By Taylor Bynion

In the undergraduate women’s college, 3 percent of the student body is comprised of international students from Albania, Argentina, Barbados, Cameron, Cote D’Ivoire, Egypt, El Salvador, Great Britain, Honduras, Mali, Philippines, and Sudan, according to the school’s website.

These international students, such as sophomore biology major Isa Dallasta, chose to travel to the United States in order to obtain an education.

Choosing to study in another country allows Dallasta to “learn a lot about other cultures,” she said. “I think it’s important so that students gain more knowledge about the different cultures around the world. I think that understanding other’s cultures and beliefs makes us more mindful and broadens our perspective.”

In addition to international students, like Dallasta, NDMU also has an English Language Institute, or ELI.

There are 37 students in this learning institute representing 15 different countries according Mary Burch Harmon, Director of ELI. Each of the students in this school arrive with hopes of learning English, spending four days of the week learning on campus.

Harmon enjoys her time working with students from other countries and believes that their presence on campus adds to a greater cultural awareness. “ELI students aid in campus diversity beause they bring their rich cultures and customs to the NDMU campus,” she said. “Having simple interactions with them can help us all learn and take on a different perspective.”

By attending a university with such a diverse population, students have the ability to grow and learn from the unique qualities of classmates from around the world.
Sophomore political science major Sydney Miller enjoys attending a school where she can interact with students from other countries. “I can better understand and connect with different people across the globe,” she said.

Agreeing with Miller, chemistry professor Dr. Zulma Jimenez, enjoys teaching at a diverse campus with international students in her classroom.

As a native of Colombia and studying in the United States and Tokyo, Jimenez appreciates the diversity of international students. “I love learning about how individuals from other ethnicities live in, understand, and approach the world,” Jimenez said.

Photo Courtesy of ndm.edu