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International program flourishes after five years

The majority of international students maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher, according to the Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Mahmoud Lamadanie. Lamadanie told The Gramblinite that the office was established under the leadership of former president, Dr. Horace Judson and since its establishment the international student-body has grown from 30 to 508 in less than four years.”I was able to put together a program to attract talented students,” Lamadanie said. The Center for International Affairs and Programs (CIAP ) works to develop and maintain positive relationships with various foreign dignitaries.

Moreover, he said the diverse student-community helps promotes integration and cultural exposure. He lauded the senior administration for having the vision and foresight to form a global classroom concept. The “global classroom” continues to enhance mutual understanding of people from diverse cultures, he said.

Lamadanie said that GSU has uniquely branded itself from other universities by fostering a culture of excellence. He attributes this culture to attracting talented students from across the globe.

He said that both domestic and international students benefit from an “immersed” culture. “This mixture creates international diversity, while at the same time promotes goodwill between Grambling and the students’ countries. We have students from Caribbean, Russia, Poland, Thailand, Bulgaria and Cameroon, just to name a few,” Lamadanie said, “The presence of international students on campus presents the opportunity for a cross fertilization,” he said.

“While they (international students) come here to learn, they come to teach us about their culture . The interaction between the foreign and domestic students is very valuable and provides an opportunity for global learning,” Lamadanie said.

He encouraged all international students to have an open mind while integrating in the culture.

“I don’t want the international students to be assimilated in the melting pot of American culture, but to successfully integrate in campus life.