New international students bring diverse perspectives, cultures to campus
Latest group of global student scholars from nearly 70 countries find their footing at SDSU during orientation for Fall classes
After earning a bachelor’s degree in her native Bangladesh, Munira Hasan began searching for a U.S. graduate psychology program that emphasized her interest in childhood development and youth mental health.
She found it at San Diego State University, arriving on campus for the first time last week, excited to begin her new academic journey.
“The program is really good. It is really selective, and my research interests match with my thesis adviser,” she said. “This was my first-choice school. I applied to a bunch of places, and I am very happy to get in. It feels so natural for me.”
Hasan joined roughly 550 new international students from nearly 70 countries last week for welcome orientation ahead of classes for the fall term. They include four-year degree seeking undergrads, degree-seeking graduate students, and study abroad exchange students, some of whom plan to attend SDSU for the full academic year.
The total number of international students enrolled for the fall term, including returning students, won’t be available for a few weeks. For the university, this cohort of global students enriches the cultural and intellectual diversity of the SDSU campus community, said Cristina Alfaro, Ph.D., Associate Vice President of International Affairs.
“We are committed to preparing graduates who are ready to thrive in a global context,” said Alfaro in his opening remarks. “SDSU’s focus is on bridging the gap from college to career because employers today are seeking individuals like you—leaders who possess a global perspective. That’s why we encourage many of our students to study abroad and engage in global learning experiences, as the demand for now in careers is that you have global perspectives.”
While international students attend SDSU for many reasons, the academic programs and the West Coast location often rank near the top.
Leny Dijoux, a French exchange student, is spending a year at SDSU studying political science. “I think it’s cool to be in California,” he said. “It’s right next to Mexico. You can take Spanish. There are a lot of cultural features. I love it.”
Camila Morales, a degree-seeking freshman from Costa Rica majoring in mechanical engineering, called SDSU “a very complete university with good programs and a good social vibe.
“I wanted to study in California,” she said, “but a lot of options weren’t that affordable for international students. I did my research on each CSU, and San Diego State was the best for the program, the location, tuition and fees.”
Victoria Carlyle, a degree-seeking freshman from Toronto, Canada, chose SDSU after researching schools in California with the best tourism management majors.
“They have a really good program for hospitality and such a beautiful campus,” she said.
Nanaka Ushiyama, an exchange student from Japan taking LGBTQ+/gender studies classes at SDSU, lived in the Midwest for a few years during middle school. Now she’s looking forward to exploring a different part of the U.S.
“I want to improve my English and make more friends here,” she said.
Hasan, the graduate student from Bangladesh, plans to join a lab that investigates emotion regulation and social psychology using neuroscience methods to better understand and improve childhood development.
“In my country, mental health in general is super overlooked, and childhood mental health is even more overlooked,” she said. “I want to do something that will help the current research picture where I can be a resource for children.”
