After implementing more aggressive recruiting practices and new programs, Syracuse University received 143 applications from students in the Arabian Gulf region, an increase from past years.

In fall 2011, SU received 120 applications, while in fall 2010, it received 100, said Karen Bass, director of International Undergraduate Admissions. The number of applicants accepted to the university has not yet been determined.

Bass explained that when SU officials began actively recruiting in the Middle East three years ago, they visited schools and college fairs and formed relationships with guidance counselors. She also said the university has recently formed new commitments to the region, such as the SU Abroad center in Istanbul, which opened last year, and the admissions office in Dubai, which opened last summer.

‘This demonstration of our commitment as an institution has made a difference and accounts for some of the increased interest we are seeing,’ she said.

SU has not only increased its recruiting presence in the Arabian Gulf region, but also the opportunities available for students to study there. In addition to the SU Abroad center in Istanbul, students can also spend a semester studying in one of the several programs offered through SU’s World Partners in the Middle East.

Ginny Pellam-Montalbano, coordinator for World Partner and Short Term Programs at SU, said students can choose to study in Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco or Israel. The newest location available to students is the American University of Beirut, which was originally offered as an alternative to students who wanted to go to Egypt during the protest and subsequent revolution.

Sherlyn Sychua, regional manager for advancement and external affairs and admissions at SU’s Dubai office, oversaw two events this month for admitted students in the region. On March 15, accepted students from Saudi Arabia gathered in Riyadh. Those from the rest of the Gulf nations gathered in Dubai on March 22.

Sychua said students had a chance to mingle with alumni and ask questions to SU admissions employees. She said that though many students in the region think applying to U.S. schools is difficult, SU’s increasing presence in the region provides students with more assistance through the process.

‘The presence of SU in the Middle East gives awareness to students regarding our university with the support of the alumni, plus the fact that U.S. is one of the most popular destinations here when it comes to studying abroad,’ Sychua said in an email.

Mehrzad Boroujerdi, director of the Middle Eastern Studies Program at SU, said it is not new for the United States to be such a popular destination for Middle Eastern students.

‘It is a long-term trend for Arab students to come to the States to attend college,’ he said. ‘It has been going on for 50 or 60 years.’

Boroujerdi credited SU’s increased recruitment efforts with helping the university become better known. He also said having a college degree is becoming more important in the region, as much as it is in the United States.

Said Boroujerdi: ‘These countries are increasing their need for higher education, and many students choose to come to American schools based on their reputations.’

nxsmith@syr.edu 

Published on March 27, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Nick: nxsmith@syr.edu