International Alumni ANNUAL REVIEW | FALL 2013

In this issue: Meet President William N. Ruud Recruitment Update Online Resources UNI Alumni Updates 1 Welcome WHAT’SWHAT’S NEWNEW ONON CAMPUS?CAMPUS? from UNI President Bill Ruud Highlights of the 2012-13 school year

Greetings from your alma mater! I am humbled NEW LEADERSHIP AT UNI MICHELLE OBAMA RALLIES and honored to be the 10th president of the University of Northern Iowa, the premier and only Dr. William N. Ruud began serving as STUDENTS AT UNI comprehensive university in the state of Iowa. I the 10th president of the University of First lady Michele Obama noted early began this journey at UNI on May 31, 2013, and I Northern Iowa on May 31, 2013. Prior to voting had begun in Iowa as she look forward to listening and learning from faculty this appointment he served as the 15th encouraged University of Northern Iowa and staff. I especially look forward to hearing president of Shippensburg University of students to cast their ballots before about the university experiences of our successful Pennsylvania. Election Day during a September 2012 visit. alumni throughout the world. Our alumni are the voice of the university; they are well qualified to share the unique UNI story. $15 MILLION GIFT WILL TRANSFORM TEACHER EDUCATION AT UNI One of my key priorities at UNI is to increase A $15 million gift from Des Moines and diversify our student enrollment. We businessman Richard O. Jacobson sets a enrich and broaden the multicultural learning environment by bringing into the classroom and milestone for teacher education at the student organizations the varied cultural and University of Northern Iowa. Jacobson’s global perspectives from international students. gift to UNI’s College of Education is the Increasing our international student enrollment largest gift UNI has ever received. increases the depth of intellectual inquiry and discovery. UNI MAINTAINS RANK AMONG TOP We must continue to be persistent about recruiting MIDWEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES ON and retaining the best students and embrace ‘U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT’ LIST individuals of all backgrounds so they may UNI was ranked second in the “Best UNI NAMED ONE OF THE TOP further enrich our university. By you sharing your Regional Universities (Midwest)” category PRODUCERS OF U.S. experiences with and passion for the University of Northern Iowa, you play a key role in encouraging for public universities, according to U.S. FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS other intellectually curious and gifted students to News & World Report’s 2013 “America’s UNI was named by The Chronicle attend this great university. Best Colleges” guidebook. of Higher Education one of the top producers of Fulbright Scholars in the I encourage you to engage in our recruitment FOR SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, after three UNI professors efforts and help us enroll more students from countries throughout the world. If you are UNI SELECTED AS A ‘BEST BUSINESS were awarded Fulbright Scholarship interested in assisting in our efforts, please contact SCHOOL’ BY PRINCETON REVIEW grants for their research projects abroad. Kristi Marchesani, assistant director of admissions/ UNI is an outstanding business school for international, at [email protected], or the seventh consecutive year, according EXPANDED HOUSING OPTIONS send me at email at [email protected]. to The Princeton Review. The New York- FOR STUDENTS UNI is a great place where we welcome based education-services company The first phase of Panther Village was multicultural learning opportunities and value our features the school in the just-published completed with two more buildings alumni. Best wishes to you for continued success. 2013 edition of “The Best 296 Business in progress. Panther Village offers Schools” (Random House/Princeton apartment-style living, while maintaining PURPLE FOR LIFE! Review, published Oct. 9, 2012). the advantages and convenience of  living on campus. Bill Ruud President

Panther Village 1 INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT UPDATE

UNI continues to reach out across the globe to attract UNI has also shown their commitment to increasing diversity international students to campus. A record 520 international on campus by hiring two new international recruiters who will students enrolled for fall 2013. In addition, over the past 10 focus on specific regions of the world: years, the university has welcomed students from more than 150 different countries. Cory Cottingim - Latin America [email protected] The university utilizes Eshraq Alkhabbaz - Middle East Russian alumni assists at a university fair overseas recruiting trips, [email protected] in Moscow. electronic media, and collaboration with other UNI continues to ask for assistance from our friends and international efforts partners around the world to help us spread the word on campus, to attract about the great opportunities at UNI. As President Bill Rudd bright and motivated referenced in the opening article, alumni play a vital role in international students. our efforts to attract more students to UNI. The impact of The Office of International testimonies from former students on the decision-making Admissions is assisted by process of prospective students can have a major impact on an exceptional group of their college selection. There are several ways you can assist: 25 current international students volunteering • Volunteer to help us at overseas fairs and presentations when their time and energy as we come to your country part of the International • Request materials to pass along to interested family, friends Student Promoters (ISP). or neighbors ISP helps to personalize the admission process • Send us the name and contact information of potential students and reach out to We invite you to contact us with any interest in assisting in our prospective international efforts, ideas for recruitment, or student referrals. students to answer questions and share Dr. Kristi Marchesani, their experience with Assistant Director of International Admissions students from their own country or region. You can read more [email protected] information on ISP at www.uni.edu/intladm/isp.

