Connecting the world to UNM

Not all international students are greeted by someone when they arrive at the airport.

Desiree Kosciulek said sometimes they don't even have a place to stay.

Kosciulek is the president of the Study Abroad Association, a new student organization at UNM. She said she and other former exchange students started the group to make the exchange process easier for outgoing and incoming exchange students.

The group wants to create a forum for past, present and future exchange students to hang out and share ideas and experiences, while helping international students adjust to life at UNM, Kosciulek said.

"I wanted to start this organization because the Office of International Programs and Studies and the Latin American and Iberian Institute facilitate the study abroad programs, and they are constantly swamped," she said. "I wanted to be able to help, and I knew that there would be other people who had gone on exchange who would want to help too."

The group has 20 members and Kosciulek said she hopes the numbers increase as the word gets out.

Ken Carpenter, group adviser, said former exchange students have a lot to offer other students.

"They can be a big help in advising students who are thinking about a study abroad experience and also helping our international students adjust to life in the United States," he said. "I have been really impressed by the enthusiasm and energy of the members of this student group."

Mariana Pereia is on semester exchange from the State University of Campinas in Brazil. She said she hopes the group will provide a means to see places such as White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns that she otherwise might not be able to see while she is here.

"I really wanted to go there since I first heard about them," Pereia said. "But not having a car makes it hard, so I especially wanted to join because of the trips."

Kosciulek said beside trips, the group has volunteer opportunities and movie nights planned throughout the semester. It also provides former exchange students like Ann Caldwell, who spent last year at the University of Essex, with a way to become part of an international community at UNM.

"I wanted to meet more international people because I had gotten so used to it," Caldwell said. "You get used to meeting people who have done the same thing, but I also want to help people who are on exchange."

Robyn Cote, program coordinator for the Latin American and Iberian Institute, said the group has given students a chance to join together.

"This year the students went and picked up the incoming students at the airport, took them to the hostel or the dorm, or even invited them to stay with them until the dorms opened up," Cote said. "They chartered the organization themselves. It's a great mode of camaraderie."

Carpenter said there are about 1,000 international students enrolled at UNM this fall.