Florida State University’s Center for Global Engagement welcomes more than 110 new international students from 35 countries to campus this spring. To help new students succeed, CGE offered a luncheon and an orientation at The Globe where students met new friends and learned about FSU’s campus, resources, and maintaining their immigration status.

The luncheon provided new students with the opportunity to network with others from different disciplines. Shrikunj Patel, a graduate student from India studying electrical engineering, and Tsuyoshi Hara, a graduate student from Japan studying public administration, enjoyed lunch together while they talked about their future at FSU.

“I heard FSU was very good in the power energy field. I would like to enhance my career and my knowledge of different electrical engineering subjects, such as power control,” Patel said. “I’m very excited to become a Nole!”

Hara also expressed his excitement to be here in Tallahassee as he said it is a calm, yet growing city. Students learned about living in Tallahassee at orientation. StarMetro, the City of Tallahassee’s public transit system, also attended to answer any questions students had about bus routes and schedules.

More than 45 of FSU’s incoming international undergraduate students are transferring from FSU’s Republic of Panama branch campus, which serves as a hub for partnership development and U.S.-style education in Latin America. Students from the FSU-Panama campus come from various countries in Latin America, as well as the Republic of Panama.

Thirteen of the new incoming students are exchange students from nine partner institutions in seven countries. They will be joining 10 exchange students who will remain here during spring to finish out their academic year at FSU. A few of the areas of study for incoming exchange students this semester include computer science, social work, business, information Sciences, and geography. FSU’s Global Exchanges also offer the opportunity for FSU students to study at one of our 40+ international partner universities while paying FSU tuition, earning FSU credits, and using their financial aid. This spring, 31 FSU students are studying at 15 universities in 10 different countries.

Photo from left: Shrikunj Patel and Tsuyoshi Hara