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Welcoming and mentoring new Indian students and helping others understand Turkish culture are a few reasons Galvin Misquith and Neslisah Bayraktar were awarded scholarships from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Office of International Affairs. 

Misquith, of Karnataka, India is a junior in the School of Business. Bayraktar is from Istanbul, Turkey and a senior in the School of Engineering. Each received a $5,000 scholarship at SIUE’s International Night on Saturday, Nov. 12. The awards were funded by an endowment gift from Richard and Patricia Dremuk, formerly of Edwardsville. 

“We are excited to recognize international students who take a lead in making SIUE more global,” said Sandra Tamari, assistant director. “We gave awards to recognize the leadership abilities of undergraduate international students who, among other things, bridged cultures at SIUE and in the community.” 

In addition, the award winners were selected because of their academic excellence and ability to nurture and represent other international students, while promoting cultural competency and understanding, according to Tamari.   

“As president of the Indian Student Association, I have always urged Indian students to become involved in campus activities in order to make college life interesting and fun-filled,” said Misquith. “The biggest challenge to an international student is getting past the first few weeks of school without getting too homesick.” 

Bayraktar, who is in the SIUE/Istanbul Technical University (ITU) dual diploma program, said she was impressed with SIUE’s response to her as an international student: “When I officially became an SIUE student, the first thing the Office of International Affairs did was send a welcome email. It answered my questions about my arrival on campus and the housing process. 

“In my first year at the University, I joined the International Hospitality Program. I have recommended it to my other international friends, so that they can feel more at home. Every year when new international students arrive, I try to help them as much as possible with the knowledge that I have gained.”

Bayraktar also said she has helped educate her host family and others in the SIUE community about her native land. “Turkey is a modern and developing country, which has been a republic for almost a century,” she said. “Sometimes people confuse Turkey with the eastern neighbors surrounding it. However, Turkey has a beautiful and unique culture that is a fusion of western and nearby eastern cultures. Our language is Turkish. Our alphabet is Latin, and we have religious freedom in our country.” 

As an international student, Misquith said he enjoys answering questions about his homeland, India. “India is an extremely diverse country. It’s an ancient country with long surviving cultures,” he continued. “It’s also not easy to understand all of the cultures.” 

Both Misquith and Bayraktar say they appreciate the culture and diversity of the SIUE campus and are quick to point out these strengths to other international students, as they navigate their way through the University system. 

“If I can help other international students excel, as well as myself, then I will have done a good job,” said Bayraktar. 

Photos:

Mary Weishaar, PhD, executive director of the Office of International Affairs, presents a scholarship award to SIUE’s Galvin Misquith of Karnataka, India. 

Also receiving a scholarship award from the Office of International Affairs was SIUE’s Neslisah Bayraktar of Istanbul, Turkey. Weishaar, is pictured on the left.