Three students from India, traveling with a group called College Source, will visit Claremont McKenna College on Thursday, June 23, hoping to experience what it's like to live and attend school at CMC. The group's visit, says Director of Admission Victoria Romero, is part of an effort to continue developing the international student body of the College.
Visitors will stay overnight in one of the campus residence halls, receive a tour of CMC and The Claremont Colleges, eat lunch in Collins Dining Hall, interact with Admission staff members, and attend a student panel discussion with time for questions. Opportunities to relax by the pool or explore Claremont will be built in for guests as well.
Extensive outreach to India is part of CMC's increasing internationalization as an educational institution. In February 2004, a CMC delegation that included Romero, President Pamela Gann, and Assistant Vice President and Director of Principal Gifts Bradley Bodager spent two weeks in India visiting high schools, colleges, and universities. Receptions in three cities during the trip also promoted engagement with students and academics in India. As a result of that outreach, four students from India are expected to attend the College this fall.
Romero, who will return to India in October for a week, says CMC's strong economics department and business education programs are among the features that attract students from the subcontinent. CMC also offers a substantial support network for international students, including home-stay programs prior to New Student Orientation. The Claremont Colleges as a whole share support for facilities that support the diverse needs of international students. International Place is located on the CMC campus and facilitates cross-cultural interactions and learning opportunities while maintaining a support network for international students, she says. Additionally, the McAlister Center for Religious Activities helps meet students' spiritual and religious needs.
"Claremont McKenna is a place that has a global perspective on education," Romero says. "Having students from all over the world enhances discussion. We have so many students that spend time away, that it's only natural to develop an international community on campus. It's a benefit to have students from different backgrounds in a residential community, and international students can enhance the benefits of that diversity even further."