University Lauded for Commitment to International Students

As a dentist, Niharika Pathak '23 MHA wanted to make a positive impact on the lives of others. When she decided to pursue her Master of Healthcare Administration, she began researching programs, discovering the University of New Haven's Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) accreditation. She was excited to find a "really great MHA program" that had attained such an important accreditation.

Pathak made the decision to come to the U.S. from her native India to continue her education as a Charger. She has immersed herself in the culture of the University – and the United States – getting involved in a variety of organizations such as the Graduate Student Council (GSC) and the Society of Healthcare Administration.

An intern with the New Haven Health Department, Pathak has continued to grow academically and as a leader during her time at the University. While working on her capstone project, she collaborated with the chief financial officer of Gaylord Hospital, presenting her project to hospital leadership. She and her professor, Pavani Rangachari, Ph.D., CPH, also recently studied healthcare utilization for childhood asthma, publishing their findings in an article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH).

Pathak says that while the transition to life as a graduate student in a new country was, at times, challenging, she found support at the University that enabled her to feel confident in her ability to excel.

"Initially, I remember struggling a lot with my writing, citations, in particular," she said. "My professor advised me to visit the Writing Center, and they helped me to understand the basics of everything. Another resource that helped me was the Career Development Center. As I came from India, I found that there are a lot of differences between Indian resumes and cover letters, compared to how they are done in the United States."

Pathak is one of a significant and growing international student population to have found an invaluable educational experience and a supportive environment at the University. The website College Factual, which provides information about higher education institutions and programs to students and other constituents, recently ranked the University particularly highly for popularity among international students.

Ranking the University 188th out of 1,279 institutions, the website noted that more than 40 countries are represented on campus, with the largest number of international students from India, China, and Saudi Arabia.

For Mohammed Rehan Syed '23 M.S., it was the quality of the University's graduate program in industrial engineering and the support of the program adviser he was in touch with before deciding to come to the U.S. that helped him make his decision.

"Easy access to University resources, such as the library and the Career Development Center, as well as supportive professors, have really helped me prepare for what is coming after graduation," said Syed, a graduate assistant in the University's Graduate Admissions Office. "Being able to learn about different cultures and spending time on campus participating in different activities are what I have enjoyed the most in my journey. I feel confident and excited to graduate from the University."

College Factual also included the University among its top 30 percent of total colleges and universities for providing a quality educational experience to international students.

For Prateek Mansingh '23 MHA, it was the outstanding programs that initially attracted him to the University. Like Pathak, he was also impressed by the MHA program's CAHME accreditation, as well as the fact that it received full accreditation for the maximum term of seven years.

President of the GSC and executive vice president of the University's Society of Healthcare Administration chapter, Mansingh has grown as a leader. He has also immersed himself in the University and local communities, serving as a COVID-19 contact tracer for the Connecticut Department of Public Health. He has been an active member of a variety of organizations and programs, both at the University and in the healthcare field.

Mansingh, who will be inducted as a member of the national healthcare management and policy honors society Upsilon Phi Delta later this spring, says he's grateful for the supportive atmosphere and the welcoming environment he has experienced while at the University.

"My time at the University has been marked by a feeling of belonging, a feeling we call Charger Pride," he said. "I am fiercely proud to be a Charger, and it runs in my blood. I have made more students feel at home here by a number of initiatives. I like to give back to the University that has given me priceless experiences for a lifetime by participating in various committees and by implementing changes that will positively influence the graduate student experience for the years to come."

The University draws international students not just from Asia but from around the world – including South America. Lady Miranda Delgado '24 MBA, a native of Peru, was interested in the University because it offers a STEM-designated MBA – and because of its proximity to New York and Boston positions her near myriad "top places to work."

Vice president for public relations for the GSC and a peer tutor for the Center for Learning Resources, Delgado says the support she's received from faculty, staff, and students as well as the variety of events and organizations that enable students to share their cultures while immersing themselves in American traditions have made the challenge of moving to a new country "more enjoyable.

"I love being a Charger," she continued. "The number of international students in graduate programs makes me feel a sense of community. I love the multicultural activities that allow me to interact with the culture of my beloved friends who basically adopt me and make me part of their family, especially my Indian friends, Irani friends, American friends, and Bangladeshi roommates. I've learned a few words in Hindi and Bangla, and I teach them some words in Spanish."

College Factual recognized that several of the University's engineering programs were especially popular among international students – such as electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering. For Temitope Akerele '23 M.S., a candidate in the University's engineering and operations management program who hails from Nigeria, it was the focus of the mechanical and industrial engineering programs that initially interested him.

Akerele's goal is to become an expert in continuous improvement, and the program's design and goals resonated with him. He says the choice was easy, and that what he's learned in the classroom has been especially timely as the pandemic has disrupted the supply chain and business and manufacturing operations.

When he joined Charger Nation, Akerele felt connected to his fellow students as well as his professors. He began volunteering and got involved with several recognized student organizations, serving as president of the University's Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers chapter and the African Graduate Student Association.

"My time on campus has made me realize there is sophistication in diversity," he said. "Having to learn, work, or share ideas with people from different tongues and tribes gave me a better understanding of perception and reality. The rigorous academic demands, instructors who are willing to help, and highly professional staff have all contributed to my preparedness for the outside world and to meet professional demands."