This time of the year marks another bittersweet moment, as West Virginia University will congratulate and bid farewell to its latest class of graduating international students.
The students will be recognized as honorary citizens of Morgantown on May 16 at the International Students Graduation Reception at 4 p.m. at the Erickson Alumni Center. WVU President Jim Clements will address the graduates and president and CEO of the WVU Alumni Association Steve Douglas will welcome graduates as future WVU alumni.
“For the past several years these students have enriched the WVU campus and the Morgantown community with the richness of their diverse cultures and backgrounds,” said Assistant Director of the Office of International Students and Scholars Grace Atebe.
More than 250 international students are graduating this month, and the class of 2013 consists of 190 graduate students, five professionals and 64 undergraduates. The majority of these students are from India, China and Saudi Arabia.
The Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources will be graduating the largest number of international students. Some of the other departments with graduating international students include the College of Business and Economics and the department of World Languages, Literatures & Linguistics.
“The global footprint of West Virginia University continues to grow. It’s exciting to welcome our newest international graduates to the WVU alumni family. We hope they will proudly carry the Flying WV by recruiting future students, bringing alumni together for special events and serving as advocates for their alma mater,” Douglas said.
Embracing diversity, and incorporating internationalization and globalization into WVU’s vision, mission and goals is an integral part of the WVU 2020 Strategic Plan.
“We are extremely proud of all these brilliant and courageous young men and women who have travelled miles away from home, made Morgantown their second home, and risen to such excellence,” said Michael Wilhelm, director of the WVU Office of International Students and Scholars. “We wish them nothing but the best as they start a new chapter as Mountaineer alums.”
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ta/05/07/13
CONTACT: Grace Atebe, Office of International Students and Scholars
304-293-5937, Grace.Atebe@mail.wvu.edu
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