|
|
|
PITTSBURG —
For most of Pittsburg State University’s students, classes start next Monday. But the approximately 125 new students from around the world who will be studying in Pittsburg this fall are hitting campus a week early to learn the ropes before school starts.
“Students will be checking in throughout the week,” said Cathy Lee Arcuino, Pitt State’s associate director of international programs. “They do their registration, get their TB tests and get everything set up in the computer system.”
Arcuino said she and her staff plan for several months to make sure each of the students is taken care of.
“There’s a little anxiety, but it’s fun,” Arcuino said. “There are so many things going on and you’re so busy.”
Throughout the day Tuesday the students learned about things such as living on- and off-campus, how to get their Gorilla Card and the wonders of Wal-mart. They also met Don Smith, who runs Campus Christians and who leases the students bicycles for a refundable $30 deposit.
“I don’t know what our department would do without him,” said Brenda Hawkins, administrative specialist for the department of international programs and services.
Smith has been helping Pitt State students for 34 years, and has been focusing on international students for 14 of them. He said he modeled his program after a similar one he saw at another university, and enjoys his work repairing bikes and helping people.
“People are the most important thing,” Smith said. “I love God and I love people, and I’m mechanically inclined. I like to see things with new life. I can put some new brake pads on a bike or change a tire and it can be reused.”
With a campus that’s nearly a mile long, Smith said it’s important for the students to have some sort of transportation.
“Some of the students use them all the time, others not so much,” Smith said. “A lot of them have friends that have come here and told them about this when they went home. Even if they don’t end up riding it much they think they’ve got to have one.”
Shao Ziquan came to Pitt State from the city of Harbin in northeast China to study chemistry. He said the school’s reputation is what drew him from his city of nearly six million people to Pittsburg.
“I’m very excited,” Ziquan said. “I want to study here because the education is very good.”
For most of Pittsburg State University’s students, classes start next Monday. But the approximately 125 new students from around the world who will be studying in Pittsburg this fall are hitting campus a week early to learn the ropes before school starts.
“Students will be checking in throughout the week,” said Cathy Lee Arcuino, Pitt State’s associate director of international programs. “They do their registration, get their TB tests and get everything set up in the computer system.”
Arcuino said she and her staff plan for several months to make sure each of the students is taken care of.
“There’s a little anxiety, but it’s fun,” Arcuino said. “There are so many things going on and you’re so busy.”
Throughout the day Tuesday the students learned about things such as living on- and off-campus, how to get their Gorilla Card and the wonders of Wal-mart. They also met Don Smith, who runs Campus Christians and who leases the students bicycles for a refundable $30 deposit.
“I don’t know what our department would do without him,” said Brenda Hawkins, administrative specialist for the department of international programs and services.
Smith has been helping Pitt State students for 34 years, and has been focusing on international students for 14 of them. He said he modeled his program after a similar one he saw at another university, and enjoys his work repairing bikes and helping people.
“People are the most important thing,” Smith said. “I love God and I love people, and I’m mechanically inclined. I like to see things with new life. I can put some new brake pads on a bike or change a tire and it can be reused.”
With a campus that’s nearly a mile long, Smith said it’s important for the students to have some sort of transportation.
“Some of the students use them all the time, others not so much,” Smith said. “A lot of them have friends that have come here and told them about this when they went home. Even if they don’t end up riding it much they think they’ve got to have one.”
Shao Ziquan came to Pitt State from the city of Harbin in northeast China to study chemistry. He said the school’s reputation is what drew him from his city of nearly six million people to Pittsburg.
“I’m very excited,” Ziquan said. “I want to study here because the education is very good.”
