Near East and South Asian Undergraduate Exchange (NESA) Program

The scope of international students attending Clarion University changed during the 2007-08 university year thanks to a partnership with Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Department of State.

“Last summer Georgetown contacted Clarion about its interest in participating in the Near East and South Asian Undergraduate Exchange (NESA) program,” explained Dr. Jocelind Gant, assistant to the president for social equity and director of international programs. “Georgetown had placed Panamanian students at Clarion prior to 1998 and wanted to continue the cooperation.”

The U.S. Department of State is the sponsoring agency of the Near East and South Asia Undergraduate Exchange Program that is administered by Georgetown University's Center for Intercultural Education and Development. The NESA program offers full scholarships to outstanding students from the Near East and South Asia for one semester or one academic year of non-degree undergraduate study in the United States at accredited two- and four-year institutions. For the 2007- 08 academic year, approximately 150 students participate at 15 U.S. institutions of higher education.

Based on Georgetown’s interest in collaborating with Clarion University, Gant followed up with a letter to Georgetown in which Clarion agreed to accept and meet the institutional responsibilities of the NESA Program. Some of these responsibilities include:

Identifying a mentor to the students, collect proper documentation, provide housing on campus, pair each participant with an American student, provide a comprehensive meal plan with provisions for religious specific or other dietary needs, administer the allocation of participant allowances, provide a comprehensive campus orientation, assign an academic advisor, enroll participants in a full-time course of study supporting their declared field of study including one course per semester in U.S. studies, provide tutorial services as needed, engage participants in enrichment activities including 20 hours of community service, and ensure participants a practical, supervised internship.

Clarion opted into the 10-month program. “Clarion requested academic year students,” said Lynn Hepfl, who serves as the mentor for the NESA students once they arrive on campus. “Many students who come from the Near East and South Asian have never experienced winter before. It is difficult for them to adjust if they arrive in January, so it is better for them to be here starting in August.”

Eight NESA students arrived for the Fall 2007 semester, two from Egypt, and one each from Oman, Yeman, Lebanon, Tunisia, Pakistan, and India. A second Pakistani student, who had VISA problems the first semester, joined the group for the Spring 2008 semester. Three other students assigned to come to Clarion were unable to do so because of visa-related issues in the Gaza.

The NESA students go through orientation with the rest of Clarion’s incoming students and a separate orientation conducted by Gant and Hepfl. Hepfl then doubles as mentor to the students and liaison with Georgetown, completing all of the required paperwork for the program, and making sure the students meet the specific requirements of the program.

“I make sure they go to classes, have housing and food arrangements, including special dietary needs,” said Hepfl. “I work with some of them on a daily basis and I want them in here talking to me. I’ve become very close to them. These are top-notch students, who have applied for and competed for scholarships to be here. They are an excellent group and add a lot to the University.”

The matter of faith had to be addressed. All of the students are Muslim and were placed in contact with faculty and staff members of the same belief. One of the first things the new students did was to reactivate the Muslim Student Association, which had ceased to function following the attrition of Muslim students at Clarion. Under the advisory of Dr. Yasser Ayed, associate professor of earth science, the Muslim Student Association has sponsored several programs to aid others in understanding Islam, while also participating in the Interfaith Roundtable sponsored by the Clarion University Catholic Campus Ministry.

One of the NESA students, Danish Iqbal of India, will return home with a positive experience.

“A teacher told me about the NESA program,” said Iqbal. “I had to rush to get the transcript and statement of purpose done to apply for the program. My stay has been very good. My classes and teachers are very good and I got to know things I never knew before. There has been good interaction in the classroom on issues.”

Iqbal faced an adjustment in coming to Clarion, a place he had never heard of before being assigned. Coming from a small town in India helped with the adjustment period.

“I’ve been away from home for eight years, so being away was not a problem,” he said. “This is a good opportunity to be exposed to new things and it has been a good experience for me.”

Being paired with a non-international Clarion University student was also beneficial. “It has been very helpful,” he evaluated. “I got to learn the lifestyle by living with a U.S. student.”

Iqbal has been active with the Political Economy Club and the Muslim Student Association. “I got to know people in a different way during these activities,” he said. “The Muslim Student Association gave us a way to present our own perspectives to the rest of campus.”

Gant finds the program a win win situation for everyone involved.

“NESA enhances Clarion University’s mission to internationalize the campus and promote global competency,” she said. “The best way to do this is to recruit students from around the world. Participating in NESA has helped Clarion to recruit some international students that it otherwise would not have recruited after 9/11. The State Department wants students from the Near East and South Asia to become more familiar with American traditions and cultures.”

Dr. David Gifford, director of NESA for Georgetown University, recently visited Clarion and was pleased with the manner in which the students had acclimated themselves to their new environment.

“Clarion University has welcomed and embraced these students,” said Gant. “There has been a positive feedback from the faculty who had the students in their classes.”

While the current NESA students will all leave at the conclusion of classes in May, Gant anticipates 14 new students to replace them in Fall 2008, dependent upon visa issues.