As the school year sails off, Eastern sees the numbers of international students on campus increase since last fall.

Bill Elliott, interim director of international students and scholars, said the official tenth day has not hit, and because of that he has to wait to announce the official numbers.

The international students on campus come from about 42 countries around the world, and on the tenth day, the numbers of representation will be announced. A majority of those students come from India, Saudi Arabia, Nepal and South Korea.

“I can say that our international enrollment is significantly higher than last fall,” Elliott said.

Around 20 or 30 new students is what Elliott said they are expecting to see and that should put the numbers at more than 400 representative of both undergraduate and graduate international  students.

Elliot said last fall Eastern had around 290 students. A number of factors have aided in this increase, one being “strategic” planning on the department’s part, Elliot said.

“We have partnered with many of the offices on campus that work directly with our students,” Elliot said. “This includes new student programs and student life.”

Elliott said the Charleston community has planned a role in the increase as well. He said the community helps to make the students feel at home and welcomed. These include different churches and organizations within Charleston.

“We do see that there is potential to increase international enrollment,” Elliot said. “Any steady growth right now is a good thing and it helps us with our overall enrollment numbers,”

This trend of the increasing numbers has been going on for the last three or four years.

“This helps show that Eastern is not only well known in the U.S., but overseas,” Elliott said. “I think it speaks highly to the quality and caliber of academic programming.”

Elliot stepped in as the interim director July 1st, and currently still serves as the assistant director of the graduate school. Before the former director of international students and scholars, Kevin Vicker, was hired Elliott started his first job at Eastern as the director of the office.

Many of the people working in the international students and scholars are new, because of the turnovers on campus Elliott said.

“We have a whole new staff, but they really came together well and are working together well,” Elliot said.

Arunkumar Nagula, a graduate assistant, has been at Eastern for the past nine months and is from India. He said the university is a good place for students who come from different parts of the world to improve their knowledge. He said things like the student recreation center, the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union and Booth Library help to make his experience at Eastern better.

“I even like my department office,” Nagula said. “I feel like I’m at home here.”

In an email, President David Glassman said the international students on campus help to diversify and bring positivity to the university.

“I’m proud that EIU provides a very positive, welcoming and inclusive environment for our international students and we look forward to growth in our international student enrollments in the future,” Glassman said.

A press release was sent out August 31, informing campus of this increase.

T’Nerra Butler can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]