As of the twelfth class day this semester there were 233 international students enrolled, up from 205 on the same day last year. The country with the most student representation here on WT’s campus is China, with 60 students.

“The International Students office recruits in various countries, and we can usually predict enrollment by what country we have visited. Last year I spent time in China,” Kristine Combs, director of International Students, said.
While she has dedicated a large amount of time and effort to her work in recruiting these students, she gives a lot of credit to the administration.

“If not for Dr. [Patrick] O’Brien I would still rely on ‘arm chair’ recruiting and we would not see the enrollment numbers we currently have,” Combs said.

Leh Lenguyen from Hanoi, Vietnam, said she is glad she came to WT.

“I have family in Dallas, so I researched the universities in Texas. This university was the best option with the lowest tuition and fees,” she said. “I like it here. It has small classes and professors who care.”

Combs said WT is also able to recruit international students with financial incentives.

“Students come due to scholarship offerings,” she said.

But students also come for the opportunities. Senior Animal Science major Kurtis Reid is from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and was recruited through the livestock judging program. As a standout student in the Agriculture Department, he said it was the campus visit that sealed the deal for him.

“During my campus visit, I really enjoyed the campus. But it was the facility and people that convinced me this was the place for me,” Reidsaid. “This has been a great experience despite the miles separating me from home. It’s exciting to try something different.”