U of A Chancellor Joe Steinmetz welcomed international sponsored students to campus recently at a virtual reception on Zoom. More than 200 sponsored students are enrolled as part of the 1,211 international students attending the U of A, either in our community or from their home country via "remote delivery."

Gloria Flores Passmore, director of sponsored student programs, said, "Through collaborative efforts, we have built relationships with sponsoring organizations all over the world that have helped us enroll students that contribute to the diversity of representation of more than 100 countries on our campus." The partnership with interdisciplinary programs such as Cell and Molecular Biology, Environmental Dynamics, and Materials Science and Engineering have proven effective in drawing students. Passmore said years of recruiting and building relationships by traveling to embassies and government ministries have resulted in a rich worldwide student and alumni base.

Sixty of the sponsored students are studying at the university on Fulbright Scholarships, noted by Steinmetz as one of the most prestigious international exchange programs for students and scholars.

Steinmetz told the new and returning students that their presence reflects the university's vision of enhancing diversity in the campus community. Steinmetz also informed the students that the university is a recent signatory of Presidents Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, an advocacy group of higher education leaders who support Dreamers and international scholars. 

Following the Chancellor's remarks, he led the group in calling the Hogs - the first time for a handful of these students. Later the students broke out into small groups led by cross-cultural mentors and the staff of Sponsored Students and Special Programs in order to have a personal introduction to one another. About 25 remained to close the meeting by playing "Kahoot" - an online (international flag and Arkansas facts) trivia game.  

"It's wonderful to have unique cultures and personal perspectives as part of our campus life," said Curt Rom, associate dean of International Education. "The link these students have formed between their homeland and the United States emphasizes the importance of unity among countries worldwide."