The University of Arkansas is hosting six international students from around the world this spring for leadership and professional development as part of the U.S. Department of State's Global Undergraduate Exchange Program.

The program, administered by World Learning and IREX in collaboration with the State Department, provides an opportunity for international undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds to experience American higher education and culture firsthand. Through this program, students engage in academic coursework, cultural activities, and professional development opportunities while developing leadership and community service skills.

The U of A has partnered with World Learning for the program since 2010, which has brought more than 65 students to campus.

"World Learning's partnership with the U of A has been invaluable," said Jordan Ferrick, program officer of the exchange program at World Learning. "The U of A has been able to provide resources and support that has helped cultivate students' nuanced understanding of the U.S. and its culture. These experiences include but are not limited to cultural immersion experiences, language learning opportunities, opportunities for students to engage in civic life and establish social networks with both the U of A and local communities through service projects, cultural events, and other activities that allow students to engage and establish connections with others around them."

Students from Georgia, Honduras, Myanmar, Ukraine and Uzbekistan have spent the semester at the U of A, with an additional student from Pakistan participating through a similar program:

• Maliha Afridi of Pakistan
• Anatolii Anatoliiovych Nezgoduk of Ukraine
• Diyorakhon Kambaralieva of Uzbekistan
• Oleksandra Ladychenko of Ukraine         
• Astrith Sanchez of Honduras
• Giorgi Tchabukiani of Georgia
• Lai Thu of Myanmar

"They have been enrolled in a variety of courses, studying everything from business, computer science to pre-medicine," said Namiko Bagirimvano, director of sponsored students and special programs. "Their unique perspectives and diverse backgrounds have enriched the classroom experience for both their peers and their professors."

The students also participated in community service projects both on and off campus, in addition to meeting Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan and discussing their experiences while at the U of A.

"We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to host these engaging change makers through the program," Bagirimvano said. "Their contributions to our community have been inspiring and we hope that they have gained valuable skills and experiences that will help them as they move forward with their academic and professional goals."

For Kambaralieva, what started with anxiety about studying in a new culture with foreign students has blossomed into finding a sense of community at the university.

"I realized that the U of A has a welcoming and inclusive environment that makes me feel I belong here," she said. "My professors provided great academic and social support to adapt to the new academic and cultural environment. One thing about my academic experience that I love is that class is a safe space to give my opinion, and others listen to it respectfully. 'Different' does not mean 'wrong' here."

Kambaralieva has also volunteered in service-learning activities — including International Culture Team events and volunteering at a food pantry — that she said has made her semester "more exciting and memorable."

"Through my volunteering, I developed a deeper understanding of the social issues affecting the local community and ways to solve them," she said. "Friends I have made in these experiences made it more rewarding, as I felt we all are united under the common goal: to make the world a better place to live in."

Tchabukiani also volunteered on campus and in the community and said he "loves the diversity the U.S. possesses."

"The experience of being a UGRAD student made me a better person in terms of how different people can be," he said. "It taught me that if you do not want to try something new, nothing will change, and you will be always waiting for someone else. I will come back to Georgia with more energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge which definitely will incentivize my community."

More information on the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program is available on the World Learning website.