We choose to enter this world of academia for our own reasons. For some, it was expected – the natural next step after receiving a high-school diploma. For others, they may be first-generation college students, the first in their family to seek higher education … or perhaps they’re here for graduate school or athletics, recruited to play for one of Webster’s many decorated sports teams.
Or maybe, you flew across mountains and sea, uprooting your life and leaving your family, to enter the “land of opportunity.” You stepped off the plane with a suitcase of clothing, keepsakes and a whole lot of hope that Webster University would be a good home to you.
If this is you, welcome! Webster is better off with you, and The Webster Journal’s goal with this special edition, Destination: Webster, is to help tell the pieces of your story that might not be seen behind the big statistics.
If this isn’t you, keep reading. You might just find that the student from Nepal seated to your right in math class gave up a lot to sit beside you. You might gain a better understanding of the nearly 1,900 international students you dine with, live with and learn with.
Webster University saw its largest-ever class of international students this academic year, contributing to a 27% increase in enrollment throughout the entire university system. These new arrivals now make up a third of the student body at Webster University’s main campus in Webster Groves.
The history of Webster making waves with international enrollment is not new. In 1919, Webster welcomed its first two international students from France. This was highly unusual for a school that was not an Ivy League institution.
Now, it seems that to survive as a private, nonprofit university amid growing financial strife, international recruitment is a beacon of hope for a sustained future. This is the case for Webster.
Within Destination: Webster, you will find context to this massive spike in international enrollment. You will read about the educators who are working to make their classrooms more accessible, and about students who are making Webster more like home.
Destination: Webster offers a glimpse into the lives of our classmates, students and friends who form the shifting identity of Webster University.
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