Michigan State University, as well as officials in Meridian Township, are working together to make the transition easier for International Students when arriving on campus this fall.
It took me a little while to find an international student living on campus during the summer. I reached out to one of my previous professors at MSU and asked if she knew of anyone that would be willing to talk about their experiences on camera, about leaving home, traveling abroad and starting school at MSU.
The girl that I was put in contact with, is going to be a junior this fall. She was one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She told me all about her difficulty getting off the plane here in the U.S. and finding out a way to get to campus for orientation and then stay on campus before her scheduled move-in day. She told me how hard and expensive it was to get a cab from the airport to campus. She also wasn’t familiar with the area and wasn’t sure what to tell the man driving her.
I was really impressed with her bravery in talking with people on campus to figure out where she needed to be. She also had to find a place to stay during the time before move-in. In my story, she talks about how she needed to find a roommate to move in with and get permission from the school.
She was proud of herself for doing it on her own, but said she would have definitely accepted help if she had to do it all over again.
Beginning this fall, international students will get a cab or a bus to bring them from the airport to their campus destination. Both Meridian Township officials and representatives from DTN management are helping with the effort. They are also planning a shopping trip so students can get their new phones, set up a bank account, and buy basic necessities for living on campus.
