By Camila Costa

For most Quinnipiac students, not seeing a parent for almost 10 years is unusual. For Jiseok Hyun, it’s a reality.

The senior computer science major came to the United States in 2008 from South Korea. He has not seen his mother in four years and his father in almost 10 years.

Jiseok Hyun, pronounced Ji-suk Hyawn, has not been home since 2008. And if he goes back, there is a chance he might not be able to travel back to the United States.

“In Korea, all the males have to go to military service for about two years,” he said. “If I happen to go, I have a slim chance to come back here to continue my education.”

For Hyun, Quinnipiac has become his home away from home. But he has also endured challenges here, including discrimination and a feeling of not being included on campus.

Hyun is not the only international student who struggles with difficulties after coming to Quinnipiac. International students like him say that while the university does offer resources during the application process and early arrival, it needs to do more during the four years international students work and live at Quinnipiac. Specifically, international students say they want the university to reduce discrimination, educate the general student body and have a better support for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.

International students are often being discriminated by other students or staff and faculty on campus, whether it is caused by their different appearance or their foreign accent. Regardless of the reason, Quinnipiac has not been able to stop this issue from happening.

Students say the university is also failing at teaching domestic students about other countries and cultures, which leads to a lack of understanding of cultural norms in other countries, which can also lead to discrimination against international students.

These students complain that not having the ESL support makes it more difficult for them improve their English skills. They say they feel embarrassed for their background and almost ashamed of where they come from, especially when they have to speak up in the classroom and other students discriminate them for their accents or wrong grammar.

While the university does provide support and services specifically targeted to international students, they say it needs to do more to prevent or stop those issues on campus.

 

HOW INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FACE DISCRIMINATION ON CAMPUS

“I have experienced many discriminations,” said Ahrim Kim, senior health science major from Korea. “I felt like people were looking at me, and talking about me, and judging my accent and my grammar. Whenever I walk around, people will look at me, I could feel the stare and the judgement.”

Hyun has also been discriminated because of his appearance.

“We don’t specifically face discrimination because we are international students, but by race I’d say,” said Hyun. “As soon as I walked into this place, this lady asked me ‘What part of China are you from?’ I’m not even from China!”

Student clubs are an important support group for struggling students.

Hyun became the president of the International Student Association (ISA) to help others facing the same challenges he did at Quinnipiac.

Although he organizes many events for the association, he is also a supportive member for his peers. Especially when suffering discrimination from others, international students have to stick together.

Abbie O’Neill, specialist for student engagement, also admits that this is indeed an issue on campus.

“There is discrimination on campus against international students, I can’t talk about particular cases and what not, but I do know that it does exist and some of it is just a lack of understanding from other students as to what culture norms are in other parts of the world,” said O’Neill.

Quinnipiac, although providing support for international students that face discrimination, is not doing much to stop this.

Director of Global Education Andrea Hogan believes this is related to the lack of diversity at Quinnipiac.

“I think some students are educated about other cultures, but I think the majority probably are not,” said Hogan. “Most of them are from New England and so many students have not been outside the U.S. or they’re from towns where they don’t see a lot of diversity.”

Although the majority of Quinnipiac students is caucasian, the university still needs to provide support to the minorities on campus, especially when they face discrimination based on their looks or background.

 

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Another type of support that the university offers is academics related. However, that support does not apply to the English language.

Quinnipiac requires international students whose native language is not English to be “able to communicate in writing and speaking in that language, since the primary language of instruction at Quinnipiac is English,” as stated on Quinnipiac’s website.

Kim, the Korean student that faced discrimination on campus, worked for Andrew Antone, the director of international recruitment and helped him in the process of accepting international students into Quinnipiac.

Students whose native language is not English are expected to submit their Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores or the International English Language Test System (IELTS) scores as well as their previous academic grades.

That would show if a student is proficient or not in the English language. However, test scores sometimes do not translate the reality of his or her skills, especially when they have to verbally engage in the classroom.

Quinnipiac does not offer an ESL and although some students and faculty think it should, others disagree.

