You may know that 19 international students remained on the Winona Campus after all other students returned home or left campus in March. That number is now at 13, as some students have been able to leave the country amid canceled flights, closed borders, and extremely costly travel. Others are now making plans to hopefully return home after final exams, or to go to graduate school, and others cannot get home so are making plans to stay for the summer.
On-campus graduating international students honored last week include, from left: Yi Tao, Tianbo Zhang, and Aaron Kibirige.
Student Life and International Center staff have worked with these students throughout these challenging times to reassure them; help them with travel; store their property on campus as they departed; get them to the airport as the shuttle was canceled; move into Alverna (with much help from maintenance staff); advise them on health, safety, immigration and visa implications; take them to get groceries and supplies, etc.
These students have shown great determination in the midst of these challenges, and the International Center held a special celebration and stress relief break on Study Day. We also honored the three remaining students who are graduating. Students enjoyed graduation cupcakes and ice cream treats and were given homemade masks.