Being a freshman in college can present many new challenges and obstacles.
But imagine being a freshman in an entirely different country.
According to Amanda Goforth, director of the Center for Global Engagement at Campbellsville University, approximately 300 international students from 60 different countries are enrolled at CU’s main campus.
“Some international students face cultural shock from all the differences,” she said.
Goforth said the center provides many services to students, such as weekly Walmart shuttles and airport shuttles at the beginning and end of each semester. The center also helps international students maintain their immigration process by making sure they are going to classes, so they remain eligible.
Many students across campus can go home during holidays or on weekends. But that isn’t always an option for students who are seven to 35 hours away from home. Goforth said, each year, the center partners with a local church to provide students with a Thanksgiving meal. The center also plans outings to take students out to see Christmas lights. During spring break, the center opens its office for students to come and make breakfast and provide a hot meal once a day with the help of the community.
Goforth said she likes working with international students because she loves to learn more about people and where they are from. She talked about how she encourages students to be willing to build relationships with students, that aren’t just surface level, despite cultural and language differences.
“Even though our students come from other places they are still just people,” Goforth said.
International students can make appointments with Goforth, and if she can’t help them herself, she knows where to send them.
No matter who you are, being in a new place can be scary. Now add on top of that not fully understanding the language. And language is not the only barrier international students face. According to junior Paulo Alvarado, language was not one of his barriers. Instead, it was opening up to others. Alvarado is from Guatemala and didn’t start branching out to others until his sophomore year. His roommate played a big part in helping him find people and he started becoming involved on campus and being a part of a community.
Alvarado said during his freshman year, he wasn’t very involved because he wasn’t trying to reach others.
“It wasn’t because others didn’t reach out to me, it takes both ways to be a part of a bigger community,” he said.
Alvarado heard about Campbellsville when he attended a showcase soccer camp through a program called the “International Doorway.” There, he received a scholarship for Campbellsville and started the lengthy process of getting ready to go to college.
He said he loves the environment on campus and how passionate Christians are, which sparked a curiosity in him.
“I started being friends with the community my sophomore year,” he said. “The biggest thing that I noticed was the Christianity. I was a Catholic before. Now I’m a Christian.”
Alvarado explained how his initial perceptions of Americans were that they were generally colder, but he said he feels welcomed at Campbellsville.
CU’s sense of community is something so many people talk about, and it rings true for Priya Latchayya, a junior from Italy.
“As soon as I got here, I just fell in love with the campus,” she said.
Latchayya received a golf scholarship at CU, and she said her coaches have always been loving towards her. She said her freshman year roommate was a big help to her and showed her how to do different things across campus. Her professors and success coaches have also shown her a helping hand when needed.
“Everyone has been super nice to me at this school so that’s why I like it,” she said.
Aside from golf, Latchayya said God played a big part in coming to CU.
“God is the reason I came to Campbellsville University,” she said. “He has called me here.”
Latchayya is very involved on campus, and she said one of the things she loves about being in the U.S. is all the opportunities it gives you and how she feels like she belongs.
“The community feeling that you can find on campus, it’s not something you can find in every country,” she said.
Along with golf, Latchayya also works in the admissions office and gives tours to prospective students. Latchayya said being in America hasn’t been difficult, but rather challenging. Getting out of her comfort zone was what helped her learn to be in a new country. She encourages other international students to go and look for new things to do.
“There are so many things to do as long as you look for them,” she said. “Get the best out of being here.”
Latchayya said students who live in America can help international students by asking them how they are doing and checking in on them. She talked about how being away from home is hard and few people like to ask but it’s nice to know people care.
“At the end of the day, it’s a blessing to be in this place,” she said. “Of course, it’s hard you don’t have the same support from back home, but you have to take the best out of it and get out of your comfort zone.”