“I know there are a few students who are not that good at speaking English and they’re scared to speak English,” said Kim. “I do think we should have an ESL program, or even a TOEFL class, or any class to teach international students proper English.”

The Director of Global Education, Hogan, agrees with Kim, but she also expresses concerns.

“I think it could be a really good thing,” said Hogan. “But, if we install and invest in hundreds of thousands of dollars for a center, but then the enrollment nationally is going down, is that a good investment? To establish your own center that is, you know, 10 miles from another one, you better have a big enough population.” said Hogan.

Although Quinnipiac does not have its own ESL program, it has a partnership with a center located at the University of New Haven (UNH).

The center is not affiliated to UNH, but it offers ESL classes for students whose native language is not English, and therefore, students can attend those classes prior to coming to Quinnipiac.

Antone believes having an ESL program could be helpful in the process of recruiting more international students.

“I think it’s certainly helpful, I think it opens up the doors to other quality qualified students that don’t speak English,” said Antone. “They are good academic students that can participate and will do very well and flourish here, but they need their English skills first.”

Creating an ESL program would not only open doors for international students to come into Quinnipiac, but also provide that additional support for students that need a little more time to have a better understanding of the English language.

That could also help international students to become more confident to speak up in the classroom and participate more without feeling doubtful about their accents or self conscious about making grammar mistakes.

 

IS QUINNIPIAC EDUCATING THE GENERAL STUDENT BODY?

While the university is composed of mostly students from Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, it does not offer many courses teaching about other parts of the world.

“The QU 301 class highlights global community so I think students are gaining more general understanding about diversity and cultural differences,” said Hyun.

However, students don’t seem to be interested in taking those courses, unless it is mandatory – like QU 301 for seniors.

Vice President Mark Thompson has talked about including more diversity programs into the classrooms and in the upcoming curriculums so that students can become more educated in diverse issues.

It is the university’s responsibility to educate its students on issues involving the United States, but also other countries and cultures, which are just as important.

Some Quinnipiac students are oblivious of other issues happening in the world and this lack of understanding can lead to other issues on campus, including discrimination against minority groups, such as international students.

Hyun believes a way to stop or prevent these issues from happening is if the school promoted more diversity on campus.

“Definitely invest more in multicultural students and anything that has to do with diversity in general,” he said. “If there is an event, the school can promote it so that more people would come.”

Until that happens, international students say they will continue to suffer discrimination on campus.

 

QUINNIPIAC’S SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The support from the university begins before students even apply to the university. However, after they’ve on campus for a couple weeks, those services and support seem to disappear.

According to the school’s website, only 3 percent of the class is international. Antone is trying to increase that number by traveling around the world.

Antone visits high schools to recruit students that have not necessarily heard of the medium size school in Hamden, Connecticut.

Although he travels around the world, Quinnipiac students are mostly from Canada and China.

After Antone recruits students, they have to apply to the university and get all the paperwork needed.

After arriving at Quinnipiac, the school provides more services to the international students, however, that only happens in their early arrival.

During orientation – something that both domestic and international students have to attend – the Department of Multicultural and Global Education (DCGE) talks to international students about more resources they have, such as the documents they need to travel or work in the U.S., the Learning Commons and the Global Living program.

Global Living is a residence hall on campus for internationally minded students, which could include domestic students as well.

Hyun was one of the first residents to be apart of the Global Living program, and although he thought the initiative was a good idea, he believes the result wasn’t so great.

“Honestly, it didn’t go as well as we planned out,” said Hyun.

Since then, the program has improved and more people have wanted to be apart of it.

“It’s a really, really, really awesome experience,” said Kim, who lived in the Global Living her freshman year. “You get to learn about American culture and you can experience so many things with the other students.”

Along with the Global Living program, the university offers academic help for students in the Learning Commons.

Jonas Correa, 20-year-old freshman civil engineering major from Brazil, has been a fan of this resource since he came to Quinnipiac.

“The English I’m doing ok with because I just have a lot of problems with writing, because of my dyslexia and all of that, so I have to go to the Learning Commons all the time, but I’m handling it.”

Correa also appreciates the support of faculty and staff, whether it’s inside or outside the classroom.

