Are you a prospective international student looking to learn more about the international student experience at UNCW? Our Global Student Ambassadors serve to provide opportunities for current international students to connect with prospective international students.
Learn more about our Global Student Ambassadors below and feel free to reach out to them to learn more about what it's like to join the global Seahawk community!
I am from Albania. A small country located in Eastern Europe.
What is your major?
Computer Science
Why do you like the student community at UNCW?
I like the student community at UNCW because it is very friendly and welcoming. There are many clubs and organizations that are led by dedicated students who are passionate about bringing together people who share similar hobbies and interests. I like how this community has created an environment that encourages everyone to get involved and be active on campus.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I’m studying computer science so I would like to become a software developer after I graduate.
What challenges have you faced as an international student and how has UNCW helped you overcome those?
One of the first challenges I have faced at UNCW is navigating through culture shock. As an 18-year-old who had never studied abroad I was faced with a new culture and people with different backgrounds and perspectives than mine. This made it difficult for me to socialize and interact with people. UNCW helped me learn how to get out of my comfort zone. I realized how important it is to take advantage of every opportunity to get involved on campus.
I am from Molde, a city on the west coast of Norway.
What is your major?
Political Science
Why do you like the student community at UNCW?
I like the student community because while diverse, it is also a smaller community which makes it easier to create connections, friendships, and built a network as you are more likely to interact on a more regular basis
What do you want to do after you graduate?
I have decided to pursue a masters in either my major Political Science or my minors in International
Affairs and Security Studies. I have found a profound interest in these subjects, mostly due to the professors here at UNCW who are experts at connecting the curriculum to current affairs. After my master’s degree I hope to pursue a career within diplomacy or international affairs and security.
What challenges have you faced as an international student and how has UNCW helped you overcome those?
I arrived with a mindset that I could do everything on my own, as I had up until I arrived in America. However, I quickly realized that the culture here, especially the professional culture, is far different than what I was used to. By getting in touch with OISS, I was able to start building a network and experience, which is key to a successful start here in the U.S.
Where are you from?
I am from the UK.
What is your major?
Marketing
Why do you like the student community at UNCW?
I love the relaxed feel that both UNCW and the student community creates while being on campus.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
Post Grad, I’m going to take some time to get away from academics and just try and enjoy life! Any way that I can.
What challenges have you faced as an international student and how has UNCW helped you overcome those?
As an international student UNCW has allowed a smooth adaptation process due to the welcoming feeling it provides. Along with the fact that the student body is so diverse I found it very easy to fit in and find a group of people that I enjoy being around.
Where are you from?
I am from Berlin, Germany.
What is your major?
Biology
Why do you like the student community at UNCW?
A diverse population provides a plethora of advantages, such as the spread of cultural awareness to combat prejudice or racially motivated incidents, as well as the ability to enhance academic and social discourse by endorsing multifaceted perspectives on topics. With UNCW already being home to many students from afar, and a place where people from all over the globe are welcomed and where the distinctions of each individual are considered as strengths and benefits rather than weaknesses or barriers, yet I believe that one can always improve in one way or another. As a Global Ambassador I will be able to contribute to the community by sharing my experiences and cultural heritage whilst also learning from my peers and thereby allowing and most importantly ensuring UNCW and its society to become the best version of itself.
What do you want to do after you graduate?
Not only do I aspire to acquire enough financial stability to support my family and friends, but most importantly I hope to be a vital part of the change that the world, now more than ever, needs so desperately. Ever since my early childhood days, I had acquired an impregnable desire and passion to pursue a career in the fields of dental medicine. My mother being an orthodontist had meant that I was exposed to this subject, its wider significance and the compelling nature of its intricacies. However, the other half of me is drawn to an occupation in the fields of marine biology because my teachers and surroundings have inspired me to take action for our global community, and showed that even the little things such as: picking up the litter one sees at the beach or spreading awareness can evoke noticeable and long-lasting change. The change that is the prerequisite for the preservation of the planet and thus also of humanity. Especially in our modern times, I believe that it is crucial that more individuals pursue such activity and work together towards both a sustainable and long-lasting earth. An absolute dream would be to someday run a research center and perform a study of my own on for example the potential threat of chemical sunscreens on coral reefs and the human body and ultimately inspire the general public to adopt an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
What challenges have you faced as an international student and how has UNCW helped you overcome those?
Being away from home can not only be nerve-racking and scary, but also a great opportunity for one to make global connections and expand one's horizon. Even though, I would consider myself a fairly outgoing and social person, I have at times reached my boundaries a few times too, and thought that no matter how hard I try, that I do not fit into the UNCW community and culture, but I was wrong.
People often forget that the time at college not only serves to bring one closer to a certain subject and field, but also to develop certain qualities such as acquiring a certain level of independence and social skills. In addition, most friendships and contacts are made outside of the classroom and therefore in order to make numerous connections, which are proven to be a very important factor when it comes to being successful in life, involvement in campus life is paramount and therefore something every student throughout their college career should seek for.
If you are a current F-1 international student interested in becoming a Global Student Ambassador, please review the OISS scholarships page.