International students adjust to MCC
Frank Berta
On any given day, there will be more than 1,800 international students on campus at Mesa Community College.These students come from more than 100 countries around the world.
Of these 1,800 students, approximately 230 are in the United States on student visas.
The International Education Office at MCC offers assistance to these students, helping them with problems associated with being in another country and another culture.
Ida Mansourian, director of the office, explains some of the assistance that the office provides to foreign students.
“We provide orientation to new students, offer advisement and provide workshops. We also have activities, such as the Global Leadership Retreat, where students attend a weekend camp for cross-cultural training,” Mansourian said.
Estelios Aretos, an international student from Culiacan, Mexico, has been attending MCC for the past two and a half years.
A construction management and architecture student, Aretos also works with the disability resources and services, assisting two MCC students with note taking and projects.
Aretos finds the services provided by the International Education Office very helpful.
“They have special advisors for international students. All of us international students use their services. They understand the issues we have as international students,” Aretos said.
“They are really helpful. There are a couple of advisors who give a lot of help and information that we don’t normally get from regular advisors. Also, we don’t have to spend that much time in line; we can make an appointment to see them. They have a lot of experience, and most of them speak more than one language,” he added.
Last year, Aretos was president of The International Student Association at MCC.
“We recruit international students and plan activities so we can do things together and interact with other international students. There are students from Asia, Europe, South America and many other different places,” Aretos said.
Aretos is planning to finish his studies at MCC, transfer to ASU to get his degree and after graduation, return to Mexico.
Two South Korean students, Sumin Palk and Youngu Lee, also find the services at the International Education Office to be beneficial.
Sumin, 25, who has also been at MCC for two and a half years, is working on his AA in Chemistry and plans to transfer to ASU next year.
Lee, 20, an elementary education major, came here two years ago. She plans to get her AA in elementary education, and then return to South Korea where she will attend a university.
“Most of the time they help. When I register for classes I get advice from the advisors. Sometimes they send information to students,” Lee said.
“They let us know about things like visa problems. It is very helpful,” said both Sumin and Lee.
