International Students: Goodwill Ambassadors to the U.S.

Internationalized campuses give both American students and international students the opportunity to interact while fostering a greater understanding of different cultures (Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)).

International students who study in the U.S. will tend to be influenced by the western ideas that they may learn while studying in the U.S. and will promoter such western ideas when they return to their home countries. It is a known fact that international alumni get to take a piece of American culture, heritage, and values back home upon completing their studies in the U.S. Strong relationships that international students have with their American friends will help create first-hand understanding and increased tolerance around the world. (Genzel, Simon, and Stevens – http://www.internationaleducationmatters.org/)

List of historically important figures include but not limited to Dr. Tansu Ciller, first woman Prime Minister of Turkey, graduated from two of the top U.S. Universities: University of Connecticut and Yale. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is a graduate of Macalester College and MIT who has helped shaped today’s world. Gloria Arroyo, President of Philippines and Abdullah Bin Al-Hussein, King of Jordan both studied in Georgetown University. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Winner from Kenya attended University of Pittsburgh.

The list of world leaders, politicians, artists with American education in their academic background who helped shape the world can easily grow to hundreds or even thousands. The quality education international students receive from the U.S. is not the only think that they take back home upon graduation: They continue to support and promote western ideas.

(Source: “Foreign Students Yesterday, World Leaders Today” by U.S. Department of State – http://exchanges.state.gov/education/educationusa/leaders.htm)

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International Education
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