More than 20 new international students have arrived on campus at the University of
Arkansas - Fort Smith this semester hailing from the Ivory Coast, Chile, China, Japan,
Vietnam, Hungary, France, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Ena Isomura, an exchange student from Gifu University in Japan, said she was thrilled
to be in the United States, where she can learn about new cultures and experience
new things. ¡°I¡¯m excited to volunteer, to explore internships, to make new connections
here,¡± she said.
In addition to the new students who arrived this week, the university is hosting more than two dozen returning international students. "Having international students on the AV¶¶Òõ campus improves the campus in a range of different ways while providing the students the opportunity to learn at an exceptional American university,¡± said Nicolas Pattillo, director of international relations at AV¶¶Òõ.
¡°Everyone in Fort Smith has been so nice,¡± Isomura said with a smile. ¡°And it¡¯s so beautiful here.¡±
Fostering the inclusion of diverse student populations prepares all students to succeed in the deeply interconnected global business market, supporting their future success no matter where they choose to apply their education, Patillo explained.
¡°Welcoming students from around the world to our campus creates greater and more comprehensive learning and social environments. It helps the domestic student population become more proficient in communicating and working with people from different backgrounds and cultures.¡±
International students who are interested in studying at AV¶¶Òõ can find more information about the international program at
A flyer about studying at AV¶¶Òõ is also available in , , and .