Louisian bags int’l student body award

Friday, January 20, 2012

TO EXCEL academically regardless of language, skin color and cultural differences is something to be proud of. Thus, foreign students enrolled in various educational institutions in the country who excel despite the numerous barriers they encounter are really something to celebrate about.

The difficulties in communicating and establishing pleasant relationships with their schoolmates, teachers and other foreign students, efforts to understand the Filipino culture and practices, including their own apprehension about being socially acceptable in a foreign land are just some of these barriers.

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Depending on various factors and situations, however, there are those who easily hurdle these obstacles and eventually excel all the more in a foreign land.

Samuel Appiah Kusi, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration-Business Economics student of Saint Louis University (SLU) who hails from Ghana, won a slot in the 42th National Search for the Three Most Outstanding International Students in the Philippines 2011.

From among SLU’s foreign students enrolled this school year 2011-2012, the university selected Kusi to compete based on his academic excellence, leadership qualities, school and community involvement, and adjustment to the Philippines.

The annual search culminated in an awarding program in Baguio City last December coinciding with the 8th Philippine International Friendship Organization national conference themed “Engaging Students from Different Cultures: Nosebleed or Blessing?” which marked PIFO’s 59th founding anniversary.

Sam revealed much about himself during an interview. “I grew up in Ghana with my parents and two older sisters. I have an immense interest in learning new things especially those I am clueless about. When I start something, I finish it rather than just doing it halfway or undone. That is why people say that I am diligent and devoted to successfully accomplishing my goals,” he said.

SLU has currently a total of 253 international students representing 26 countries as of this second semester of SY 2011-2012. The Koreans, Americans, and Chinese form the three largest foreign student groups in SLU.

Since 1991, SLU has produced nine outstanding international students, namely, Lee King Tang (BSC) of Malaysia in 1991, Monisha Rajbhandari (BS-ECE) of Nepal in 1994, Yeon Koo Hong (BS Social Work) of Korea in 1998, Dinesh Shilpakar (BS-ECE) of Nepal in 2000, Young Han Kim (BSC) of Korea in 2003, Prajwol Bhurtel (BSMT) of Nepal in 2005, Chan Mi Park (BA English) of Korea in 2006 and Debbie Manandhar (BMLS) of Nepal in 2007.

“I easily adapt to any change in the environment. This is attributed to how I was raised and nurtured by my parents. I am kind-hearted, sincere and warm. My daily interaction with people of different backgrounds has raised my consciousness, thus making me more open-minded,” Kusi frankly added.

“The years that I have spent in the Philippines made me more observant about the intricate details and aspects of Filipino culture and I consider myself lucky to be able to witness many Filipino customs. I was able to tackle these with the help of my teachers, classmates and friends who gave me friendship beyond comprehension and warmth to reduce my homesickness and loneliness,” he concluded.

The other two awardees this year are Baraka Muvuka from Silliman University who is from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Moses Yesubi Yoseph, a Tanzanian from the Adventist University of the Philippines. It is the first time in the history of the search that the three slots were awarded to students hailing from Africa.

Far Eastern University and PIFO co-hosted the final screening of the search in November last year. PIFO screened the 12 finalists further through individual interviews, a written examination, extemporaneous speech, and a talent portion.

PIFO is a private, non-stock and non-profit organization that helps foreign students and introduces them to different aspects of Philippine life and culture, while at the same time exposing Filipinos to the life and culture of foreign students.

PIFO was conceived in 1952 when Ben Mahinay formed the “Welcome Strangers Club of the Philippines” with initially about 40 foreign students from UP, FEU, UST, and MIT. Three years later, the club was incorporated and renamed as the Philippine International Friendship Organization.

PIFO’s search for the three most outstanding international students in the Philippines aims to identify leadership potential and capabilities and encourage social consciousness among foreign students; promote international friendship and understanding; and motivate them to achieve academic excellence, share leadership skills and social involvement experiences, and nurture friendship, understanding, and peace.

The search is open to all undergraduate international students.