KOKOMO, Ind. — A central Indiana university’s efforts to increase diversity and prepare students to live and work in a global economy are paying off with the enrollment of 15 students from Saudi Arabia.
Indiana University Kokomo is working to increase the number of students who study abroad and draw more international students to the campus about 50 miles north of Indianapolis as part of a strategic plan. The effort also includes developing a diversity Web page for the campus and enhancing international travel courses, the Kokomo Tribune reported.
The university doesn’t yet track the number of international students enrolled, but Kathy Parkison, interim vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said four countries — India, Korea, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia — are represented on campus. The strategic plan calls for bringing more than 55 international students to campus eventually.
“This is bringing the world to our students,” Parkison said.
The influx of students from Saudi Arabia began with Talal Al Hammad, who found the university’s MBA program while searching online.
He contacted MBA program director Gloria Preece through Facebook for more information, and she replied with answers to his questions within an hour.
Preece then worked with the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission to gain approval for IU Kokomo’s program so that students there could attend on scholarship.
Al Hammad enrolled in August 2012 and posted information about IU Kokomo on a Facebook page for Saudi Arabian students considering U.S. business schools. He said he received 100 responses to that post, and 14 people enrolled in classes because of it.
Parkison said that kind of word-of-mouth recommendation is an important tool to attract international students.
Al Hammad said he and his peers are learning to live like Americans and are enjoying their time in Kokomo.
“The faculty are really friendly and helpful, and so are my classmates,” he said. “I feel like I’ve become part of the community. I’m really happy to be here.”
He said he hopes to teach his American classmates about his part of the world.
“Many Americans think of the Middle East and believe we still have camels and tents,” he said. “I hope we are building a bridge between us now, and we can make stereotypes vanish, hopefully forever.”
Preece said that kind of cultural exchange is invaluable for students.
“Diversity plays an important role in education,” she said. “Having students here from other parts of the world brings many new perspectives into the classroom and campus.”
Parkison said IU Kokomo will eventually begin trying to draw students from other countries, but officials want to make sure it doesn’t move too quickly.
“It takes planning,” she said. “You need a support network around that can help them. Someone needs to drive them to the grocery store. Who are they going to call at two in the morning when they’re sick?”
