February 4, 2010 - 5:53am
“What a relief. What an achievement!”
Those were Yugo Charong’s thoughts as he walked across the stage at the Port Theatre recently to receive his Bachelor of Business Administration degree (BBA) from Vancouver Island University.
Charong graduated with a concentration in International Business. His proud parents flew to Nanaimo from Jakarta, Indonesia to help celebrate his success.
“It feels like a life time ago that I arrived in Nanaimo to begin my studies,” said Charong, one of 48 international education students in this year’s graduating class.
“At the beginning, I suffered culture shock. Everything was different, the people, the food, the way of life. Canadians are friendlier and have more freedom than people in my country. In time, I grew to like that.”
VIU’s International Education department sponsors several programs to assist students and ease their transition into Canadian and campus life.
“Students have many options to choose from including the Peer Helper program, Cultural Connections program, new student orientations and choices from a wide range of campus and community activities,” said Tami Mullaly, receptionist for International Education.
“When students first arrive, we encourage them to get involved and meet other Canadian and international students as quickly as possible to lessen the impact of culture shock or homesickness. Usually we’re the first people the students meet outside of the airport so they connect with us very quickly. They often think of us as family away from home.”
Charong volunteered with the Peer Helper program to gain leadership skills and meet new friends. “I have connected with students from all over the world including Taiwan, Japan, Canada and Korea,” he said.
"The first few weeks is a crucial stage for new students who arrive with little or no knowledge with regards to Canadian culture, rules, and lifestyles, Charong added. “As a peer helper, I guided students around campus, and showed them where to get their textbooks, where the cafeteria is, how to print their class schedule and how to log on to VIU computers. Even a little bit of support makes a big difference.”
Charong is proud of his new degree and feels optimistic about his future. He applied for a post-graduate visa to remain in Canada and hopes to work for a company with international ties. “Through the BBA program I developed a good sense of what makes a business stumble or succeed,” he said. “It’s a great program. Now I’d love to put my knowledge and skills to practical use.”
“Yugo has been a great student to have in our BBA program,” said Mike Mann, Dean of the Faculty of Management. “He’s got some good ideas about marketing VIU in Indonesia and developing a Jakarta based alumni association.”
Charong’s sister graduated from VIU’s Culinary Arts program while his brother completed English-as-a-second-language classes. Both are now working in Jakarta.
“VIU is part of a global community,” said President Ralph Nilson. “International students provide a culturally rich learning environment which contributes to the development of well-rounded citizens. They make significant contributions to the economy while studying and living here, or bringing their extended families here to visit.
“Some of our highly skilled grads return to their homelands to improve the quality of life there, while others remain in Canada and use their education to strengthen our knowledge base. VIU graduates add value to communities around the world.”
“Our estimate is that international students contribute $25-30 million per annum to the local economy in tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses,” said Graham Pike, Dean of International Education. “In addition, and perhaps just as important, is the contribution they make in social and cultural terms, through their interactions with homestay families, with various community organizations, and with their Canadian peers.”
VIU enrolls approximately 1,200 International students from more than 50 countries. For more information, visit http://www.viu.ca/international/index.asp.
For information on activities visit the main campus events page at http://www.viu.ca/events/ or http://www.viu.ca/international/studentactivity.asp.
Tags: In the Community
