This semester, the university experienced a drastic increase growth in its cultural and ethnic diversity.

According to the university website, a total of 215 international students – hailing from China, Mongolia and Saudi Arabia, to name a few – are currently enrolled for the fall semester. Of the students, 130 representing 34 different countries are attending UW-Eau Claire for the first time.

Jodi Simek, an International Student Advisor at the Center for International Education said the CIE has been working hard to improve its recruitment methods, partly due to a challenge by Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich to double the university’s international population by 2014.

One of their techniques, she said, has been the dual degree program, which allows foreign students to complete two degrees – one at their home university, and one at Eau Claire.

“(The program) allows international students to get education and experience both at home and away,” said Shu Cheng, the Chinese Program Coordinator of the CIE. “It’s appealing and helps them become more marketable – a U.S. degree is very desirable in other parts of the world.”

Simek said other attributions to the increase include students coming in on grants and the university’s use of social media for promotion.

Karl Markgraf, director of the CIE, is currently in China attending recruitment fairs and visiting education agencies to promote the school, Simek said.

“The increase is great for so many reasons,” Cheng said. “Besides an increase in diversity, (the students) are also greatly contributing to the economy of both the city and university.”

Valentina Rangel, a junior marketing major from Caracas, Venezuela, said her experience thus far as an international student has been enjoyable.

“I like it here a lot,” she said. “It’s not easy to leave your country and leave so many things behind … Americans are very different compared to Latin people.”

Despite having initial difficulty with adjustment, Rangel said she’ll graduate feeling comfortable with both the English language and American culture.

“I won’t be intimidated anymore,” she said. “I want to eventually make my life here (in America).”

As of now, Cheng said the CIE plans to continue its recruitment efforts, using this semester’s success as motivation.

When asked if meeting Chancellor Levin-Stankevich’s challenge was possible, Cheng only smiled.

“We certainly hope so,” she said with excitement. “We’re definitely going in the right direction.”