The Swinging Bridge

Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Erin Schubert International student, Awma Rinchhuanawma

When Wathira Mbage decided to attend Messiah, she knew the number of international students was low, but says it was comforting to know there were at least a few people "just as foreign to American culture" as her.

"It would be nice to have more Africans," says the sophomore journalism major from Kenya. "Not necessarily Kenyans, just more people I can identify with."

The total number of international college students enrolled in the United States has increased for the first time this year since 2001 according to the 2007 Open Doors study, an annual review of international education exchange. But Messiah has not followed this trend and instead, international student enrollment has actually decreased to the lowest number in the last six years.

According to Messiah's 2007-2008 Fact Book, an annual compilation of institutional characteristics, the campus context, and trends, out of 2837 Messiah students, 2.1% are international students.

International statistics are not the only numbers falling short in the effort to achieve a diverse student body. The percentage of students from under-represented racial/ethnic and cultural populations is at a five-year low: 6.5% of the student body. *See graph below

Part of the problem resides in the fact that the college is not investing the proper resources and funding into addressing issues of multiculturalism and diversity.

Dr. Lawrence Burnley, the Associate Dean of Multicultural Programs and Special Assistant to the Provost for Diversity Affairs, explains that when comparing Messiah to other Christian schools, our resources and funding in recruiting and retaining international students may appear to be exemplary.

"However," he says, "If we benchmark ourselves against similarly-situated secular schools, we don't often compare."

And compare we should. "If we carry the name Messiah College," Burney says, "we ought to be doing twice as well as secular institutions" at presenting an all-encompassing student body.

Cindy Blount, the International Student Admissions Counselor and Domestic recruiter, agrees with Dr. Burnley. "We're in a crux and are turning a corner," Blount says in regards to the program, "with a little more commitment from the institution, we could see this college become a picture of heaven" in its diversity.

Continued...

Page 1 of 3 next >

Article Tools