International enrollment reaches record levels

Twenty-six international students began class Monday, thanks in large part to a network that has been built and cultivated over the past three years by Steve Taylor, associate vice president for market development, and Tamsyn Carey, project director for market development.

Carey said the program’s partners meet with students interested in studying in the U.S. and then recommend CSC to those students they believe would have a good fit with the location, size and academic programs offered by the institution.

About 10 of the 26 new international students mentioned a partner referral as the method by which they learned about CSC. Fifty-two international students are enrolled this fall after about 15 graduated last year.

Three student-athletes competing in women’s basketball, men’s basketball and track, were also recruited by their respective coaches.

Some of the incoming international students discovered Chadron State by conducting their own Web searches and others enrolled as a result of word-of-mouth.

“We are so pleased with the wide diversification we see in the countries represented this year. As far as we know, 14 different countries represented among new incoming international students in one year is the highest number in CSC history,” Carey said.

The countries represented include Australia, China, Ethiopia, France, Jamaica, Japan, Libya, Macedonia, Netherland Antilles (Curacao), New Zealand, Russia, Uganda, Thailand and Vietnam.

Carey expressed appreciation for the faculty and staff on campus who collaborate in providing services for students and making the students feel welcome.

“Everyone has been so supportive and embraced these students. They are inquisitive about what they can do to help this effort, which is really gratifying,” she said.

Other factors that could potentially increase the number of international students at CSC. The new Bridge Intensive English language program, known as BridgePathways, will launch in October with a small cohort of four or five students.

The Bridge program will introduce CSC to a new and broader audience, according to Carey.

The CSC Master of Business Administration degree will again be offered in a face-to-face format, after being fully online for several years.

Since international students are only allowed by Homeland Security federal regulations to either enroll in U.S. online degree programs while living in their home country or on a physical college campus, the face-to-face format has the possibility to increase international enrollment.

Any student may opt into the classroom-based courses and the full MBA degree will continue to be offered online, as well.

In addition, the Office of International Education is pursuing several pathway program agreements with Chinese institutions through which students would begin their programs of study in China and finish at CSC.

A total of 60 applications for admission were accepted this year, but issues such as delayed visas or English language deficiencies caused some students to defer enrollment. The Bridge program will be a drawing card for students who have strong academic skills but lack English proficiency, according to Carey.