ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS (December 16, 2020) — Now ranking twenty-fourth in the nation for number of international students, as ranked by The Institute of International Education, Augustana College continues to climb the ranks among baccalaureate colleges in the 2020 Open Doors report.
The student body currently is made up of 11.9% international students, up from 2.9% in 2015. Augustana is the only college in Illinois to break the top 25 in the rankings.
“Augustana’s commitment to international students is really a commitment to all of our students as we aspire to make sure our graduates are prepared to make their impact on a diverse and changing world,” said Kent Barnds, executive vice president for external relations. “It starts with us to make sure that the experience here reflects the world.”
The ranking is supported by continuing efforts to support and engage international students at Augustana. Augustana’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS) provides dedicated support and empowering mentors to students from all over the world.
Through programming such as International Education Week, International Street Fest, and International Student Orientation, students across campus take part in cross cultural experiences. The OISSS also provides guidance to international students through services such as visa workshops and an international student-alumni network.
“Students seeking an education in the United States often don’t know where to begin. At Augustana, we work with families from Day One to establish a personal relationship with the college, and that extends throughout their time here.” said Liz Nino, executive director of International Enrollment.
“They can sense from the beginning that they are more than a number here.”
Augustana ranks among schools like Grinnell, Denison, Colgate, and Skidmore on the Open Doors list.
Known for sparking passionate curiosity, Augustana College is an empowering home to explore over 90 areas of study. Augustana’s innovative program, Augie Choice, transforms students into global citizens,
Thinkers, and doers with a $2,000 grant to explore the world, complete an internship, or conduct research with a professor. Augustana students achieve a balance inside and outside of the classroom, ranking top ten in all divisions for Academic All Americans. Transformed to be different, current students and alumni include health-care heroes, Nobel Prize-winners, CEOs, college presidents, and leaders across all continents. The college enrolls 2,500 curious changemakers who get energized by four years as part of a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.
