Temple international students come here from over 115 countries, but all are united by the life-changing experience of studying at Temple and in the US. For some students, what makes a difference is the diverse friends they make. For others it is an influential professor, the participative nature of classes, the real-world experience they gain or the support they receive. The reasons are endless.
These videos evolved from a discussion with international student leaders. When we talked to them about our desire to profile Temple students from a variety of different countries, they suggested that we focus on the personal and academic adventure that Temple provides. We followed their advice and asked students, several now alumni, how being a Temple student made a difference in their lives. Students could not say enough on the subject.
Watch the videos below and hear from a few of our international students and recent alumni on how being a Temple international student has guided and helped them develop into the people they are today.
Boosting confidence and growth
“I had in mind coming to a university that was diverse and just like full of experiences and people that I had never interacted with before because I knew that was going to be something that really boosted my growth. It was going to change me in a completely different way. It’s really allowed me to feel more confident in myself.”
– Fernando Gaxiola, from Mexico
Communication & Social Influence with a minor in Community Development, BA ’24
Learning about journalism up close
“The greatest thing about my education here at Temple has been being able to experience all the different areas (of journalism) and getting in touch with people who actually know how it is to work in the field.”
– Renata Kaminski, from Brazil
Journalism, BA ’22
Developing as a leader and a critical thinker
“If I had to focus on one particular area of development, I would say it definitely made me a better leader and a more critical thinker because my position in Temple Student Government and my experience in the Diamond college program has really impacted my ability to lead a team of people and work independently to solve a number of problems.”
– Yesh Khanna, from India
Global Studies, BA ’23
Leaving one's comfort zone
“I was able to attend some of the career fairs and conferences and meet some of the brightest minds in the sports industry. More importantly, I really stepped out of my comfort zone.”
– Yuchen Wang, from China
Sport Business, MSSB ’23
Learning from diversity
“I see a lot of people that don’t look the same as me and who may speak different languages. So yeah, this is a welcoming campus. People get to show and express their own identity. I do think I’ve learned a lot from people of other ethnic and cultural backgrounds.”
– Alan Lu, from Taiwan
Media Studies and Production, MS ’22
Finding one's place
“My experience here at Temple has absolutely made me a different person…I’ve learned something new every day…, not just in classes but also from the people, from the students, from my faculty, and just from being here…I found my people and I found my place here…and I believe that you will…as well.”
– Jay Thien Nguyen, from Vietnam
Musical Theater Studies, MA ’23
Shaping the best version of self
“Temple made me a little more extroverted than I used to be. It taught me a lot of skills that I used later in the interview process as well as the work-searching process. You have to present yourself to the best version you can be, and Temple definitely, made me that.”
– Mariia Prikhodko, from Russia and Thailand
Risk Management and Insurance and Management and Information Systems, BA ’22
Improving self through differences
“I’ve made tons of friends from different countries from around the world. And that experience itself has made me explore different cultures, different religions and look at stuff from a different way. That itself has made me a better person.”
– Dom (Abdullah) Arishi, from Saudi Arabia
Computer Science, BA ’22
Networking leads to a dream job
“Temple offers a lot of international student events where you get to know other people. They taught me a lot about networking–it’s about the people you know and always showing your best self to the people who help you. I’ve had the opportunity to meet a lot of people working for Global Programs, International Admissions, and also getting my dream internship through Temple.”
– Shannon Klaij, from the Netherlands
Sport Business, MS ’22
Be sure to catch the full, extended interviews on our Global Temple YouTube page.
To learn about the internships of some of these students, read our previous article here.
Video editing by William Ferreira De Olivera, Jr., Global Engagement Video Intern, ‘22-’23
Video Interviews by Quan Anh Tran, Global Engagement Video Intern, Spring 2022 and
Ivy Nguyen, Past Marketing Coordinator, Global Engagement
Quotes compiled by Ashley Phifer, Administrative Coordinator, Global Engagement