Overseas programs draw foreign students to campus

by Megan Smith class writer

When students and faculty have gone to study abroad, they have an opportunity to represent Harding to the communities they visit. New friendships are formed and those who partake in abroad programs have the chance to influence people from all over the world.

Freshmen Alkmini Evniki Tsirmpa of Greece and Josh Caulder of Zambia said they were influenced by students they met who were on overseas programs and decided to come to Harding as students themselves.

“My dad is the lawyer (for Harding in Greece), so we have known Harding for awhile,” Tsirmpa said. “When I got older we started meeting students there and we connected with them because we were older.”

According to Tsirmpa, since she had the opportunity to meet and get to know Harding students traveling in recent groups that went to Greece, she was influenced to come to America.

Tsirmpa spent the last year studying in France in the medical field, but said she realized this was not the path of study for her and decided to venture out. Tsirmpa said her family did not initially support the idea of her studying in America, but said they really liked Harding.

Caulder; however, said his family was supportive of him coming to America from the beginning. Caulder said he made his decision to come because he thought it was his best option for coming to the US and receiving a quality education.

“A lot of other universities were going to be more expensive,” Caulder said. “Even if I had decided to go to a public school, it would have been about the same cost as far as international fees go.”

Caulder was home-schooled in Zambia using an American system and said he wanted something familiar to him. Caulder said his family was associated with Harding in the past as well, and Caulder completed his senior year of high school at Harding Academy. His family now works with children in Zambia.

Both Caulder and Tsirmpa said they have experienced cultural differences since beginning school.

“People don’t greet and say goodbye,” Caulder said. “Where I am from, if people come together everyone shakes each other’s hands and maybe gives them a hug and a kiss on the cheek and the same when leaving. Where as here there are awkward silences and people walk away.”

Tsirmpa said she had difficulty with using English as her primary language, and the beginning of this year was a little overwhelming for her. Still, she said the people at Harding were helpful and friendly and made the transition easier.