International Student Promoters Fariha Afzal - Pakistan • Hanan Al-Harthi - Saudi Arabia • Baddah Alqahtani - Saudi Arabia • Tenzing Bajracharya - Nepal • Ashley Baker - USA/Korea • Jinil Chun - Korea • Bindhiya Jegatheesan - • Toluwani Johnson - Nigeria • Sarah Kagawa - Malaysia • Monzurul (Russel) Karim - Bangladesh • JooHee Kim - Korea • Ling Lin - China • Cally Moh - Malaysia • Noel Nathan - Malaysia • Melekte H. Nesibu - Ethiopia • Linh Nguyen - • Natalie Nithya - Malaysia • Adejoh Ogbe - Nigeria • Cuong Pham - Vietnam • Gahan Rai - Nepal • Prabhat Raut - Nepal • XiaoJie (Jessie)Tan - China • Parash Upreti - Nepal • Louw van Wyk - Namibia • Ramya Varadaraju - India • Duc Vu - Vietnam • JingYi (Jenny) Wang - China • Felicia Wee - Malaysia • Yun (Stefanie) Zhan - China

2 WHAT’S NEW IN ISSO? Update from the International Student and Scholars Office

• We got renamed! International Services Office is now called International Students and Scholars Office

• We had staff changes! Staff is now comprised of Dr. Nadia Korobova, Associate Director; Mr. Ross Schupbach, Immigration and Visa Coordinator; Ms. Julie Hill, Secretary; and Ms. Kristen Buldhaupt, International Student Advisor

• We added services! We serve: international students including orientation, immigration International Friendship Program Thanksgiving advising, personal advising and counseling, special programs and activities, among others; international scholars including visa securement; UNI faculty and staff traveling abroad on University business including visa services, travel safety, and travel health advice.

• We enhanced our programming! In addition to orientation, we held ethnic food celebrations, lunch and learn workshops, graduation and farewell receptions, and more.

International Exchange Student Reception

Nepalese Ethnic Dinner

3 CHECK US OUT ONLINE

INTERNATIONAL ADMISSION RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND • Pass along our International Admissions Web page to SCHOLARS OFFICE RESOURCES prospective students who may want to find out more about • International Student and Scholars Office (ISSO) programs, campus features, and requirements invites you to check out their website at www.uni.edu/ – www.uni.edu/intladm internationalservices

• Join more than 5,000 alumni, current and prospective • Look through the photo gallery where you might be students in “liking” our UNI International Admissions able to find a photo or two of you www.uni.edu/ Facebook page UNIInternational internationalservices/programs-and-activities/ • Follow the latest campus news and enjoy entertaining photo-gallery features at: • Our weekly electronic newsletter is still going strong! Check out the archive at www.uni.edu/internationalservices/ uniadmission isso-newsletter-archives or e-mail us at international. northerniowa [email protected] if you would like to start receiving it.

universityofnortherniowa UNI.ISSO

ISSO-UNI

4 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ALUMNI UPDATES:

Dr. Jason Lau Ashim Lamichhane (’06, Nepal) works at Rockwell Collins in (B.A. ‘99/M.A. Dr. Jason Lau and family Cedar Rapids, Iowa as a Senior Engineering. He was married to 02, ) Sraddha on July 13, 2013. Congratulations Ashim! works as Director of Community Maxim Glebov (’08, Russia) is a Project Manager at Sulzer in Education, Lifelong Moscow, Russia. Learning and International Sundeep Purushotham (‘08, India) is working as a Quality Education at Process Engineer at Guilford by Lear Corporation in North College of Marin Carolina. in Kentfield, California. He was Gleidson Gouveia (’09, Brazil) is a William S Duffy Doctoral honored with UNI’s Fellow in the College of Education at the University of Iowa. Heritage Honours Young Alumnus Ranya Ahmed (‘09, Bahrain) is a Research Assistant, Institute Award in 2011 and of Public Policy at the University of Missouri where she is welcomed a new earning her PhD. baby girl, Hayley Lau into the family Eddie Almonte (’09, Dominican Republic) is serving as a in September…. Escalations Case Manager for Sony Mobile North America and FUTURE PANTHER! a Bilingual Receptionist at the Dean’s office of the Universidad Autonoma De Santo Domingo (UASD) in Santo Domingo, Emiliano Lerda (‘04, Argentina) serves as the Executive Dominican Republic. Director of Justice for Our Neighbors in Omaha, Nebraska. Ashveen Chakravarthy Sekaran (‘10, Malaysia) is the Director of Finance in SYABS Private Limited and the Director of SYABS Group of Companies, Ashim Lamichhane and his new wife KL. He has also been organizing charity concerts around the nation in aid of the Sri Lankan war torn children.

