They hail from 10 countries and five continents, they represent numerous cultures, and they possess a wide range of interests and aspirations. But they share one important thing in common: they are members of the historic, first class of FDU-Vancouver.

“It’s great to know that you’re part of the first class,” said Hiram Cabrera Ortiz from Mexico. “We’ve been getting a lot of attention, and the faculty and staff are supporting us and pushing us to work really hard.”

Javier Torres, who was born in Bogota, Colombia, says that he wanted to find a multinational university where he could meet people from different nations. “Here, we have people from places like Zimbabwe, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and others. It’s very exciting, and we are becoming like a family.”

“When you walk the halls of the new FDU-Vancouver campus, you get a taste of what Peter Sammartino and the students and staff were experiencing in the early days of the University,” says Fairleigh Dickinson University President J. Michael Adams. “It’s a small group right now, and they feel they are building something special. There’s a great spirit of camaraderie, a sense that everyone is in this together — students, faculty and administrators.”

“We’re delighted with the academic credentials, diverse backgrounds and pioneering spirit of our inaugural class,” says FDU-Vancouver Campus Provost Ian Haslam. “These young scholars will play a major role in shaping the campus lifestyle, initiating student organizations and helping to further define the character of Fairleigh Dickinson University.”

“Consider a degree program from America, placing it in an international community, with a group of ambitious international students — then spice it up with international faculty and staff and throw in engaging pedagogical technologies — and you might just end up with a world citizen.”
— Ian Haslam, FDU-Vancouver Campus Provost

The campus is designed primarily for international students and initially offers undergraduate degrees in business management and information technology. With a diverse group of faculty and staff, small class sizes, state-of-the-art facilities and intensive student support services, Adams says the campus provides international students an excellent opportunity to earn a high-quality undergraduate degree from a prestigious American university, while living and studying in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. The campus also offers study-abroad opportunities for students from the University’s New Jersey campuses.

As Adams describes, “FDU-Vancouver extends our global mission to connect with other countries and cultures and to prepare world citizens who can succeed in a world marked by diversity, interdependence and rapid change.”

“This campus is about infusing global learning into the educational model,” says Christopher Capuano, the vice provost for international affairs and director of the School of Psychology on the Metropolitan Campus. “Global is front and center at FDU-Vancouver.”

next …

Going Global | The Place to Be | The People
The Heart of the Matter | Leaving their Mark
Creating the Campus

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©Copyright 2008 Fairleigh Dickinson University. All rights reserved.

For a print copy of FDU Magazine, featuring this and other stories, contact Rebecca Maxon, editor,
201-692-7024 or maxon@fdu.edu.