Coming to America

ByRobyn Ott
Fairview, Okla.

Each year, students buy books, enroll in courses and drive to Stillwater to start classes. They don’t even think about how lucky they are to have a university that is so easy to fit in to, so inexpensive and usually so close to home.

Some Oklahoma State University students know all too well what most students take for granted. They are international students, and they represent 10 percent of the campus population. They come here for many reasons, from many different countries, beliefs and backgrounds.

“I needed a better education,” said Cesar Galaviz, an international student from Mexico, explaining why he decided to attend college in the United States.

Galaviz, originally from northwest Mexico, came to the United States in the fall of 1999 as a junior. Before coming to OSU, he spent his first two years of college at an agricultural university in northern Mexico, the Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro, or UAAAN. He said he had three choices of American universities: Iowa State University, Kansas State University and OSU. He chose OSU because UAAAN and OSU are sister universities and have an exchange relationship.

Most international students come to study in the United States after receiving scholarships from their governments. Many foreign governments look for occupations their country needs to fill and then send students to study in those scholastic areas.

“In many countries, the governments see a need for an improved food supply and therefore send students to study agriculture,” said David Henneberry, assistant dean of international programs for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

In Galaviz’s case, he did not receive any money from his country, but he did receive the Ralph S. Matlock Memorial Scholarship for $600 from the OSU Plant and Soil Sciences Department.

When Galaviz came to OSU, he did not know anyone. He said it was difficult to meet American students, because there is not a program in place for international students to meet them.

Galaviz instead began meeting other international students, and became involved with the Latin American Student Association. There he met many other Latin American students, and was also introduced to Bryan Vardeman, an OSU football player from Lawton, Okla. Vardeman, who was a sophomore, had Latin American friends and became involved in LASA because of them. Despite their recreational connection, Vardeman recognized Galaviz’s reason for being at OSU.

“I could tell Cesar was here to take care of business,” said Vardeman about his first meeting with Galaviz.

Vardeman and Galaviz became good friends through LASA and also from living in Willham Residence Hall. In May of Galaviz’s first year at OSU, the two moved off campus and became roommates.

“I think it was a good experience to live with someone from a different background,” said Vardeman. “Cesar is hilarious, a really fun guy.”

For enjoyment, Galaviz spent his time with his American and international friends. Galaviz and his friends enjoyed going to the movies, listening to local bands, competing in international contests and participating in LASA activities. Other times, however, they simply liked to hang out at students’ houses.

“Cesar was on a mission, but he was also here to have a good time,” said Vardeman.

According to Henneberry, CASNR has a wide spectrum of international students. He said it varies from student to student on how well they fit in with the American culture.

Galaviz adjusted well in Oklahoma.

“He was a good student and mixed well with other people,” said Henneberry.

Although Galaviz learned as much as he could while he lived in the United States, he has been around agriculture all his life, as he grew up on his parents’ farm.

“We have a pretty good size farm, about 1,000 acres,” said Galaviz.

His father owns the farm and has been growing corn, beans, sorghum and other grains there for 40 years. Galaviz said he decided to major in plant and soil sciences with an option in agronomy because he wanted to learn as much as he could about the soil, plants and growing food.

“I see agriculture in Mexico as a business,” said Galaviz. “It’s a good business.”

However, Galaviz said, the Mexican government has not realized the potential of agriculture in Mexico. Why?

“That’s the question I ask myself every day,” he said.

Galaviz said Mexico is too concerned with relationships with other countries and is importing food from other nations, instead of buying from Mexican farmers. Even so, he is optimistic about the future of agriculture in Mexico.

“I think agriculture in Mexico is going to change, because it is continuing to become more advanced and competitive, year by year,” said Galaviz. “I want to be a part of this change and development.”

With confidence in his country, he returned to his farm in Mexico after he graduated in May 2002, and someday, he plans to take over the farm.

Although Galaviz was a CASNR undergrad, the majority of international students in CASNR are graduate students. Most international undergraduate students at OSU are in nonagricultural majors.

Of the international students who attend OSU, approximately two-thirds are male and a large majority of the students are not married, according to statistics from the International Student Services office. Even though Mexico is located next to the United States, the country is not one of the top 10 countries represented by international students at OSU. India is the country with the largest representation, with more than 400 students attending OSU each year. Mexico enrollment averages 10 students per year.

No matter where the students are from, they each come to OSU to gain an education and to take advantage of the activities and atmosphere offered by the university.

Galaviz said his experience was good and has helped him mature. He said he plans to encourage others to come to the United States and OSU.

“It was great; it was a really good experience to leave my country,” said Galaviz. “The people who go to OSU to study are going to learn a lot.”