International Students at Tennessee Tech: 1 Year in the United States

PHOTO STORY by Pavel Koshkin

1. International students Elvin Mammadov (Azerbaijan), Oleg Volosovich (Ukraine) and Akjamlal Artykova (Turkmenistan) are enjoying the first day at the TTU campus. They came to the campus as exchange students, the participants of the Global UGRAD program, sponsored by U.S. Department of State and administrated by International Exchange and Research Board (IREX).


2. American students are meeting international students with hospitality. Jeremy Lowe from the United States is greeting Akjamal Artykova from Turkmenistan.


3. What brings together international students is the food. They are talking about their backgrounds and home countries in the Tennessee Tech’s cafeteria. Left-Right: Akjamal Atrykova (Turkmenustan), Milan Lakicevic(Montenegro) and Monish Patel (Canada)



4. Charles Wilkerson, the director of Tech’s International Students Office, is responsible for students recruitment. About five times per year he goes to different countries to recruit international students from China, Japan, India, Malasya, South Korea, United Arabian Emirates.


5. The study and preparation to exams require from international students a lot of time. Elvin Mammadov from Azerbaijan is preparing for his classes.


6. What international students like most is the weekend which gives them an opportunity to communicate and to know each other better. Left-Right: Oleg Volosovich (Ukraine ), Katharina Klippel (Germany), Bok Kyun Choi (South Korea), Noman Sajjad (Pakistan)


7. Steve Ngwira from Malawi is the resident assistant in the Ms Cooper Residence Hall which brings together Tech’s International Students. He is responsible for the the 4-th floor. Every time he is very helpful and responsive.


8. International students are decorating Ms Cooper Residence Hall on the eve of Halloween. Some of them celebrated this holiday for the first time. In the first picture is Fabian Leiprecht from Germany. In the second picture is Akjamal Artykova from Turkmenistan.





9. Community service: Elvin Mammadov from Azerbaijan volunteered to help at the Cookeville Children’s Museum.


Senad Ibraimoski from Serbia also likes to help as a volunteer, especially at such events like the 2010 Fall Fun Fest.


10. Country Presentation:
Elvin Mammadov is presenting his home country in Cookeville’s Avery Trace Middle School and at the Windows of the World International Fair that brings together all international students studying at Tennessee Tech.




11. WOW (Windows of the World Festival). Preparation.



The 2011 WOW Fair is in full swing.







Russia at the 2011 WOW Fair



12. After this wonderful American experience all exchange students (including me) have to go back to their home countries. Everybody is a little bit sad. In the picture is Elvin Mammadov (front) and Salma Aman from Pakistan (background).



P. S. As a result of communication with international students their American counterparts are exposed. They are much more interested in world cultures. In the picture is William Sheckler