Ana Karen Gatica Toledo, a student from Mexico, is studying at West Virginia State University.
Education as an Export
JESSICA KENNEDY
West Virginia has a people problem. As one of the few states nationwide facing a decline in population, it has also experienced a relatively flat rate of young people enrolling in its school systems for several years. While this could spell trouble for the state’ s colleges and universities, which have traditionally relied on a steady infusion of recent high school graduates to fill classrooms each fall, higher education administrators are employing creative— and financially savvy— strategies to head off these problems by broadening their recruitment efforts.
“ It’ s not about crossing state lines,” says Dr. Clark Egnor, director of international programs at the West Virginia Higher
Education Policy Commission( WVHEPC).“ It’ s about crossing hemispheres.”
According to a recent report from NAFSA: Association of International Educators, West Virginia is taking that advice to heart. NAFSA data shows that more than 4,000 international students are currently studying at West Virginia’ s colleges and universities.
“ There’ s enormous opportunity in enrolling international students,” says Dr. Paul Hill, chancellor of the WVHEPC.“ These students add vibrancy to our university communities, and they offer diverse perspectives that foster an engaging learning environment.”
Campus Contributions
The cultural contributions of these students are often clearly visible on campus. Many schools coordinate international fairs or cultural exchange events. At Concord University, the International Students Club marches in the homecoming parade and sets up displays in the student center.
The exchange students’ presence also provides a less obvious but critically important benefit: a strong, positive economic impact.
The NAFSA report estimates that West Virginia’ s international student population contributed more than $ 115.4 million to the
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