The only opportunity for many international students to pursue a higher education is to leave their native country and come to the United States.
At Southern University, 189 international students, mostly from India, decided to attend this university.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Rajeshekhar Chimmalgi, a freshman physics major from India came to Baton Rouge in 1998 and attended McKinley High School.
But, his father graduated from Louisiana State University.
International students, unlike students from the United States are not recruited.
Many of them find out about Southern from other students and research.
“My dad’s friends daughter used to come here,” said Kelly Boogle, a freshman from Jamaica majoring in chemistry.
Good things about Southern University are being said to others, including hopeful attendees.
“At Southern, the physics’ department staff and students helped me get through the registration process and advised me how to study and what classes to take,” Chimmalgi said.
In accordance with registration policies, international students must register with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service (BCIS), a governmental agency that keeps records of foreigners who enter the country.
Southern University also uses the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which is an updated process that allows schools to electronically submit and monitor current information on international students.
“We have to keep all of their information on file and within code F-1 student regulations,” said Twyana Cain, coordinator for international and commuter students.
According to Cain, to remain “in status,” F-1 students must have a valid passport and be registered full time at an authorized university.
The majority of international students at Southern are here to obtain a graduate degree and then return to their home country.
However, during their short stay in the U.S., many international students find it hard to fit in.
“It is really difficult because you are the only one and you don’t know anyone,” Chimmalgi said.
One of the easiest ways for them to feel comfortable is to be around people from their own culture.
“I have some friends from Jamaica and Trinidad, so I don’t feel so out of place,” Boogle said.
Farhana Lubna, a third semester graduate student from Bangladesh, feels that Southern can do more to make them feel comfortable here.
“At LSU, they have an international expo and foreign students introduce their culture to the university. I think Southern can do something similar to that.”
