farmers, Yabe attended a missionary secondary school against the wishes of his parents, who were Buddhist. He eventually converted his family then traveled to America for school. In an autobiography he wrote in 1910 for the Otterbein Aegis (Vol. XXI, No. 3), he said he was “called to Otterbein by the voice of God.” Later, Japanese-American students would attend Otterbein to escape the widespread discrimination against them during World War II. At Otterbein, they were treated with compassion. Mary Ariki Shiba ’44, a fourthgeneration Japanese-American, experienced so much discrimination while living and attending college in Denver in 1941 that she ultimately decided to transfer to Otterbein. For her safety, a Methodist minister escorted her to Westerville. During her time at Otterbein, Shiba said she experienced better acceptance and very little discrimination. More Japanese-American students enrolled, including Shiba’s brother, Joe Siba ’46, and they found acceptance on campus. In return, they brought a greater understanding of the interment camps to the other students. By 1948, Otterbein had gained such a reputation among international students that it enrolled students from the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, the Philippines and Africa, along with a steady number of Japanese-Americans. Eventually, Otterbein enrolled students from the Middle East as well. Nine Iranian students were enrolled at Otterbein in 1979, when the Islamic Revolution toppled the American-backed Shah and replaced him with the Ayatollah Khomeini. Later that year, a group of rebels took American diplomats hostage at the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran. Despite the tension and political debate on campus, the Iranian students completed their time at Otterbein before returning to Iran.
In 1997, an innovative program brought 21 cadets from the Navy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Otterbein to study English as a Second Language (ESL) for one calendar year. Originally, 14 cadets were enrolled, but the program was so successful that seven more joined the class. That year, the cadets boosted the international student population at Otterbein to 70 students, the highest enrollment of international students since the 1980s. International student enrollment, mostly from Asia and Africa, but also from South America and Europe, grew steadily through the mid-1980s with up to 60 international students enrolled each year. In the last half of the decade, international admission hit a plateau and by the early 1990s, it began to decline, reflecting a national trend. Currently, 20 international students representing eight countries are enrolled at Otterbein. More are expected to enroll for winter and spring quarters. Sheveantha Abeyasekera ’12, a business administration and economics major from Sri Lanka, has experienced challenges at Otterbein, including being understood because of his thick accent. But he feels that the challenges are worth what he will take away from Otterbein, including the benefits of a liberal arts education, which is rare in Sri Lanka. “It is very openminded and not just taking one path or one method in doing something. The fact that Otterbein is a liberal arts university just makes it better because you learn a lot of other stuff apart from your major, which will help me greatly in life.” Taniya Jayadeva ’11, an MBA student from Sri Lanka and president of the International Student Association, believes she brings something unique to the classroom to benefit American students. “I contribute different perspectives and perceptions due to different cultural influences and upbringing,” she said.
Jessica Shultz ’98 studied abroad in 1998 and found time to pose with a Beefeater at the To wer of London.
Study Abroad Aided by Many Funds Otterbein students, now more than ever, have greater opportunities to experience life and culture at a global level. With assistance from these funds, students receive financial support that allows them to join the Concert Choir Tour of China, engage in Senior Year Experience (SYE) courses in Rwanda or Germany, or study pedagogy in Derby, England. • The Childers Family Award for International Study • The Nancy Friedt Fund for International Study (bequest) • The John and Sylvia Carpenter Haywood Memorial Fund (bequest) • The John G. and Winifred R. Hoyt Endowed Student Loan Fund • The Knight Family Fund for International Study • The Paulette Zechiel Kuntz ’70 Memorial Endowed Award • The Samuel and Ida Zimmerman Spencer Memorial Endowed Study Abroad Award • The Tatsuo Tsuda Japanese Education Fund To learn how you can help Otterbein students experience the educational value of traveling abroad, please contact Executive Director of Development Donna J. Burtch at 614-823-1261 or dburtch@otterbein.edu. O tte r b e in To w e r s | Fa ll 2 0 10 |
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