By SARA GIBONEY
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – As international students arrive on campus each semester, a group of student volunteers help them transition into life in a new country.
International Student Leaders at the University of Nebraska at Kearney serve as mentors to new international students, welcoming them to campus and helping them prepare for the start of the semester.
“We’re helping international students feel like they’re a part of the campus community,” said Tracy Falconer, assistant director of international education.
Each student leader is assigned a group of up to 10 students. The student leader helps the students get their student identification cards, get registered for classes, meet with faculty and more.
“I know that coming to a new country and starting a new lifestyle is hard for a lot of people, so I wanted to help new students make a smooth transition to life in Kearney,” said International Student Leader Yusuke Nogi, a junior business administration major from Kyoto, Japan.
“The orientation helps new students in many ways. Not only does it help with starting their university life (class registration, vaccination, etc.), it offers the students an opportunity to become friends with people who have gone through a lot of challenges at UNK and to find people they can rely on when they have problems.”
Orientation begins Tuesday (Aug. 15), and another orientation will take place before the spring semester begins.
The number of student leaders each semester depends on the number of new international students that are arriving at UNK. Over the past few years, there have been about 20 student leaders.
“I decided to become an orientation leader to help new international students to feel welcome and show them that UNK will give them great support during their experience here. Also, it’s kind of challenging for the students who don’t speak English to understand important things they need to know at UNK,” said International Student Leader Daniel Castaneda, a senior industrial distribution major from Bogota, Colombia.
“That’s why I mostly help people who speak Spanish. And we have other leaders that will help to translate in other languages as well. As a new student, you don’t know where to go, or who to ask for any questions or concerns.”
New students are often placed with student leaders who speak their native language to help with communication.
“There’s no way that our orientation program would be successful without the student leaders,” Falconer said.
One hundred new international students will arrive at UNK for the fall semester. There are about 90 to 100 new international students on campus every August.
During the spring 2017 semester, there were 337 international students enrolled at UNK.
International Student Leaders Profiles
Name: Yoshi Kasugahara
Year: Senior
Major: Accounting and Finance
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan.
I have been an orientation leader almost for two years. I decided to help the orientation because I was the one who was really helped and supported by the orientation too. Also, it is really good opportunity to touch other genuine cultures. I believe although culture is so deeply based within a person, his/her culture be affected by other culture. The students who have just arrived themselves are the precious opportunities for us to learn their pure culture.
Although the orientation is formulated and less professional in appearance, their transition process is really delicate. The cultural difference takes the main factor, and also their first impression of U.S. college life is made from the first week of the orientation.
While we help the new students with many problems, we always think what is the best for them. I think we have to leave some challenges for the students to settle by themselves.
Name: Yusuke Nogi
Year: Junior
Major: Business Administration, Supply Chain Management Emphasis
Hometown: Kyoto, Japan
I know that coming to a new country and starting a new lifestyle is hard for a lot of people, so I wanted to help new students make a smooth transition to life in Kearney.
The orientation helps new students in many ways. Not only does it help with starting their university life (class registration, vaccination, etc.), it offers the students an opportunity to become friends with people who have gone through a lot of challenges at UNK and to find people they can rely on when they have problems.
Name: Daniel Castaneda
Year: Senior
Major: Industrial Distribution
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
I decided to become an orientation leader to help new international students to feel welcome and show them that UNK will give them great support during their experience here. Also, it’s kind of challenging for the students who don’t speak English to understand important things they need to know at UNK.
That’s why I mostly help people who speak Spanish. And we have other leaders that will help to translate in other languages as well. As a new student, you don’t know where to go, or who to ask for any question or concerns.
During the orientation week we introduce them into all the activities, organizations, places to go. We interact with them and make activities, helping them to start meeting more people and make their experience more enjoyable and unforgettable.
Name: Sitong Liu
Year: Senior
Major: Biology
Hometown: Shenyang, China
I became an orientation leader because the first time I participated in orientation volunteering was to help my roommates, who were orientation leaders. I realized that new students really appreciate me when I help them, and they treat me as a friend. I like to share all my knowledge about Kearney to them so that they can feel welcomed.
When I was a freshman, I was afraid of new things in this new country. And I was so antisocial and I didn’t know how to ask for help. Now I’m getting better with this problem, and I would like to help the students who might have that problem too.
I think orientation does help new students. A lot of students that I lead still remember me and appreciate me, and they become orientation leaders too. The students I lead are leading new students now. I have participated in orientation leading five times, and I love to help new students.
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Writer: Sara Giboney, 308.865.8529, giboneys2@unk.edu
Source: Tracy Falconer, 308.865.8873, falconerts@unk.edu
