August 14, 2006

by Cheu Mita, UWA Alumni- Malawi, Africa
 

LIVINGSTON, Ala.— August saw the birth of a new association whose aim is to foster the smooth transition of international students attending The University of West Alabama into the Livingston society. The Friends of International Students Association, the first of its kind formed in Livingston, will aid the international student advisor in carrying out duties to assist the students.

A group including UWA professors, alumni, former faculty members and well wishers from the public decided to form the association after realizing the amount of work needed to help make the international students as comfortable as possible while away from home. The group will hold a reception Monday, September 11 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Webb Hall Parlor, allowing the university family and the Livingston community the chance to meet international students and faculty.

The past four years have seen the numbers of international students at UWA grow from single digit to double digit numbers. The University’s new tennis team has been a great addition to the UWA family because many of the new international students have been lured to Livingston through the team.

UWA currently boasts 24 international students representing 13 countries all over the globe. The countries represented include Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, India, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Ukraine and Venezuela.

During the 2006 spring semester, UWA had students representing 17 countries, but most of them have graduated and moved on. However, three former UWA international students, Ighel Vegue, Taiwo Togun and Cheulekene Mita, have been employed by the university in various capacities.

Among the items discussed at the meeting were general hospitality and friendship, student transportation needs to and from the airports in Birmingham and Meridian, the need for an international student house which might be used as a center for language exchange and the support of international students efforts in all areas.

Most of the international students on the UWA campus are members of the International Students Association, which works towards promoting academic, cultural and social aspects of the world’s nations and builds an international understanding on the UWA campus. The Association also includes American students who are interested in becoming part of such a diverse group.

The International Students Association has in the past year actively participated in activities to mark International Education Week in November, the first of its kind at UWA. The students created displays and educated the public on information from all 17 countries that were represented on the UWA campus. Other activities included participation in the faculty colloquium in April and an international food tasting event for the UWA faculty and staff. Planned activities for the upcoming school year include, but are not limited to, activities for International Education Week (Nov. 13-17) and talking to local schools about education and culture from the various countries represented on campus.

To learn more about the Friends of International Students Association or to join the group, please contact Ms. Cheu Mita at 652-3665 or mitac2@uwa.edu.