Volume 1: 2011/2012
UPDATES FROM UNCW’S INTERNATIONAL STUDENT & SCHOLAR SERVICES (ISSS)
The Year in Review
During the 2011/2012 year, UNCW hosted more than 300 international students
from 50 different countries. While nearly half of our international students come
from the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany and Spain, we also have
students from Burkina Faso, Croatia, Malaysia, Peru, and Tunisia, to name a few.
International faculty/staff numbers also grew this year, with nearly forty on campus
coming to us from more than fifteen different countries. China, India and South
Korea were the leading countries of origin of our international faculty and staff.
ISSS provides these visitors with immigration and personal advising and designs
programs to help these students and scholars maximize their experience at UNCW.
Programs this year included Fall & Spring Orientations, a potluck picnic at Hugh
MacRae Park, a Cape Fear River Cruise, tours of the Burgwin-Wright House and
US Coast Guard Cutter Diligence and an end of year celebration at a Wilmington
Hammerheads soccer game. Collaborations with local organizations, like the
Coastal Carolina Chapter of the United Nations Association and Sister Cities
Association of Wilmington, also resulted in exciting off-campus events that
engaged students from around the world with members of the broader Wilmington
community.
A Trip to New York City
Cape Fear River Cruise
Seminar course
engages international
students in the local
community
International students are encouraged to enroll in the course INT 292,
“Seminar for International Students” which is designed to introduce
students to the Wilmington community as they examine challenges
and issues facing the region. The course is designed to educate,
challenge and motivate international students to use their skills to
work for the betterment of the Wilmington community and the world
beyond. This course introduces students to the Arts, Business,
Education, Government and Social Services sectors of New Hanover
County while requiring students to think critically about how they
can work to address the challenges of a global society. Visits to the
courthouse, Department of Health & Human Services, an elementary
school, Port of Wilmington and other destinations allow students to
witness first-hand how US institutions operate and engage in
meaningful dialogue with local community leaders about US society
and culture.
Learning What It Means to Be
a Seahawk at a Basketball Game
International students with District Attorney Ben David.
Call for Newsletter Submissions
ISSS is seeking contributions for our next newsletter! Articles on international student
experiences at UNCW, host family testimonials, international faculty profiles, updates from
international alumni, and more, are all welcome. If you’d like to contribute, please email your
submission to Jennifer Fernandez-Villa at fernandezvillaj@uncw.edu.
Volume 1: 2011/2012
Last semester I had the pleasure of studying abroad at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where I met so many
amazing people and had the chance to travel to places I normally would not have had the opportunity to visit. Studying
abroad was one of the best experiences of my life, and I would recommend it to everyone!
To travel by myself was definitely an adventure, which was both exciting and daunting at the same time. I know from
first-hand experience that it doesn’t always go according to plan. When I first travelled to UNCW the airline lost my
luggage. Within two weeks of being in America, there was both, an earthquake and a hurricane. This could have tested my
resilience, but I never had a chance to feel lonely or despondent. The Office of International Programs at UNCW was very
helpful and I received enormous support from their student volunteers. When I lost my luggage they helped me make
arrangements with the airline to find it quickly and have it delivered to my hotel. I was humbled by the thoughtfulness
and hospitality of the people at UNCW, as I was invited to see out the hurricane with a local family and later to spend
Thanksgiving with an American friend and her family in their Washington, DC home.
Undoubtedly the rewards of travelling far outweigh the hiccups along the way. I got to visit so many beautiful places such
as Asheville, Washington DC, New York, Orlando, Charleston and Savannah. Each of these places that I visited were
unique and I loved them all for different reasons, but my favourite place, and what became a home away from home for me,
was Wilmington and UNCW.
The great thing about studying abroad is that you have a much longer period of time to get to know people than if you were
just visiting an area while you travel. Not only did I have the chance to make some wonderful American friends but, by
living in the International House, I had the chance to make friends and to form lasting friendships with people from all
around the world.
The Host Family Program allowed me to meet some of the amazing local people in Wilmington who made my time abroad
just so much better. I had a host mum who was so special she will always be thought of as one of my family. The Host
Family Program is run brilliantly by the Office of International Programs, as is their Student Mentor Program. My
student mentor was so friendly and was always very eager to show me the city which she is so passionate about. I was very
glad of this, as when my parents and sister came to visit, it meant that I could show them some of the great parts of
Wilmington that both my host mum and mentor had been kind enough to show me.
