"Emotional, exciting, and unforgettable." That's how Rachael Olugbade described her journey from Nigeria to Brandon University.
Her trip, captured on social media and submitted to BU's "Destination BU" challenge, was selected as one of two winners that best showcase the long trips, careful preparation, family celebrations, and joyful nerves that go into becoming an International student at BU.
BU President Christine Bovis-Cnossen shakes hands with the Destination BU winners. At left, Rachael Olugbade. At right, Phoebe Yeboah.
Phoebe Yeboah, whose trip from Ghana to BU garnered the most votes in the online contest, was the other winner. Her video also captures how the challenges of leaving home are paired with the excitement of starting a BU education.
Each winner received a $500 tuition credit and was congratulated in a personal visit with BU President Christine Bovis-Cnossen.
The two original videos can be seen on TikTok (no account needed):
The pair are just two of more than 50 new International students who came to BU this year, despite changes to federal regulations. At BU, Rachael and Phoebe join more than 350 International students who are currently studying on campus. While down from the peak a few years ago, International students still make up more than 11 per cent of the BU student population.
That's the result of a pragmatic approach, to grow at a rate that did not exceed BU's ability to provide supports and resources to International students on campus and to ensure an exceptional student experience, said Dave Rowland, Director of BU's Office of International Activities.
"A decade ago, with fewer than 50 international students then attending Brandon University, we made a commitment of staffing, programming, and resources to actively recruit and retain more International students," he recalls.
One of the university's objectives was to aim for an international student population that reflected 10 per cent of the overall student enrollment, or about 300 International students.
"At the time, that was a lofty and ambitious goal yet we surpassed it early on," Rowland says. "Even as numbers have settled down recently, we're happy to still be around 10 per cent and continue to welcome students from various backgrounds and cultures around the world to Brandon."
International students bring important global perspectives to campus, contributing unique viewpoints in classrooms and lecture halls, while also supporting a diverse community in Brandon and Westman, he added.
In recent years, Nigeria and Ghana have consistently been two of the most popular countries sending students to BU. This year, the United States, Ukraine, and India are also in the top five.
