by By Feven Endale
Jody Edick is an Adjunct Professor, Academic Coach, Researcher, and Club Adviser who works in the Academic Support Center. I interviewed her about her perspective on international students.
According to Edick, the college builds a strong sense of community among our campus members. International students can get involved in the campus community by participating in clubs, organizations and campus activities. She says international students are encouraged to utilize campus resources to help support their academic, social, and English language skills.
Edick says there are different challenges for different students, but for most of the international students the difficult part is being away from home. Therefore, the college provides many opportunities for students to make meaningful connections.
“What makes our campus welcoming is its small size. Because we are a small campus, our international students connect more with faculty and staff and are actively involved throughout our campus. We encourage all of our students to make the effort to work with faculty and staff on projects outside the classroom to develop skills that will be useful in their future educational goals and employment.”
Edick says that because of our supportive college community, students will remember Herkimer County Community College and the lasting friendships made with faculty, staff, and students. According to Edick, we are all learning from each other and that is the most rewarding outcome.
From Where I Sit is a recurring column featuring the voices and perspectives of international students attending Herkimer College.
