Profile Story (edited version)

She had never been here before. Not to this state. Not to this country.

She had never even left China.

Yet 29-year-old Jing Chen moved from Shanghai, one of the largest cities in the world, to Pullman last year to attend WSU.

“The quality is actually better than China,” Chen said. “The [Chinese] government does not put much money into education. The education system didn’t get very well developed.”

More international students are attending WSU than ever before, according to a recent article on WSU Today Online. International enrollment has been increasing since a dip in 2006 to an all-time high of 1,447 students this fall. These numbers parallel a national trend of increasing international student enrollment.

After a slump in 2005, the highest number ever of international students studied in the US last year, according to the 2008 statistics from the Institute of International Education. 2009 statistics will be released next month.

Nationally, India, China and South Korea account for the top three countries of international student origin, respectively. At WSU, the most-represented country is China, with 509 students, said International Enrollment Director Paul Svaren. Additionally, 162 students are from Korea and 113 students are from India, he said.

Chen, 29, decided to come to the U.S. for graduate school to obtain her second master's degree. She chose the U.S. because of the major she is studying. She is pursuing a degree in media studies, and the most important theorists and conferences are here in the U.S., she said.

Yi Lu, a graduate student in science statistics from Nanchang, China, chose the U.S. for a similar reason.

“I think American programs have the best resources and professors,” said Lu, who is also the president of WSU’s Chinese Scholars and Students Association.

Both Chen and Lu represent a common demographic for international students at WSU. In the mid-1990’s, 65 percent of foreign students were undergraduates, but today graduate students account for the majority, according to WSU Today Online.

Chen explained that one reason for the influx of graduate students is associated with the cost of college. Attending a U.S. institution is substantially more expensive than enrollment at a Chinese university. International students pay non-resident tuition at WSU which is $9,338 per semester, according to the WSU Office of Financial Aid. Converted to Chinese currency, this costs a student a little less than 64,000 yuan. A semester at a typical Chinese university is around 5,000 yuan, Chen said.

Graduate students have far more opportunities than undergraduates for fellowships, scholarships, and teaching positions in order to pay for graduate school. Chen teaches two public speaking courses while Lu is a statistics teaching assistant.

In addition to cost, another major obstacle for all international students is the process of acquiring a visa.

“Perception that a student is, in fact, an intending immigrant into the U.S.A. is one of the most pervasive problems,” Svaren said. “Students need to convince visa officers that they are, indeed, planning on studying in the U.S.A.”

Some students also need to prove they are studying acceptable material. Certain majors are heavily targeted by the U.S. consulates in China. Students in physics, biology, and majors that deal with nuclear studies endure much more questioning and background checks because of the nature of those fields, Chen said. These students may have to wait up to two months before they are cleared for a visa.

“You can still see the tension [between the two countries],” she said.

Despite possible tensions, Svaren said one of the reasons for the increase in international enrollment is “easier student visa acquisition in China.” Chen and Lu said they had relatively straightforward interviews because of their fields of study.

“My interview was one minute, after I waited four hours,” Lu said.

An American education can be beneficial to students who return home after graduation. Lu said employers in China like students who have an overseas background. Some of the big companies that have facilities in China, such as Dell, prefer students who can speak English, Chen said.

Many international students choose to stay in the U.S. after graduation. Chen estimates that 60 to 70 percent of Chinese students stay here once they graduate.

“One reason is it’s easier to live better here, for economic reasons and political stability,” Chen said.

Chen said after finishing her masters degree at WSU, she wants to get her Ph.D. at another American university. Lu also wants to stay in the U.S. after he graduates next semester; however, he wants to jump straight into the job market. Another reason for staying is to start a family.

“Some are hoping to stay for their next generation – for their babies,” Lu said.

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Contacts:

Jing Chen
(509) 592-8287

Yi Lu
(509) 715-9133

Paul Svaren
International Enrollment Director
(509) 335-4508
svaren@wsu.edu

Outline

I. indirect lede
A. anecdote
B. lede quote “It’s a popular trend to study abroad for Chinese students”
II. nut graf
A. This semester marks the highest number of international students at WSU. This reflects a nation trend of increasing number of international students.
III. individual back story
A. Study here b/c education is better
1. Lu said the same thing
B. grad student at WSU
1. Majority of international students at WSU are grad students
2. TA helps pay for grad school
C. US consulate interview
1. depends on major
IV. looking forward
A. Many students stay in US (60-70%)
B. Both Chen and Lu plan to stay here
C. Better job opportunities back in China for those that studied abroad here
V. closing quote
A. “Some are hoping to stay for their next generation – for their babies”