Finally, the studying was also a great experience. The structure and teaching methods were different, yet I really enjoyed
looking at my degree from a different perspective. My semester in America added something really special to my degree
and has left a lasting impression on me; so I highly encourage everyone to consider trying something new and studying
abroad!
Donna Barton
Keele University, England
Volume 1: 2011/2012
Volume 1: 2011/2012
The UNCW Host Family Program
Hosts Share Their Experiences
I am still in touch with most after many years and
others have come back to visit their former
classmates and me!
Host mom Heidi Apel with international student,
Keng ‘Mandy’ Soo.
…another year has come to a close. Another prosaic
synopsis of events? I don’t think so!
If I would write a book – and you had time to read it
– we could all enjoy the wonderful experiences that
‘Host Parenting’ has brought me…having travelled
to all but one continent, lived in several of them, has
not ‘groomed’ me for being a ‘parent’ to those
young people who have come here from all over the
world. My involvement in this wonderful program
has been 8 years. Perhaps 40 or 50 students – or
more?
Oh yes, I have been a foreign student myself, having
arrived here from Germany at age 17 to study at a
New England University…50 years ago. Alone and
homesick. But this is not about me. I have had the
most wonderful early memories in our United States
back in the 60’s…yet, the students of today have
arrived with the age of technology.
Most left their countries in search of advancing in
their studies. Traveling. Adventure. Most do not
know what they will find in America. The media,
through the internet, TV, movies and books, has
painted a picture. Is it what these young people
expected?
They told me that their first impression was, that –
Americans are such a kind, charitable, wonderful
people…the students made friends at UNCW right
away.
UNCW
Office of International Programs
International Student &
Scholar Services (ISSS)
http://www.uncw.edu/international
910-962-3685
I am addressing this note to my own former students
– ‘my children’ during this detour in their lives…’
and to share with other host parents. There is simply
no direct way to express my pleasure to be able to be
part of the host program. The lives of those young
people have taught me as much as I have shared with
them.
The arrivals at the airport are exciting. What do they
look like? Are they happy to be here? Right then,
they are hungry, happy to receive a bottle of water
and ever so tired. Some have come from Australia
and had never been on a plane before…exhausted or
even confused after almost two days travel. A few
have visited here on several occasions with family
and friends and spent time at Disney World,
shopping in New York and now they are alone. Now
all of them are alone – their countries a distant spec
on the globe. Our language is often overwhelming.
Regardless of the English they knew from schools
back home. This is not it! ‘We talk ‘different’…’ and
after catching up on a good night’s sleep – the new
arrivals appear to have been here all semester…they
are still alone - but not lonely.
The time has now come to leave – exciting to return
– they are also apprehensive to say ‘good bye’ to
their temporary home and the many friendships.
WELCOME
Chancellor
Miller!
UNCW proudly celebrated
the installation of its
fourth chancellor,
Gary L. Miller,
on April 20, 2012.
We look forward to his
vision and leadership as
UNCW strives to create an
educational environment that
prepares our students to be
global citizens.
The comments, from new students of a year ago…’
your country is so big! I think we’ll take the bus to
Washington DC for the weekend – because it’s only
a couple of inches on the map…’ Or – ‘…where do
I get a map for the train and bus stations?’
All those comments have faded…and in just a
couple of months, I hope to be at the airport again
with my ‘hello packet’…saying – welcome to
America and UNCW…
Heidi Apel
This was the first year my husband, daughter, and I participated in the Host Family Program and because the
experience was so enriching we cannot wait to host again. We were paired with two students and then
“adopted” two more students who we met early in the semester. All four students had a unique gift they gave
to our family. We learned so much about them as people, their countries and their cultures. We had the
pleasure to interact with all four of them as a group, and also had time with each student individually. They
were so sweet to our five year old girl, and she has learned so much from them. We had an Easter egg hunt
with the students and our daughter, and it sure did bring the child out in all of them! Two of the students told
us they did not have plastic Easter eggs in their country so our custom was new to them. We were able to
share meals with the students, who were not familiar with some of our American foods. And likewise, a
couple of them cooked for us. Our family also welcomed one of our student’s parents to our home for dinner.
They were so much fun, and we had an unforgettable night of food and music. We learned so much from the
hosting experience, but the greatest lesson has to be that despite our cultural differences, we are all the same
in the end. No matter what country you come from, our families are all basically the same: we want our
children to grow, learn, and become a functioning member of our societies. Our family is so looking forward
to the next semester of international students, and the years of students to come. Thank you for this wonderful
program!
Dale, Deanna and Emily Beter