teach Chinese. Dr. Kay Siebler, professor of English, is currently teaching English at Xidian for 2013-14. Additionally, there are two exchange students at Missouri Western from Xidian, and a scholar from there is conducting research here for six months.<\/p>\n
\u201cInternational students bring different perspectives,\u201d Kotwani said. \u201cIt\u2019s interesting to hear how they grew up and how that affects their experience in college. You can read a textbook about a foreign country, but it\u2019s not the same as talking to someone from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Javier Paz Javier Alejandro Paz Blanco was at the right place at the right time, and he seized the opportunity to study abroad at Missouri Western.<\/p>\n The junior from La Esperanza, Honduras, said a requirement for high schools in his country is serving the community, so his class was regularly volunteering at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.<\/p>\n One day, Dr. Jimmy Albright from St. Joseph, Mo. visited the rehabilitation center on a mission trip and visited with the students from Paz\u2019s high school who were volunteering there. He also spoke at their high school about his archeology work.<\/p>\n When Dr. Albright returned to St. Joseph, he decided to set up a scholarship to Missouri Western for two students from that high school, using his own funds and help from several community businesses. Paz and Edgardo Jamil Valasquez Mejia are now part of the growing international student population at Missouri Western.<\/p>\n \u201cHere are two guys from a third-world country with a real need,\u201d Dr. Albright said. \u201cThey are very focused on their studies. They will go far in life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve loved every second here,\u201d says Paz, who was a resident assistant last year. \u201cI love living in the residence hall and meeting everyone in the building.\u201d<\/p>\n The manufacturing engineering technology major said he had wanted to study abroad for college since he was in seventh grade. \u201cMy mom told me I would have to work hard and get good grades so I could get scholarships,\u201d he said. \u201cI kept dreaming, I worked hard, and I met the right people.\u201d<\/p>\n His high school\u2019s vice principal had attended college in the United States, so he was a great help to Paz as he prepared to study abroad.<\/p>\n Paz said he had traveled around Central America with a dance team when he was in high school, but had never been to the United States. He owes his impeccable command of the language to starting to learn English in kindergarten.<\/p>\n \u201cThe language was my biggest fear before I came,\u201d he says. \u201cBut I realized I had nothing to fear. My friends say my English is better than some Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n He said he plans to pursue a master\u2019s in genetic engineering after graduation and eventually return to Honduras. \u201cI hope I get the opportunity where I have enough money to help my country.\u201d<\/p>\n And most importantly, he is grateful to Dr. Albright for giving him this opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s the best thing that happened to us,\u201d Paz says.<\/p>\n As for Dr. Albright, he has continued to raise funds for the two students\u2019 expenses and to be involved in their lives. \u201cWe had a real conviction to help these guys,\u201d Dr. Albright said. \u201cWe knew we could change their lives forever.\u201d<\/p>\n -end-<\/p>\n<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n