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Colleges and universities across the country are seeing steep declines in the numbers of international students enrolling for the fall term, as the Trump administration tightens restrictions on student visas and has imposed bans on citizens of certain countries traveling to the U.S.
Nationwide, colleges and universities are projected to see an estimated 35 percent decrease in new international student enrollment, according to the online publication Inside Higher Ed. But, little Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato is bucking that trend and is welcoming its largest incoming class of international students ever.
The fall semester is already underway at Bethany Lutheran, and it can be hard enough for new students to find their way around and feel comfortable on the small Mankato campus. Add to that inflamed tensions over immigration, and being thousands of miles from home, and you can understand why many international students would stay away.
As fellow students walk by him on their way to class or to eat lunch at Old Main Hall, sophomore Amani Kyavuyrwe said he’s back for his second year away from his home in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and acknowledges a little uneasiness about his return.
Kyavuyrwe said he was nervous at first with the current climate surrounding immigrants and the highly publicized incidents involving the revocation of international student visas. But Bethany Lutheran staff helped ease his concerns.
“The school made sure that everything went well, they were here for us,” he said. “Everything will be fine. We’re here for you. If you have any questions, don’t be scared to text us or to come see us in the office.”
Nonetheless, the computer science major says his parents still worry.
“My family (is) a little bit scared… since all of the problems happened,” he said, referring to the Trump administration’s stepped up immigration enforcement and the detainment of immigrants, some of whom appear to be here legally.
But Kyavuyrwe, 18, says he prepared himself well and he seems confident he’s doing the right thing.
“I just tell them don’t be worried, because I’m a grown man right now. I have to do everything by myself, so I can handle it,” Kyavuyrwe told MPR News. “So, if something arise[s], I know what I have to do, so I just tell them to… don’t be worried about it.”
Bethany Lutheran College officials say they work hard to provide a welcoming environment and to reassure students and their families that they are safe here. And that effort has paid off.
“This class is by far the largest international class that Bethany has brought in,” said Jeffrey Lemke, vice President of admissions and communications at the school. He said international student enrollment is up a whopping 50 percent this term.
“Part of that is just reassuring students that some of the items that have made the news with a crackdown on immigration and other things, is not the full reality of the international student experience here, and that many students are still enjoying their studies abroad,” Lemke said.
He added that Bethany has prioritized consistent growth and retention of international students over the last decade, so they’re now 20 percent of the school’s total student population.
“It is impressive how local students really are gravitating toward rubbing shoulders with students from all over the world, and how that has positively impacted our local enrollment,” Lemke said. “They have a global higher ed experience right here in Mankato, and that’s an outstanding thing to have as a part of your education.”
Official numbers won’t be confirmed or published until next week. Nick Cook, director of international partnerships for Bethany’s admissions department, said out of the more than 900 students enrolled for the fall semester, about 150 of them are coming from 35 countries outside of the U.S. That’s a much higher proportion than most other private schools in the state, where international students make up about 5 percent of their enrollment, on average, according to the Minnesota Private College Council.
However, Cook said some of Bethany’s international students are encountering challenges due to federal visa restrictions and disruptions, and the wait for students to get an appointment is “taking a little bit more than usual.”
“There’s even a student right now who is a returning student that might have to take a semester away and resume her studies this upcoming January or next August,” Cook said. “Just because after going home, if your visa has expired, then you’re going to have to get your visa renewed. And if the visa appointment wait time is a little bit long, then you know you might not get to study this semester.”
Decline in international students may wallop U.S. economy
The National Association of International Educators (NAFSA) is projecting new student enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities will plummet 30 percent to 40 percent this year, which the organization estimates would deprive local economies of $7 billion in spending, supporting more than 60,000 jobs. The cost to the Minnesota economy is projected to be $77 million.
Some international students on Bethany Lutheran’s campus Thursday didn’t seem too concerned about the political climate, and were more focused on finding their way to class on time.
Abigail Beyene, 18, recently arrived from Ethiopia to start her freshman year at Bethany and she says she loves being on campus with her older sister Edna, who is a sophomore.
Beyene says she’s not deterred from the travel bans and the visa restrictions. She wants to focus on achieving her dreams of earning her degree and becoming a travel nurse.
“I have a great support system from my mom, my dad, my sister, so I wasn’t really that scared,” Beyene said. “Honestly speaking, it was OK. But, still as a person, you never know.”
Beyene says she’s incredibly excited about the new school year at Bethany and every new thing she’ll experience this year in Mankato, including a Minnesota winter, and seeing snow for the first time.
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