International students provide global perspectives

Posted on Friday, November 04, 2022

Adapting to college life in a different country can seem daunting, but LC’s international students have been able to easily make the transition to campus while maintaining their cultural identity.

The college’s international population is made up of students from countries that include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, Japan, Northern Ireland, Panama, South Africa and Spain.

“I decided to come to LC to pursue my dream of playing college basketball as well as find who I could be outside of basketball,” said Kamayi “Jay” Muvumba ’25, who moved to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2021. “I came to find where I should be in life after college.” 

He said he plans to use his LC education to lead, manage and connect with people.

“I want to inspire people and give them all the opportunities and resources they need to chase their dreams.”

Tamino Schoeffer ’24, who relocated to the U.S. from Germany in the spring of 2020, said he first found out about LaGrange College from his exchange student year at LaGrange High School in 2015.

“I toured LC in the Summer of 2019 due to the help of my host-mother Shannon Lester,” he said. “I was lucky to have her help me with the application process at LaGrange College.”

Schoeffer, who is double majoring in pre-engineering and political science, said LC has provided him with experiences that will help him in his future career.

“I participated in research for Political Science Professor John Tures and presented my academic paper at Georgia State University’s Political Science conference,” he said. “It really helped me personally to be engaged in presenting research and scholarly papers.”

James Warwick ’24, who came to the U.S. on a one-year Northern Ireland government-funded program to study business, said he is taking what he has learned at LaGrange College back to his home country.

“Back in Northern Ireland, I am studying mechanical engineering,” he said. “I aspire to start a business in this field.”

Women's Basketball player Maria Riera Soriano ’24, who left Spain after her father received an offer to work in the U.S. in 2017, said she wanted to come to LaGrange College to study international business.

“At LC, I am building the skills and qualities I need to learn for a future career in the business sector,” she said. “My post-graduate plans are to go back to Spain, and if an opportunity occurs for me to work there or any European country, I will take it and put into place those skills I learned at LC.”

Michele Raphoon, Program Coordinator in the Office of Global Engagement, said international students foster a diverse campus environment.

“When a classroom is filled with people who have a similar background, it can be difficult to deeply understand different perspectives,” she said. “Bringing people from around the world together into one place is a great way to learn about the experiences of others.”

She said students can learn more about their international peers during International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education.

To celebrate the annual observance that is recognized across the U.S., LC’s Office of Global Engagement will host a series of events Nov. 14-17. In addition, Aramark will feature an international dish from a different country each day.

For more information on the college’s exchange and study away programs, visit https://passport.lagrange.edu/

 

Campus Notes

• Professor Margaret Reneke, Associate Professor Austin Wieland and Wesley Mattox ’23 will have their ceramic pieces featured in an art exhibition at the Cochran Gallery in downtown LaGrange. The opening reception will be held Friday, Nov. 4 (today), at 6 p.m. 
• This month, local beverage shop LaGrange Nutrition is featuring Panther Punch, a drink created specifically for the college. The beverage is made with tropical fruit, strawberries and watermelon. Ten percent of Panther Punch purchases will be donated to the LC Fund.
• Prospective students and their families will come to the Hill for the final fall Preview Day on Saturday, Nov. 12. The next two events are planned for February and April 2023. For more information, visit the Preview Day website. 
• The Sports Management Club invites students, faculty and staff, and alumni to LaGrange College night at the College Park Skyhawks’ Gateway Arena. The team, which is part of the “G” league (Gatorade professional basketball), will compete against the Long Island Nets on Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m. Five dollars from every ticket sold by Dr. Clay Bolton, Associate Professor of Sports Management, or a student in his sales and fundraising class, will go to the club.
• Registration is open now for “The Taste of Tuscany,” a 3D Journeys excursion in Italy. Hosted by President Susanna Baxter and First Gentleman Mark Huffman, the trip will be May 10 - May 20. For more info on details and rates, email 3DJourneys@lagrange.edu.
• Daylight Saving Time will end this weekend. Clocks will be turned back one hour Saturday night.
• The Center for Leadership and Career Development and The Counseling Center will host a fall flannel fling on Friday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m., at Caswell Plaza. The event will include a cake walk and door prizes.

 

Collegiate Enrichment Events

Check LC Connect for Virtual CE events and instructions

Monday, Nov. 7

Let’s Get Mental

11 a.m., Bailey Room, Smith Hall

• The Counseling Center will give a presentation on "The Connection of Mental Wellness to Career Development." The event will focus on how to take care of ourselves as we navigate our careers.

