Number of international, out-of-state students increase

IU isn’t the closest university to Lakshmi Chilukuri’s home in India, but she still decided to attend.

“I heard so many things about IU and Bloomington before I came here, and I’m so glad I made the decision to come to IU, not only because of the great business program, but  because this place is such a great, international-friendly student town,” Chilukuri said.

Chilukuri is one of more than 4,400 international students currently attending IU’s Bloomington campus.

According to statistics from the Office of International Services, the number of international students has steadily grown through the years.

Roger Thompson, vice provost for enrollment management, said the enrollment of first year out-of-state students in the Bloomington campus also reached a record high of more than 2,000 students this fall.

Thompson said most of IU’s out-of-state students come from the Chicago area, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, California and Texas.

He said the University has promoted its strong academic programs to recruit these students.

“I think we have done a better job in more effectively sharing IU stories, through DVDs and national and international Web presence, to recruit the best and the brightest students this year,” Thompson said.

IU’s scholarships, academics and location are some of the things that draw in a diverse group of students.

Amanda Listak, a sophomore from Cary, Ill., said she knew IU would be her No. 1 choice when she toured the campus her junior year.

“I’ve always wanted that ‘big-campus’ experience – the football games, parties and dorm life,” Listak said, “and IU offered all of that. Plus, it was the only school that had an interior design major. Other schools in Illinois and Iowa that I was interested in didn’t.”

When Chilukuri came to IU in 2008, it was her first time visiting the United States. She said she was anxious and excited at the same time. Chilukuri said it’s been a culture crash course for her since she’s been in Bloomington.

Nonetheless, she loves the new experience and the hospitality of this college town.

“Many people in India know that IU is a great school and a beautiful campus, but it really made me feel good when I personally experienced the friendliness and various reach-out programs that the community offered to get to know the international students and make them feel more at home,” Chilukuri said.

As a vegetarian, Chilukuri was also worried about the food and restaurants in Bloomington.

She no longer has that concern.

“I’m just so surprised how vegetarian-friendly the campus and the town is. I’m basically able to eat how I used to back in India,” Chilukuri said.
Lorenda Schrader, international student director at the Office of International Services and Scholar Advising, said most international students are from South Korea, China and India.

She said these students come to IU for similar reasons to out-of-state students.

“All of the them know that we offer great academic programs and a respectable reputation as a high-education institute,” Schrader said.

Thompson said overall it’s a great year for IU because it set many enrollment records.

He said IU was able to recruit such a diverse pool of students because the school tries to understand each and every student for who they are.

“I think we’ve done a great job so far because we don’t simply recruit a freshman class, we recruit a group of individuals that comprise a freshman class,” Thompson said.

“The best secret of all is how effectively you communicate and how well you understand each student, because they’re all different and special in their own ways.”