Friday, February 10, 2006
USI reaches out to students in Middle East via virtual college fair
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Heidi Gregori-Gahan, director of International Programs and Services, attended the inaugural Live Video College Fair (LVCF) at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, on February 7. Indiana University, University of Evansville, University of Indianapolis, and Valparaiso University also participated in the fair, during which representatives from each institution presented a 40-minute interactive Web session to students from Kuwait, Palestine, Jordan, Morocco, and United Arab Emirates. Gregori-Gahan showed students a PowerPoint presentation featuring images of USI and the community, and a DVD emphasizing the University’s high-tech programs. The project was coordinated in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State and Destination Indiana, a consortium of Indiana colleges and universities working together to promote the state’s higher education system overseas. Gregori-Gahan said that many students who participated in the fair had questions about how they would be received in the United States. Post-9/11 security measures have increased perceived barriers to studying in the U.S. “There was concern about how welcome they are here,” she said. “Reaching out through this event was a good way to express that they are welcome on our campus. It was a good will gesture on our part.” Students also asked about scholarships and specific fields of study. “We don’t offer international scholarships, but I emphasized our relatively low cost,” she said. “I am in awe of this technology that allowed me to stand there at 6 a.m. Muncie time and talk, live, to students in Gaza. It’s such a cost-effective way for us to reach out.” On April 10, Gregori-Gahan will return to Ball State in order to participate in a virtual fair with students in India. |
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