Polina Bogomolova (‘11, Russia) is studying Energy, Resources, and Environment at Johns Hopkins SAIS.

Yi Shin Chan (’11, Malaysia) is an Actuarial Executive at Lonpac Insurance Bhd in .

Ali Algarrous (‘11, Saudi Arabia) works for Saudi Aramco as a Microsoft Exchange Server Administration and Blackberry Enterprise Administrator.

Michael Graham (’12, UK) is teaching at a Sixth Form College as a subject leader in Geography and is helping us to promote UNI to his students!!

Catherine Aujong (’13, ) works at McDonald’s as an Associate Platform Support Analyst.

5 UNI ALUMNA BRINGS BUSINESS SKILLS It was in where Oeawpanich saw advertisements for the upcoming show “The Apprentice .” A fan of the American version, admiring Fernandes and always looking for TO PRIME TIME new opportunities and challenges, she decided to apply. Of the 30,000 applicants, Oeawpanich was asked to be one of 12 contestants on the show’s debut season. Half a world away in the tourist hot spot of Khao Lak, Thailand, On the season premiere, Oeawpanich helped her team secure you will find a bustling little bistro. Fizz Bistro-n-Bar hosts a victory using her knowledge of sales and the hospitality a score of raving reviews, fawning over everything from its business. In the second episode, she stepped up to lead her fantastic service to its enchanting dishes, both local and team as the project international. While dinning, you might even get a peek at a manager, and again, reality TV star. claimed another Dussadee Oeawpanich, owner of the bistro, recently competed victory. As the show on AXN’s “.” The show is the latest of more progressed, however, than 25 adaptations of the popular American show “The tensions began to rise. Apprentice,” hosted by real estate billionaire Donald Trump. But, “In real life, when I get instead of competing for a position working under Trump, the stressed, I need time to 12 contestants vie for a six-figure salaried position under Tony be alone, just breath Fernandes, CEO of the airline AirAsia. and reflect on my day before starting again But, long before her time on “The Apprentice Asia,” or opening tomorrow,” she said. her hit restaurant, Oeawpanich spent her days in Cedar Falls, But during the show pursuing her degree at the University of Northern Iowa, an she couldn’t find such experience, she said, “was one of the best of my life.” luxuries. “There was so After graduating with her bachelor’s degree from Bangkok much noise. There was University, Oeawpanich wanted to study in the United States- no privacy at all, not -something she had wanted to do since she first visited as an even for a second.” exchange student at the age of 15. While shopping around the Eventually, Oeawpanich made the difficult decision to resign. “I different schools, she met Kristi Marchesani, assistant director resigned from the show, not the competition,” she said. “For me, of admissions/international relations, who eventually sold her it was more of a show than a business interview. I had to be an on the idea of the studying at UNI. actor, and I’m not good at that.” “UNI is lively, but it is different from what I expected from a U.S. Her resignation came as a shock to Fernandes, who campus,” said Oeawpanich, who had originally been looking immediately responded, “No, no, no, no! Why?” claiming at schools on the coasts. But she fell in love with the campus she had the potential to go all the way. She explained the anyway. She said the small size allowed her to focus on her atmosphere of the show didn’t fit her business style, citing the studies, and her professors were some of the best. In fact, she overly competitive nature and the contestants’ disrespect for still keeps in contact with some of her professors, including one one another. Fernandes accepted and respected her decision who provided a reference that helped land her a spot on the and allowed her to leave the show. show. “Before I went I wasn’t 100 percent confident, but after seeing After graduating in 2002 with her M.A. in communication all these people and how hungry they were to work with Tony studies, Oeawpanich followed her ambitions south to New [Fernandes], well, I guess I’m a bit different. Now, I’m debating Orleans where she lived until Hurricane Katrina forced her to between peacefulness and success. After ‘The Apprentice [Asia],’ evacuate. Losing everything to the storm, she returned home I know to have success in life you have to be competitive and to Thailand where her father, a shrimp-farm owner looking fierce, but you don’t have to step on each other.” to diversify his income, had just opened a hotel in the new tourist destination of Khao Lak. She seized the opportunity, Back at the bistro, Oeawpanich still watches the show, and stepping in to help manage her father’s business, where her hopes fellow contestant Jonathan Yabut will claim top spot knowledge and skill helped make the hotel a success. “Timing come season’s end. As for her future, she said she is still seeking was everything,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the hurricane, I would new ventures. “I still want more, but something I can enjoy still be in the States.” every day of my life.”

6 Office of International Admissions 002 Gilchrist Hall, University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614-0018 U.S.A.

Telephone: 319-273-2281 | Fax: 319-273-2885 Undergraduate Email: [email protected] Graduate Email: [email protected]