The following is a portion of a guest column written by UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch. It was published in a December 9, 2012 edition of the State Journal-Register.
"Many members of the Springfield community came to the University of Illinois Springfield campus recently to enjoy the annual International Festival, an evening of performances, exhibits and cuisine that celebrates the cultural diversity of our campus.
International students, who this year come to UIS from 38 different countries, are the heart of this celebration.They reflect a strong increase in international student enrollment across the United States, a trend that signals the continued conviction on the part of international students and their parents that a U.S. degree is an important investment in their future. But what do international enrollments actually contribute to our campus?
I spent some time with three exceptional international students this past week, and their stories provide part of the multi-dimensional answer to that question. Archana, Yiman and Zehra are among 242 international students at UIS and among the approximately 36,000 students who made Illinois their destination for college this year, ranking Illinois fifth in the country for hosting international students (according to the Institute for International Education’s just released annual Open Doors Report)."
Read the full column online
