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International director appointed
By Nyssa Dahlberg
Currently, there are over 900 study abroad students from 85 different countries attending SCSU. To help manage these integrating students, Sarah Speir has been hired as the new director for international student and scholar services.
Speir, who is originally from southwest Virginia, has studied in North Carolina, receiving a Ph.D. in Educational Foundations with an emphasis on cultural studies. Speir will be assisting new and continuing international students once they attend SCSU.
"The faculty and I are here to provide any kind of assistance, primarily integration and any other advising or counseling needs," Speir said. "It could be academic, social or financial."
Speir said that students should come to her if they are having communication issues with teachers or problems with other students. Students may also need her assistance if there is a crisis at home.
"A lot of the struggle (is) with how to communicate with their families if there is a war," she said.
Other things that the international studies office deals with are basic changes with international students' academic programs. Also, if international students continue to live in the U.S. after they finish school, they provide the authorization for them to live and work here. They can also provide resources for international students to guide them where they need to go.
Speir will be overseeing the Academic and Cultural Sharing scholarship. The scholarship gives money to international students who give SCSU 45 hours of service work.
Wanting to improve the international studies program, Speir plans on expanding program opportunities and services to involve international students in the community and on campus.
Speir will also be working toward expanding the international studies program, hoping to create more interest in students to study abroad.
As a long-term goal, Speir would like to increase the integration of international students with the general public.
"International students are a fantastic educational resource here at SCSU," Speir said. "We would like more programs to increase awareness of our international students. These programs will provide more opportunities for interaction between international students and the mainstream population."
Speir also said she would like to see interaction between study abroad returnees and international students to increase studying overseas.
The International Studies program delayed filling this position due to budget problems.
Due to the large number of study abroad students in St. Cloud, the international studies program will be expanding. They are hiring a study abroad adviser, which is a newly created position.
"I'm very excited to be here and I'm still learning a lot about how it's done here. I encourage students to come by and meet me."
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