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SLU welcomes to Canton 54 international students in Class of 2020

Posted 8/29/16

CANTON -- St. Lawrence University has welcomed 54 international students to the Class of 2020, a diverse group of students who bring a variety of ethnicities, languages, religions and cultures to St. …

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SLU welcomes to Canton 54 international students in Class of 2020

Posted

CANTON -- St. Lawrence University has welcomed 54 international students to the Class of 2020, a diverse group of students who bring a variety of ethnicities, languages, religions and cultures to St. Lawrence County.

David Liu of Jilin province in northeast China applied to 20 universities, most of which were large research institutions. St. Lawrence, meanwhile, was the only liberal arts college on his list.

“I heard about St. Lawrence from a friend I went to high school with who also goes here,” he said. “I did some research, and there was a lot that interested me about its location.”

David comes from a long line of doctors, so schools with high rankings were of most interest to his family. But, he was looking for a different experience.

“I really like the diversity of St. Lawrence and the vibe of a smaller school where you get to know your professors,” he said. “There are less Chinese students here, and that’s important because I want to fit in with this society and not just be friends with students from China.”

The new international student class represents 25 countries around the world, including 13 students from China, 11 from Canada, four from India, and two from Egypt, Germany and Pakistan.

Meca-Gaye Francis of Jamaica learned about St. Lawrence while she was researching colleges in the United States.

“College is going to be a big adjustment for me,” she said. “I think St. Lawrence is a good place to study where there aren’t a lot of distractions like there are in big cities that would take me away from my work.”

International students at St. Lawrence are involved in a wide variety of campus activities, including student government, clubs and organizations. Students have the ability to reside in I-House, the international student floor in Sykes Residence Hall, and can get involved in the many campus organizations that celebrate cultural diversity, including the Africa Student Union, Islamic Culture Club and the Asian Students Intercultural Organization, among others.

St. Lawrence also offers the Host Family Connections Program, which helps connect international students to interested members of the community who will support the students’ experience and who will appreciate the opportunity for cultural exchange.

Kelly Renata Mullally of Ireland and Mougheis Umar of Pakitan both attended United World Colleges (UWC) – Kelly in Hong Kong and Mougheis in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Both were attracted to St. Lawrence because of its history of enrolling UWC students.

“There’s a community among UWC students that is very strong,” Mougheis said. “It’s very common for us to stay up late having conversations over tea or coffee that can start with a philosophical discussion about religion and move straight into sports. But, I also feel that St. Lawrence will be a place where I’m going to discover more about myself.”

For more information about international students at St. Lawrence, visit www.stlawu.edu/international-student-services.