At Eureka College incorporating others is a baseline standard that everyone intends to follow. Eureka College has always incorporated international students on campus to give diversity and loads of opportunities to be represented. As more and more international students grace campus they can feel the love and acceptance of not only the students, but the Eureka College staff as well. Eureka College does a great job directing international students to their appropriate office for services, and if the college doesn’t provide that service the staff will make sure to find the resources necessary.
If one wants to see what most of Eureka College’s international students are doing, then they should go support the soccer team. Many of the new international students play soccer, maybe it puts in perspective that soccer really is the biggest sport worldwide, but among them is a familiar face. Dan Juliger, an international student on campus all the way from London is attending for his second year on the soccer team. He made many friends quickly on campus as he is a very prominent player for his team. Students must wonder what influences a person across the world to travel to Eureka.
“The thing that had a huge influence on my decision to study and play in the States, is that I was not going to go to college back home – there are no college sports in Europe. A lot of the time, especially for soccer, you must either go pro or just stop playing at around 16 and make a living elsewhere. Coming here allows me to get a degree for a reduced price due to scholarships, while still being able to play at a high sporting level. It is also a better and easier gateway to the professional world of sports,” Dan said.
Everyone has different reasons as to why they continue their academic and athletic careers, but for some it could mean so much more. Even senior soccer player Santiago Herrera, who hails from Ecuador and named SLIAC (St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) Defensive Player of the Week recently, has an interesting story to tell.
“What influenced me to play in America is the fact that I can play soccer at a decent level, go to college and have a part time job, something that would be impossible back in my country,” Herrera said.
Not only do international students bring different cultures and diversity to the campus, but they also bring different experiences, and those experiences help educate the ones around.
Obviously, someone must oversee international services since that is such a big task to take on. If anyone has been great at doing their job then it’s definitely Eureka College’s Principal Designated School Official for International Services, Mrs. Lizzie Rassi. She aids in the fight to bring diversity to campus, and her job holds many tasks.
“One of the biggest challenges is the ever-changing rules and regulations associated with International Student visas. Some stay the same, but there are always a few changes, and it’s important to keep up with those,” Rassi said.
There may be some hurdles when trying to be an international student on campus, but Rassi is always there to help. International students are helping the college more than they know.
“International students are important at Eureka College as they provide a different cultural perspective in classes and interactions with other students. International students also are a new market for admissions as we face enrollment challenges,” Rassi said.
The college provides many opportunities for the students that the students take advantage of by choosing Eureka College. So, for anyone looking to be an international student, remember that investing in Eureka College is investing oneself.
If someone is interested in becoming an international student they can visit and gather information from the Eureka’s International Student Services website. There they can find all the information they need in international student services. Please remember to be respectful of international students, as one can see cultural differences. Be accepting with open arms, just like the Eureka College campus.
