There are 162 foreign exchange students enrolled this fall, most of whom are from China, Japan, Korea and Germany, according to International Student Advisor Molly Fryman.
Fryman said the foreign exchange programs help students learn about each other.
(Courtesy: Facebook)
“I think it is a good program because we are bringing the world to Oxford, but we are also giving students the opportunity to see the world,” Fryman said.
To help students feel welcome, the study abroad office holds a luncheon every semester where they get a local Oxford restaurant to cater the event. This year, City Grocery catered at The Lyric. Additionally, students have the option to go on day trips to Memphis to see Graceland and Memphis Grizzly NBA basketball games, Fryman said.
With exchange programs, students do not pay tuition for the partnering university; they only pay their university’s tuition. As a result, universities make sure that each time a student is sent to another country, a student is also sent back in return for the process to be considered “exchange.”
This semester, the majority of the students reside in the new Residence Hall 2 and Residence Hall 3, but they also have the option to choose off-campus housing.
Ira-Sofia Graf, a foreign exchange student from Stuttgart, Germany, said she enjoys being a student at Ole Miss.
“I feel very welcomed because people like talking to students from abroad and they are mostly very interested. The professors are also very open-minded and helpful,” Graf said. “I even have people give me rides if I need to go to the grocery store on Sundays when the bus doesn’t run. Meeting people definitely isn’t hard here.”
To make foreign exchange students feel welcome, the study abroad office created the Global Ambassadors program, which holds several events throughout the year.
The program is designed to help students adapt to their new life in Oxford.
Kelly Slater, founder and director of International Student Alliance, said the program helps students by giving them a new friend on campus.
“It pairs international students with Ole Miss students to help them meet up, hang-out and connect,” Slater said. “That really gives them someone to just bond with here.”
Slater said in the near future, the International and American Student Alliance expects to bring in a Mr. and Miss International pageant to the university. Any international student will be able to compete, but it is not official yet.
Foreign exchange student from Korea, Kim Dongyoung, said having a global ambassador was helpful for his experience at Ole Miss.
“I am very grateful for everything he did to make me feel welcomed,” Dongyoung said.
Dongyoung said his student partner included him on trips and other extracurricular activities and taught him about Ole Miss history.
“I was worried about my American life,” Dongyoung said, “but it didn’t matter because many people were friendly with me and my global ambassador helped me so much.”
