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| SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT LIFE :: On-Campus International Experience | |
Francesca Martinez said her friendships with international students at UC Davis are as significant as having travelled abroad.
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Experience Abroad Right HereWith a little effort, you can have an international experience on campus, according to Wes Young, director of Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS). "If students take initiative, they can meet students and scholars from 100 countries," said Young. "Every region of the world is represented on campus." In fact, it surprises most people to learn that UC Davis has the fourth highest population of international scholars in the U.S. Only Harvard, Stanford and Berkeley have more. So how can students connect with international visitors? The Club International, sponsored by the International House, is one option, said Francesca Martinez, staff member with SISS. Martinez, a transfer student who graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's in psychology said, "Through Club International, I became friends with people from around the world. It was a life-changing experience." While Martinez ended up studying abroad in Italy for a quarter, she says her international connections at UC Davis were of equal significance. "The campus has a close-knit international community," said Martinez, "and students within that community value continuous friendships. So UC Davis undergraduates who want to become engaged with international students should realize they need to go beyond attending one event. Once you're friends with a few people, the whole community opens up to you." When she first became acquainted with international students, Martinez was thinking primarily about what she could gain from the cultural exchanges. However, she discovered that sharing her experiences and perspectives made for a dual learning experience. "My experience went beyond learning about each other's cultures, though," says Martinez. "I've remained friends with many international students I met as a student, and I've visited them in their home countries. We all keep in touch through Facebook and Yahoo! Groups." Resources
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