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The week before the fall semester officially starts, the international programs and services
department is in full swing welcoming all the international students to Pittsburg State.
The International Student Orientation week is designed to help the international students
adjust to life at PSU and for the director of the program; this first week of preparations
is a great way to help the student’s with whatever questions or needs they may have.
Chuck Olcese-“We feel if we can take care of some of their basic needs like where are
they going to live? How are they going to find food? Do they have furniture for their
apartment or dorm room? Those kinds of things, if we can take care of that this week then
when school starts next week they’re in a little bit better position to start in with
all that.” As is the case every year, it’s the returning international students who actually
play a huge role in helping the new students get acquainted with the university and Pittsburg.
For the returning students, they know all too well how the transition feels into a different
society. Menna Garedew-“It was a little crazy because it’s completely different
from where I’m from and I found it great that the International Office was here to
help me figure everything out. Had students, individuals that helped me.” Maria Salvivar-“But
the good thing is that you meet a lot of people like, I’m so excited to work here cause
I meet all these different students from different countries.” Olcese-“The returning students
are really essential for the program to work because they really have done this and they
know exactly how the students are feeling. They know what questions they have and they
have some of the answers.” For all the international students who might feel at times a bit homesick,
the International programs and services department hopes they’ll keep in mind the magnitude
of what they’re going to achieve. Olcese-“What they are planning to do may be the most important
thing that they will do in their life and that we are here to make sure that that’s
successful.” Menna-“I think what they need to expect is to expect the unexpected.
It’s going to be great.”