Tuesday, Nov. 8

Florida Hurricane Relief Service Trip: Interest Session

11:15 a.m., Chapel

• Students are invited to learn about a Spring Break 2023 service and spiritual life opportunity in one of the Florida communities impacted by Hurricane Ian.

Tuesday, Nov. 8

Health Fair

11:30 a.m., Caswell Plaza

• Senior Nursing students will present various health topics with some interactive tasks and attendee participation.

Tuesday, Nov. 8

Financial Readiness

11:30 a.m., Bailey Room, Smith Hall

• Joe Ragland (Regional President of SouthState Bank) will advise students on how to plan for financial success now and in the future.

Wednesday, Nov. 9

Networking, Opportunities & Planning, Oh My!

3 p.m., Corn Auditorium, Lewis Library

• Dr. Clay Bolton, Associate Professor of Sports Management, will discuss how students can positively grow effective connections within their field of interest, how to find and create opportunities within the academic/career worlds, and how to maximize academic and early work experiences to prepare for that dream job.

Thursday, Nov. 10

Thank-You Card Signing for Scholarship Donors

11 a.m., Bailey Room, Smith Hall

• Undergraduates will gather to write messages of appreciation to student scholarship donors.

Thursday, Nov. 10

Interview Do’s and Don’ts

11:30 a.m., Corn Auditorium, Lewis Library

• A panel of local hiring personnel from various professional fields will give advice for how to be successful in interview settings.

 

Video of the Week

Student Profile: Dazia Potts

Like many freshmen, Dazia Potts ’23 arrived on the LaGrange College campus full of ambition, energy and talent, but without a sure direction. That's when LaGrange's practice of supporting students every step of the way made all the difference.

 

Sports

Cross Country
The LaGrange College Cross Country teams traveled to Grady, Alabama, on Saturday for the Collegiate Conference of the South Championship race at the Greenbrier cross country course. Competing in the 6K, the women's team posted a seventh-place finish and was led by freshman Kennedy Young, who had a time of 29:13:5. The LC men earned a sixth-place finish in the 8K, with sophomore Luke Jarvis leading the pack with a 32:36:7 time.

Basketball

The men’s and women’s teams are gearing up for the season’s first official games. The men (voted third in the CCS pre-season poll) lost to Mercer in an exhibition game yesterday, and they have another exhibition scheduled for Monday against Kennesaw State. The women’s team (ranked fourth in the CCS pre-season poll) goes up against Emory on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

 

Football  

The Panther Football Team fell on Friday night on the road against Belhaven, 70-16.The game was moved up from Saturday afternoon due to impending weather. Tomorrow (Saturday) is the final home game of the season.

Men’s Soccer

LC (11-4-2) advanced to the CCS Championship game with a 2-0 win over Piedmont on Saturday. Earlier in the week, senior forward Enrique Hernandez was named conference Player of the Year, and Head Coach Ryan Dickson was named Coach of the Year. The team faces Covenant on Saturday (tomorrow) at 5 p.m. for the title. 

Women’s Soccer  

The Panthers fell on the road Saturday against Covenant College 2-1 in the Quarterfinals of the Collegiate Conference of the South Championship Tournament. Briana Suarez scored the team’s goal. They finish the season 8-6-2.

Volleyball  

LC closed out the regular season with a 3-0 sweep of Agnes Scott at a Collegiate Conference of the South tri-match Saturday at Maryville College. The team competed in the quarterfinals of the CCS Championship Tuesday, falling to Maryville 3-0. Senior Bailey Moss and freshman Morgan Martin were named to the CCS All-Conference team.

 

Calendar

(Please note that schedules may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Please check www.lagrangepanthers.com to confirm.)

Saturday, Nov. 5 – Football vs. Southern Virginia, 1 p.m., Callaway Stadium

Saturday, Nov. 5 – Men’s Soccer vs. Covenant, 5 p.m., Panther Field

Monday, Nov. 7 – Men’s Basketball at Kennesaw State, 7 p.m., Kennesaw, Georgia

Tuesday, Nov. 8 – Women’s Basketball at Emory University, 5:30 p.m.

 

In the headlines

• Callaway High gets a close look at LaGrange College, LaGrange Daily News, Nov. 2
• Just for kicks: Basketball recruit gives soccer a shot, becomes a star, LaGrange Daily News, Oct. 29

Category: Academics, Global engagement, Students

Keywords: Academics, Study Abroad