Campus Events Extend Welcome to Students of All Nations

Published 11.28.2017

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In an act of welcoming, Pennsylvania College of Technology recently dedicated a display of international flags that represent the home countries of its students.

Hung in the Bush Campus Center, the flags will change as the student population changes. The initial display includes the flags of 10 nations: Austria, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Venezuela, Iran and South Korea. A total of 40 students from those nations are enrolled at the college in Fall 2017. International students have received education at the college since at least 1944.



Penn College students Nader M. Alotaibi, of Saudi Arabia; Yousef I. Asiri, of Saudi Arabia; Laurent P. Maehr, of Austria; and Majid A. Alamri, of Oman, gather in front of flags that are part of a permanent display in the college’s Bush Campus Center. The flag display, the makeup of which will change to reflect the student population, is designed to recognize the international students among the college’s scholars.“Penn College’s tradition of exchanging both technical knowledge and cultural wisdom is deeply rooted in our history,” college President Davie Jane Gilmour said during the dedication. “As we celebrate our coming together as a global community, I encourage all of us to be open. No matter your background, your beliefs or where you call home, be open to recognizing our common values. And be open to learning from one another.”

The dedication occurred during Welcoming Week, a national effort by colleges and universities to celebrate efforts to make their campuses welcoming places for international students and scholars. The week was an initiative of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, of which Penn College is a member.

As part of its celebration, Penn College invited groups across campus to participate in NAFSA’s nationwide #YouAreWelcomeHere social media campaign. Nearly 100 students and employees happily responded, lending their faces to photos and videos. These images culminated in a Facebook photo gallery that reached more than 5,600 viewers.

In addition, a Penn College #YouAreWelcomeHere video was retweeted by NAFSA and achieved more than 3,300 impressions on Twitter.

The college continues to welcome international students through its International Programs Office. The office helps students to manage the details of living and learning at Penn College. It also provides opportunities for Penn College students to study abroad.

To learn more, call 570-320-5257 or email the International Programs Office.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.