Representatives from the U of A Graduate School and International Education traveled to Washington, D.C., recently to meet with key international education sponsors, embassies and cultural attachés as part of ongoing international student recruitment efforts.

Lindsey Aloia, associate dean of international education; Douglas Rhoads, director of the cell and molecular biology program; Adnan Alrubaye, associate director of graduate programs in the CEMB program; and Rebecca Carpenter de Cortina, director of sponsored students and special programs, traveled to D.C. to meet with sponsoring organizations and reinforce the university's commitment to supporting the success of international sponsored students.

"Meeting with cultural attachés at various embassies is a vital step in our international student recruitment efforts," Aloia said. "These visits allow us to connect meaningfully with embassy representatives and share the incredible opportunities available for international students at the University of Arkansas. International students enrich our campus community and strengthen our global reach in an increasingly interconnected world. We are deeply committed to welcoming new and supporting current international students as valued members of our university."

During the meetings, university representatives emphasized several selling points about the U of A, including its designation as one of the top research institutions in the country and its diverse student population, which includes international students from more than 100 countries.

"The main goal behind our delegation's visit was to foster stronger academic ties and build lasting relationships with our international partners," Alrubaye said. "The visit focused on enhancing collaboration between the University of Arkansas and our global partners to recruit international students. By engaging with cultural attachés, we sought to explore new opportunities for academic exchange programs, joint research initiatives and strategic partnerships to promote cross-cultural understanding."

Alrubaye and Rhoads also promoted the CEMB program, which is the largest doctoral program on campus and boasts a diverse international student population, with approximately 75 percent of enrollment comprised of international students representing 26 countries. The two presented to organizations about CEMB's longstanding track record in serving international students and sponsored students in particular.

"This diversity enriches our programs for cultural awareness and better prepares all our students for conducting world-class research," Rhoads said. "Meeting with embassy staff and cultural attachés is essential for our ability to compete for the best and brightest international applicants."

Additionally, GSIE educated organizations on the U of A's Sponsored Students and Special Programs Office and the dedicated support it provides to sponsored students, facilitating and supporting seamless and impactful educational experiences for students and scholars from around the world.

"When sponsoring agencies send students abroad, they want to know that there is a good support system for them, so the fact that we have an office dedicated for sponsored students is very important," Alrubaye said. "The SSSP Office has helped us build a reputation for taking excellent care of our sponsored students, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive academically and socially."

The visit was part of broader efforts by GSIE to strengthen partnerships with international organizations. GSIE visited numerous international sponsoring organizations in the fall and is currently arranging campus visits from agencies and delegations from countries including Iraq, the Bahamas and Qatar.

"We aim to welcome more international students from around the world and cultivate a global academic community," Alrubaye said. "These partnerships are instrumental in making that vision a reality."