UNL welcomes international students

Posted By: Veronica Ortega

vortega@klkntv.com

Every year hundreds of international students attend the University of Nebraska. For many of them coming to a new country can be a little overwhelming.

Malika who first came to Nebraska as a freshman last year is now a sophomore and part of UNL’S new international welcome team.

"It’s really really I think important. It connects you to the University immediately and you feel welcome and better. So I feel it’s a really great program, " says Malika Kudaybergenova. 

The program meets international students at both the Lincoln and Omaha Airports. They provide transportation, orientation schedules, and information about Lincoln.

"We’re concerned about international students feeling welcome here because if they feel comfortable here right away then they are going to feel comfortable in their classes and we want them to be as successful as they possibly can," says UNL Student Enrollment Director Patrick McBride.

In just one night more than 75 students arrived from all around the world including Brazil, Malaysia, and China.

Malika says she wishes the welcome program had been available last year, but now through the welcome team she has the chance to give back. 

"You don’t know anything you’re coming blind and so getting to know the University is the most important thing. From my experience I had a really great orientation leader. She was so friendly and I’m still best friends with her. So I’m trying to do the same for new international students," says Malika.

International students have 3 days of orientation ahead of them before classes begin on Monday.