International student recruitment agency drops out of deal with Shepherd.
By WESTLEY ELKINS
September 3, 2016
(THE PICKET) – An international student recruitment agency has dropped out of a joint venture with Shepherd University and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
The agency, Navitas, who would recruit international students to the university, notified Shepherd late in the summer that it would not pursue a contract with Shepherd and the HEPC. While a Navitas spokesman declined to comment on their decision to back out, the retreat was announced after reviewing Shepherd’s business model for the partnership.
The recruiting venture would have been a joint effort between Navitas, Shepherd University, and the Higher Education Policy Commission.
“Shepherd continues to recruit international students through our undergraduate and graduate admissions programs and through the use of a few carefully selected international agents,” said Christopher Ames, the university provost. “We have added an intensive English language program beginning this fall, which will assist non-native English speaking international students in their transition to Shepherd and enhance our ability to recruit and attain such students.”
Ames detailed how Shepherd University will continue to recruit international students. The university will look to work with select embassies in Washington D.C. and with international communities in the region.
According to Duke Today, as more international students enroll in U.S. colleges, their American classmates learn about other cultures. American students who interact with international students are more likely to appreciate art and literature, and have their viewpoints reexamined.
“This fall, we enrolled 15 new international students representing 14 countries,” said Ames, “reflecting a threefold increase over previous years.”
Westley Elkins is a staff writer for the Picket. He can be reached by email at jelkin01@rams.shepherd.edu or followed on Twitter @WesElkins.
Leave a Reply