University Partnership With Pedal It Forward Provides International Students With Bicycles

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Student Syed Maksudur Rahman rides a bike given to him by the International Students and Scholars Office in partnership with Pedal It Forward.

In Northwest Arkansas, bicycles can be many things: a mode of transportation along the Razorback Greenway, a way to exercise on world-class mountain biking trails — and for international students like Richard Nyarko, they can be a "wonderful gift."

Nyarko is from Ghana, West Africa, and is pursuing a master's degree in Agricultural Economics at the U of A.  He is also one of the qualifying international students who received a refurbished bike, helmet and bike lock in the fall from the partnership between Pedal It Forward and the U of A. This partnership has given away nearly 70 bikes to international students this academic year.

"The bike giveaway has been a very influential gift in my life," Nyarko said. "I have also had great interest in bicycles since I was very young and have never doubted its benefit to me for the pleasure of riding it, the health benefits through exercise and the cheap form of transportation that it affords me. Now, I can easily move across campus while I go biking using the trails." 

Sara Parrott, assistant director of International Retention in International Students & Scholars, said, "Anyone without a car is at an incredible disadvantage when it comes to getting to classes, getting groceries or exploring the area. A bike is a cost-effective high-impact gift that really makes a difference in the experience of an international student in Northwest Arkansas." 

The partnership provided 27 bikes to international students in September, followed by another 11 in December and 30 in January. More may be potentially given away later this school year.

Pedal It Forward is a nonprofit organization that collects used bikes, fixes them and distributes them to minority and immigrant populations, low-income kids, adults and families, and at-risk youth in an attempt to increase the number of individuals in Northwest Arkansas with access to bikes for transportation, health or recreation. 

"Transportation is a recurring top issue for international students," Parrott said. "Since many international students don't own cars, they're limited to where and when they can travel throughout Fayetteville. One recent bike owner commented that now that he has a bike, his radius of accessibility opened up dramatically." 

For international student Prachi Bhutada, a graduate student from India, receiving a bike was what made her feel welcome to the United States. Before her arrival, she was not certain that she would be welcome in this country, but people are telling her she is welcome by giving her a bike.  

"I feel really cared for," Bhutada said. "I didn't know that it would actually feel like that. I've heard people say they're glad I am here, but in this way, someone is saying, 'Here, we want to make this easier for you.'"