Abroad to the Boro

Statesboro? How’d you get to

Nestled firmly in the heart of the Bible belt and just as firmly stuck in the stigma of the South Georgia lifestyle, Georgia Southern has earned itself a reputation as a fun-loving place. The trucks may be a little bigger here, the nights might get a little rowdier, the women may be a little prettier, but we prefer to keep it that way. What isn’t mutually exclusive to the university, however, is the type of people that go here.

Sure, we’ve got our Vineyard Vines-clad frat stars and long tee-shirted blond haired Southern belles, but what we don’t do here is exclude people who want to be a part of our culture. Who could blame somebody for wanting to run with the Eagles ‘til their heart turns True Blue? We welcome all newcomers with open arms and a tray of Cookout, just like our Eagle brethren before us. This is so true, in fact, that GS has become a major multicultural hub for students seeking the finest education the world over. Our office of admissions boasts that scholars from around 90 countries have chosen to call Statesboro their home, and they each have a unique story to tell of how they ended up here.

Fine young students like pre-nursing major Okonkwo Valentine Ekene, who came all the way from Lagos, Nigeria, journey here to take advantage of our stellar academics. Ekene says he came here after researching our prestigious nursing program and may plan on using his degree to one day become an anesthetist.

What our global students may not have been able to research though is just how in love they would fall with the school when they arrived.

“My favorite thing about Georgia Southern is what the motto says—it’s large scale, small feel,” said Ekene on the admissions website, “This is one of the unique qualities that makes Georgia Southern what it is.”

He is not alone in that sentiment. The GS area also caught the eye of 21-year-old senior marketing major Eugenia Tan. Originally born and raised in Singapore, Tan received a scholarship to the university for track and field. What struck her most about the town was how laid back and full of that trademark southern charm the residents were.

“Statesboro is a cute little town, very southern,” Tan continued, “People here are really nice and friendly. Especially my teammates, without even knowing who I am.” No stranger to competition on the track field, Tan also let out that she was happy to find a break from the high stress lifestyle back home.

“It’s just nice not having to rush all the time and having a packed schedule every day because in Singapore we are living a very competitive lifestyle,” Tan said, “It’s just nice having time to chill with my friends and having plenty of alone time too.”

If a slow-paced lifestyle is Tan’s ideal way to spend her time, then she must simply adore the new Burkhalter roundabout. She denied to comment. Jokes aside, for a town of only 30,000 people to have so many different walks of life being represented, it is a unique situation to be presented with. The outside world may view the south as being a culturally insensitive place, and in some ways it can be, but many of these immigrants have found that they are met with kindness instead. Through genuine Southern hospitality and specifically though integration programs at GS, our little city is a breeding ground for cultural understanding and acceptance through new friendships.

There are many organizations related to the office of International Programs and Services that allow for diverse students to get to know one another. Events like the international conversation hour and the annual international festival provide a platform for residents to get a taste for other cultures and to explain their own. By opening a dialogue between our foreign friends and the local grown Georgians, the two can come to grasp what their university ultimately is, a place to experience the world. By: Casey Rohlen “My favorite thing about Georgia Southern is what the motto says—it’s large scale, small feel” - Okonkwo Ekene

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