Saint Xavier University is looking to expand the numbers of students by bringing international students to the campus.
Provost Dr. Paul DeVito explained that, “This is an important and exciting time for Saint Xavier University. By bringing in international students we are achieving one of the goals of vision 2017 and providing for our students an opportunity to engage in an environment that is complimentary to the world that they will graduate into.”
Today we live in a global world where we have to interact with many people from many different cultures and countries.
Internationalizing a campus allows students to experience a campus environment that is more similar to the world that they will be living and working in.
While Saint Xavier is a traditional catholic institute the campus is very diverse. Dr. DeVito stated that what is missing from the student population is international students, which is why they were included in Vision 2017.
One of the reasons that Dr. DeVito was hired this past year was his previous experience of bringing international students to a college campus.
Dr. DeVito outlined several positive elements for bringing international students to Saint Xavier. International students would present another possible groups of students outside of Illinois while increasing the number of both undergraduate and graduate students here at Saint Xavier.
This will allow Saint Xavier to become more competitive with rival institutions, which is important considering that there are over one hundred institutions of higher education in Illinois.
By entering the international arena Saint Xavier will be dealing with large populations that want to study in the United States, and Saint Xavier will gain some prestige by putting the school and knowledge about the location out there.
When asked whether one of the positives for bringing international students to Saint Xavier had to do with finances, Dr. DeVito stated that while there would be some financial gains that is not the focus of this initiative.
At the moment, Saint Xavier is looking to bring international students from China to the campus. Dr. DeVito already has contacts in Nanjing, China and Dr. Eileen Quinn Knight approached him with her contacts from the Saint Therese China School in Chicago. They both worked together with the Principal of Saint Therese and were able to put together information for contacts in Beijing.
Saint Xavier does not plan to limit itself to China. Many faculty members have contacts and affiliations in other countries.
Some of the countries that Dr. DeVito explained that Saint Xavier hopes to expand to include India, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Chile, and Brazil.
However, as Saint Xavier begins its international student initiative they will focus solely on China. Dr. DeVito cannot see any real negative effects occurring from bringing international students to Saint Xavier.
He does believe that Saint Xavier need to be prepared for bringing international students here. This means that students, faculty, and staff will need to gain an understanding of cultural differences.
Saint Xavier will ensure both faculty and staff are aware of cultural and language differences by conducting training this spring and summer.
The tuition of these international students will be the same that all traditional Saint Xavier students pay. The only difference is that the international students will be living in dorms on campus, and there will be a slight increase in what they are charged because they will be staying on campus during breaks that domestic campus residents would go home during.
According to Dr. DeVito there is no need for domestic Saint Xavier students to worry that international students will have an effect on their financial aid. International students are not eligible for FAFSA.
However, international graduate students are eligible to apply for fellowships, which is a competition among all graduate students who apply and is paid for by Saint Xavier.
It is Dr. DeVito’s hope that internationalizing the Saint Xavier campus will create opportunities for Saint Xavier’s domestic students to study abroad. Dr. DeVito stated that they are working with a faculty advisory board for the Center for International Education on creating exchange programs and study abroad opportunities, including short term summer programs, through Saint Xavier.
“The fall of 2014 is when we plan to see our first international students arriving on campus, primarily from China. In subsequent academic years, in addition to students from China, it is our hope to bring in students from some of the other nations that I have previously mentioned, such as India, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Chile, and Brazil,” stated Dr. DeVito.
Before Saint Xavier can expand to other countries they must implement the first goal this fall a group of international students from China.
At the end of March/beginning of April, Dr. DeVito will be visiting both Nanjing and Beijing to speak with the different contacts and institutions in both areas.
Catlyn Hicks
Senior News Editor