NewsRelease

ACADEMIC HOME BECOMES PERMANENT FOR UNCG INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

GREENSBORO — Indian native Dipti Agarwala came to Greensboro with one dream -- pursuing a degree from the Bryan School of Business and Economics at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After completing a four-year degree in information systems and operations management in just three years, the Calcutta native not only earned the diploma with a perfect grade point average, but also landed a job with a major Piedmont employer.
 

Agarwala looks forward to her new job with Lowe's Corp. and to her stay in the Piedmont.

Agarwala, 21, is part of a growing population of South Asians in Greensboro. The face of Guilford County is changing with not only Latino and Hispanics, but latest Census numbers reveal an increasing number of people from various countries who are calling the Piedmont home.

The international student population at UNCG has doubled in five years and continues to grow. In 2000-01, UNCG enrolled 224 degree-seeking foreign students and 93 international exchange students, totaling 317 international students. In addition, another 80 students are enrolled through a national program housed at UNCG, INTERLINK Language Center -- one of five national sites that provides ESL (English as a Second Language) training, cultural orientation, academic preparation and assistance with university placement -- bringing total international enrollment up to 397.

 “Many of the international students who come to UNCG to study and get advanced degrees often remain in the area,” says Martha Trigonis, UNCG director of international students and scholar services. “My nonscientific experience is that as many stay as go home, because of the job opportunities they are offered. And frankly, some find love, get married and remain here."

Trigonis said numbers reveal that at least 40-50 percent of the international student population, who seek undergraduate and graduate degrees from UNCG, major in business.

Agarwala's decision to come to UNCG was for both personal and professional reasons. She is part of a legacy of UNCG alumni, who received business degrees. Her older cousin, Raijeev Jain, came to UNCG in 1992 to earn his Master’s of Business Administration degree. Jain's wife, Archana, currently attends the university. And before the Jains, their cousin, Ravi Jain, paved the way by receiving a master's degree from the Bryan School and later earned a Ph.D. from UCLA.
Before Jain decided to attend UNCG, he researched potential colleges in the U.S., and learned that UNCG offered a good, solid program. It helped that Guilford County was an area where he could raise a family. The Jains have made Jamestown their home with their 2-year-old daughter, Anushri.

"I read that Greensboro was ranked the third best place in the U.S. to live," said Jain, who also had the option to attend Temple University, Harrisburg, PA. or the University of Texas, Austin. "And they were right."
Jain remains in Guilford County not only because of what it offers, but because like Agarwala, he landed a job here after graduation. Currently, he is principal consultant for Oracle Corporation.

"The biggest thing, coming here from India, is you don't get that cultural shock," Jain said. "Our family has gradually blended into the culture because of (Greensboro's) diversity and the size. When Dipti was admitted to Rutgers University, I asked her to apply to UNCG, because I knew the university and this city would provide a much richer experience."

In May, Agarwala received her diploma as her family looked on. Her parents and sister flew from Calcutta to celebrate her achievement of an early graduation that didn't require summer school. She took 20-22 hours each semester to complete the program in record time. Instead of school this fall, Agarwala will be employed as a MIS Programmer (trainee) for Lowe's Corporation in North Wilkesboro.

Despite the support of UNCG and her family, learning and conforming to the American culture was a task, Agarwala said. Last fall, she and two UNCG students, Jeena Soni and Girish Nandagopal formed an organization called MILAN, a program to help other Southeast Asian students adjust.

"Because of the increasing numbers of students from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan coming to the area, we wanted to start a support system," Agarwala said. "We invited students from N.C. A&T to come over and it grew from there. People come to this country and they don't know anyone or the system of finding things they need. We support them by helping them find apartments, transportation and just provide them with contact information they need to adapt. My family is here for me, but many don't have that. We wanted to ensure that others had the same comfort for adjustment. MILAN is also a nice way to make friends and help people."

In the past, MILAN, which means "to meet" in India, has connected people to potential roommates, provided names of people who opened their homes and even honored cultural traditions through festivals and celebrations. The group has over 50 people on its e-mail lists and about 20-25 people attend each meeting, Agarwala said.

For more information about MILAN, call UNCG International Programs at 334-5404 or e-mail Jeena Soni at Jeenasoni@hotmail.com.
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