To this day, the aroma from a cup of instant ginseng tea with a smidge of honey makes me think of my very first teacher in international education, my freshman-year roommate, In.

The first semester of college I lived in “a triple,” a dorm room with three occupants. One of my roommates was a senior, the other a freshman like me. The senior was an international student from Korea and the freshman was a domestic student whose family lived about 30 miles east of campus. The senior’s name was In. The freshman’s name was Lin. A difference of one letter but worlds apart in their experiences and perspectives.

Me? I was 225 miles from home, but I felt halfway around the world. Everything was so different on Long Island, New York, from the small farming community in Maryland where I grew up. I remember feeling nervous but mostly excited to spread my wings. I didn’t realize at the time how much of that growth would come from experiences with students far braver than me.

Students, like In, who actually did travel halfway around the world to attend college and learn in a language that was not their first language. Students who made a commitment not to see their family for four years because it was too costly to travel home for school breaks. Students who couldn’t find familiar foods in grocery stores or restaurants, or couldn’t find places of worship. Students who felt compelled to use an “American” name because many people couldn’t pronounce the names their parents gave them. Students who encountered daily bias, prejudice and discrimination from peers, educators and community members. Brilliant students with the grit and determination to thrive in spite of all that and more.

International education, in its many forms, is a powerful experience for all privileged enough to partake, here or abroad. There is much to be learned when placed in unfamiliar environments. Cultural competence that comes with truly understanding and appreciating the perspectives and experiences of others. New tastes developed for food, clothing, language, art, music, sports, dance, humor and more. Respect for rites of passage and rituals that vary around the globe yet mark similar significant transitions throughout life. An ability to set preconceptions aside and meet people where they are, regardless of how similar or different they are from oneself. Cultivating and maintaining global networks that span personal and professional spheres. The acquisition of knowledge, skills and understanding that last a lifetime.

International education at Weber State University is thriving. WSU is celebrating the largest enrollment of international students in the history of our university. We are welcoming almost 400 new international students this fall 2024 semester, increasing our total number of international students to 869, over half of which hail from Nepal. I’m excited for the newest members of our community to experience all that WSU, Ogden and Utah have to offer. And I’m eager for our community of domestic students, faculty and staff to experience all the gifts our newest international WSU students bring to our campus culture.

The vast majority of international students at WSU are enrolling for multiple years to earn a degree. However, WSU also maintains 24 bilateral exchange agreements with international institutions to encourage student exchanges that last for just a semester or two. Last year, 37 students came to WSU, mostly from Japan, and in exchange 41 WSU students studied mostly in Japan and Germany. The exchange program has seen a 36% increase in participation of WSU students heading overseas for a semester. This is an exciting uptick we want to continue.

Multiweek faculty-led study abroad experiences provide another opportunity for international education. This past spring and summer, 276 WSU students participated in 24 faculty-led study abroad programs visiting 28 countries on five continents. This is a 5% increase over participation last year. A total of 41 faculty in 27 WSU departments facilitated these experiences abroad, studying everything from art in Italy to Nordic educational systems to harm reduction in Switzerland. Without fail, participants report each year that these experiences are transformational for them personally, academically and professionally.

Although I didn’t have the opportunity to study abroad or participate in an exchange program when I was in college, I benefited from the opportunity to learn from my international peers, faculty and staff. I’m indebted to all who so graciously invested in my international education, and I’m humbled to pay it forward to our Weber State students, international and domestic.

When I got sick, my roommate, In, nurtured me with cups of instant ginseng tea she brought with her from Korea. She told me it would give me strength. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate the true strength she gave me.

Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski is a sociologist and vice provost for High Impact Educational Experiences, Faculty Excellence, International and Graduate Programs at Weber State University.