The annual international student mixer was moved to the Student Hill Center for this year's event. Photo by Spencer PortisSufia Alam - Contributorsufia@uab.edu
Many new international students are arriving and creating their first experiences in the United States as UAB students.
These students, who range from electrical engineering majors to American literature students, often face challenges, from adjusting to a new culture to starting over completely or making new friends. Rio Tamalei, a new student from Japan, said one of her biggest challenges was the difference in classroom style between her home and UAB.
However, UAB offers a number of resources to help international students. International Mentors is an organization on campus that exists to help new international students adjust to life as a UAB student and to life in the United States in general. Zeenat Islam, a healthcare management student and mentor, said International Mentors help students with anything from finding an apartment to showing them around campus.
Steven Craig, a lead mentor and foreign languages major, said that not only do international students benefit from IM, but the mentors do as well.
“IM motivates me to be more involved around campus and helps me break the stereotype of a traditional southern campus where everyone is kind of the same,” he said.
Maria Sohail, an international student from Pakistan currently pursuing a master's in public health, said her favorite part of UAB is the diversity evident on campus.
“I love meeting people from different parts of the world here every day,” Sohail said. “I would definitely not have this many diverse friends back in Pakistan.”
This experience can be extended to UAB students from the United States as well. Brooke Rosas, a student who is undeclared, said she thinks a lot of students come from small little towns where everyone is similar.
“UAB gives us the opportunity to make friends who are different than we are and expose ourselves to a different culture and environment,” she said.
“Our campus is basically a melting pot,” said Christina Legradi, a biology major. “And based on what is happening politically and socially around the world, I think the students who are not international will really get to learn about different cultures and religions in a non-biased way”.
Daniyal Khawaja, an electrical engineering student also originally from Pakistan, said that he was appreciative of the new students arriving from all over the world because it helps him connect with different people. He also said it helps him feel more connected to his culture when he is able to meet others from his country.
