July 11, 2010
A global presence
In September, Bryant welcomes 85 students from countries around the world.
One day while Lauren Goffe ’11 (Kingston, Jamaica) was poring over her college acceptance letters trying to decide where she would spend the next four years, she received an e-mail from a Bryant student. The note congratulated her and offered to talk further about becoming a Bulldog.
“As simple as it may seem, it meant a lot to me knowing that I mattered and would not be just be a number,” she says.
Goffe acknowledges that it can be difficult to be in a new environment so far away from home. Her message to the 85 incoming international students who will join the Bryant community: before long you will be making friends and taking advantage of the limitless opportunities that Bryant has to offer.
Goffe has been active as a Bryant Ambassador and a member of the Multicultural Student Union. She has also taken part in the Bulldogs Building Bridges community service program and served as a counselor for summer camps that Bryant hosts for local high school students to introduce them to the college experience. She is currently interning at Fidelity Investments, a position she found through the Bryant Career Connection.
“Being outside my comfort zone with a newfound independence allowed me to mature and learn more about myself,” she says. “Bryant creates an environment where everyone shares the goal of wanting to make a difference and be successful.”
‘Memorable college experience’
This fall, Bryant welcomes incoming members of the Class of 2014 and transfer students who hail from 35 countries around the world, including India, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana, and Jamaica. For the first time, students from Germany, France, and Myanmar are joining the Bryant community. The incoming class of international students marks a 30 percent increase from last year. The total number of countries represented at Bryant now stands at 50.
Goffe, an accounting concentrator, says the first-year Foundations For Learning course helped her adjust to college life by teaching her study methods and time management skills. She developed friendships by attending the programs put on by the resident assistants in her hall.
“There are just so many opportunities to get involved and make a memorable college experience,” she says.
Daniela Mejia ’11 (San Pedro Sula, Honduras) will be able to put the skills she has learned through her finance concentration to the test as part of the executive committee of the Archway Investment Fund. The innovative program allows students to use their classroom knowledge to research and buy stocks with money from Bryant’s endowment as approved by the board of trustees.
“I am prepared for the real world, not only with respect to the job market, but also in the personal sense. I believe I am capable of dealing with any situations that come my way,” she says.
Mejia says coming to school so far from home wasn’t nerve-wracking because she knew she came to right place. “I didn’t need to worry about missing home because I had a great support network here at Bryant and developed friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Student-centered focus
During his first year at Bryant, Yohan Sachdev ’10 (Mumbai, India) was relaxing in his residence hall when he received an unexpected call. On the other end was none other than Bryant President Ronald K. Machtley. He had learned of Sachdev’s love for the game of squash and invited him for a match. This is just one example, Sachdev says, of Bryant’s student-centered focus.
“From my very first day on campus, I have found Bryant to be a very supportive community,” he says. “The professors know their students’ names, and the people in the Admission office played a crucial role in my transition.”
As part of his first visit to Bryant, Sachdev sat in on several classes and visited the state-of-the-art Chace Athletic and Wellness Center. “I knew Bryant was going places, and I wanted to jump right on that train,” he says.
During his time at Bryant, Sachdev helped grow the squash team from just five players to more than 25 during his senior year. “Being part of a team helped establish friendships and gave me experience as a leader,” he says.
Sachdev also hosted his own show on Bryant’s radio station, networked with business people as a member of Bryant’s chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and served as a Bryant Ambassador.
“Having the opportunity to tell people how much I love Bryant through my work as an ambassador reinforced my connection with the University that will last long beyond graduation day,” he says.
Members of the Class of 2014: The 4MILE orientation program for multicultural and international students takes place on campus at the end of August. International students should arrive on campus on Monday, August 30, and domestic students should move-in on Tuesday, August 31. Students attending 4MILE can register online.
The 4MILE program precedes the Bryant Experience, a three-day program, which begins
with moving in on Saturday, September 4, and continues with through Monday September 6. All classes begin on Tuesday, September 7.
Start meeting and learn more about your classmates NOW by becoming a fan of the Bryant University Class of 2014 Facebook page.
