At a time when the federal government is restricting entry to the U.S., some colleges are working to attract more international students.
Loras College in Dubuque is one of nearly 60 nationwide to offer a scholarship program called “You Are Welcome Here.” Loras senior vice president Mary Ellen Carroll says it’s a message of “hospitality” at a time when people overseas are hearing the opposite.
“We can’t control what the media in our country or in other countries is putting forward,” Carroll says. “I think a scholarship program like this is an opportunity for institutions to step forward and potentially counteract if there’s any negative messaging out there.”
Beginning in the fall of 2019, Loras will offer four, renewable “You Are Welcome Here” scholarships that will cover at least 50% of the annual cost to attend the college. That adds up to $42,000 at Loras for tuition, room and board, books and fees.
Carroll emphasizes there are benefits for the American students, too. “They learn cultural traditions,” she says. “They get to see the world through another person’s eyes sometimes without leaving their own country.”
Loras has about 1,500 students enrolled and 2% — between 30 and 40 — are international students. Many come from Brazil, Columbia, Japan and India. The application deadline for the scholarships is February lst.
(By Herb Trix, WVIK, Rock Island)