By Juan Rodriguez

Reporter

  Since the fall term of 2014, CSU Bakersfield has continued to grow its international student enrollment on its main campus. 

  CSUB sustains an 80 percent average increase over the last three academic years, growing from 39 international students in the fall of 2014, to 252 students in the spring of 2017.

  Dr. Mark Novak, dean of Extended Education and Global Outreach Division at CSUB said there are several factors that have facilitated such shifts in CSUB’s student population.

  “We’ve gone out and began to search for students interested in coming here. I think in the past, it really wasn’t an intention, or maybe an interest, in having international students on campus,” said Novak.  

  Sonia Silva, director of the International Students and Programs said, “Part of the reason our numbers are going up is really our administration and the campus as a whole. The president, provost, Associate Vice President [Jacqueline] Mimms, and Dean Novak have really been instrumental at increasing our international numbers and globalizing this campus.” 

  Silva added, “We now have an international recruiter. We never had one before. When I first started in January of 2014, I was managing around 85 students. We are close to the 300 range now.”

  Although the international enrollment numbers at CSUB positively reflect a collective engagement in the recruitment and retention of international students, it still trails the national average. 

  For more than 20 million students within higher education in the 2015-2016 academic year, the National Center for Education Statistics calculates that only 5.2 percent of those students are international.

  For example, although CSUB achieved its largest amount of international student enrollment to date in the spring of 2017, it would still fall short of 3 percent when factoring in the 9,230 student population for the 2015 academic year. 

  CSUB’s campus is unusual compared to the 2017-2018 academic year’s national numbers.   

  During this timeframe, where growth has been demonstrated, CSUB possesses a more robust campus, particularly with local and foreign student involvement in studying-abroad programs.  

  Gabriela Ochoa, an International Students and Programs adviser who studied abroad in Spain during her undergraduate studies said, “Upon my return, I became the global ambassador for the office. I would go to classrooms, do presentations and talk to students about studying abroad.”

  More students are now returning from their studies abroad and speaking about their experiences and according to Novak word of mouth is the best marketing.

  Business administration major and international student from Saudi Arabia, Saleh Almaiman said, “The thing I really like about the United States, here, is that it gives me the idea or the concept that there is nothing impossible. So, you can be whatever you want, as long as you are working for it, giving your effort and devoting your time for it.”

  Director of International Student Relations for Associated Students Inc., Luis Hernandez, said, “I got to know all the international students from all the programs, and I got more involved over time, so I joined ASI because I knew the position they had was perfect for me to represent all the international students.” 

  CSUB is a relatively cost effective market for prospective international students.

  According to CSUB, the cost of attendance for international undergraduate students is estimated at $29,000.

  Other CSU campuses such as San Diego State cost on average $37,600; CSU Fullerton $39,000; and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo $39,117. 

  The International Students and Programs department is located on the west side of campus at the Entwood building. 

  For more information about the study abroad program, contact the International Students and Programs department at (661) 654-6113.