Illinois Valley Times

The Western Illinois University Global Studies program welcomed more than 140 students from 21 different countries around the world Jan. 12 for the spring semester.

"We are absolutely thrilled that around 15% of the enrollment at WIU is International," said Associate Vice President of Global Studies Randy Glean.

Students travel from a wide range of countries, including, India, Ghana, Nigeria and Bangladesh, and attend in-person classes, notably in Decision Analytics, Computer Science, and Public Health programs.

The Center for Global Studies is committed to offering student services to international students, through cultural activities and educational learning experiences that support the growth, success and development of each and every student. The program looks to expand its outreach mostly through the Caribbean region and countries close to the United States in these efforts.

"We look forward to expanding our undergraduate program outreach, in hopes of expanding enrollment across the board," said Glean. "We are also committed to expanding the initiative that began on the Quad Cities campus in Fall 2022 with the new international cohort."

Throughout the semester, students will learn and prepare for life in the United States, including discovering the U.S. healthcare system and how it works. Additionally, students will understand how to establish a career post-graduation and what resources are available to them.

"In the end, our goal for these students is to complete their degrees and go on to have very productive and successful lives living in the U.S. or back in their home country," said Glean. "We stand committed to the expansion of this initiative."

WIU President Guiyou Huang applauds the international recruitment efforts led by Glean and colleagues in the graduate admissions office.

"International students bring cultural diversity to WIU and Macomb and enrich the lives of students, faculty and staff across campus and in the larger community," said Huang.

For more information on the Global Studies program, visit wiu.edu/global_studies.

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