“The professors are really helpful. And the Learning Commons. Also, if I ever need to talk to someone, I’ve been going to counseling center sometimes to vent.”

DCGE also offers other resources and activities, such as:

Although Quinnipiac offers a number of services to support international students, the university is still failing in maintaining that support throughout the years those students stay at Quinnipiac.

There is still a lot that needs to be done to reduce discrimination on campus, educate domestic students and provide a better support for those whose native language is not English.

However, Hyun remains hopeful for the future international students that decide to come to Quinnipiac.

“I’m glad that people are reaching out to international students asking for insights,” said Hyun. “I want people to gain something from this and have a better knowledge of international students.”

By Shauna Golden

Sitting in a cubicle in the Sacred Heart University library, he heard what sounded like crying from a few seats over. As the cries grew louder, he could no longer ignore them.

He rose from his seat and temporarily abandoned his 15-page term paper. That was when he discovered the source of the cries: a young woman who was also studying for finals.

Cory Robinson, a second semester freshman at the time, is a member of the peer mentor program at Sacred Heart. As part of the program the school had trained him to help others struggling with mental health.

Approaching the young woman, Robinson asked her what was wrong. Overwhelmed by the stress of finals, she had started to break down. The two students exited the library and headed to the cafeteria.

Over a hot cup of coffee, Robinson offered his peer his support. He too was suffering from stress. As a mentor, he explained the counseling resources offered if she needed a little extra help, even if she just needed tools for stress management.

In the past five years, the number of students seeking counseling and psychological services in higher education has risen by roughly 30 percent, while student enrollment has grown by roughly 6 percent, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. Many colleges and universities across the nation are struggling to meet this demand, and identify mental health a primary concern.

In fact, two-thirds of presidents and student affairs leaders say that mental health is their No. 1 concern outside of the classroom, according to a 2016 survey of 112 of these professionals from The Chronicle of Higher Education.

But universities have limited budgets to respond to this issue, and have had to make do and innovate with existing resources available to them.

The peer mentor program at Sacred Heart that Cory Robinson participates in is just one example of these innovative services. The use of therapy dogs to improve student well-being, is another approach that all of the schools use. Other examples include Sacred Heart’s “Zen Den” and Fairfield’s off-campus house for students recovering from substance abuse.

It’s clear that not all institutions are responding at the same pace.

At Quinnipiac University, some counselors admit that they are struggling to keep up with the demand, while peer institutions have successfully hired more counselors.

“We have had the same staffing since 2008, I believe, of five counselors” Quinnipiac University Health and Wellness Director, Kerry Patton, said. “So, due to the increase [of students seeking help], we’ve had a waitlist of one to two weeks for students to be seen.”

The International Association of Counseling Services recommends that colleges have at least one counselor per every 1,000-1,500 students.

Quinnipiac’s ratio is one counselor to every 1,800 students, which includes both graduate and undergraduate students.

Fairfield’s ratio is one staff member to every 403 students. Sacred Heart’s is one staff member to every 904 students. Both institutions only serve the undergraduate population.

Fairfield University Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, Susan Birge, criticized Quinnipiac’s current services. Birge believes the school advertises its counseling resources as better than they actually are.

Kerry Patton, Director of Health and Wellness at Quinnipiac, says she is aware that Quinnipiac is falling behind. Patton has recently introduced new group therapy programs, a new part-time counselor and educational program for resident assistants. Patton hopes to meet the suggested ratio requirement within the next few years, though the school must approve of the additions.

The most important practice that both Fairfield and Sacred Heart abide by in their services is the incorporation of mind and body.

“It’s all integrated. And so, that’s kind of what I think is ideal for a college campus,” Novella said.

Patton says she is continuously looking to services offered by schools, such as Sacred Heart and Fairfield, to follow their example.

Therapy Dogs

At Sacred Heart University, therapy dogs Leo and Scooter can be found in one of the main buildings on campus. Every other Thursday, students can stop by to play with them.

Quinnipiac, Fairfield, and Sacred Heart all bring in therapy dogs on a regular basis.The practice continues to be one of the most popular, and most successful, resources of which students take full advantage.

HAPPENING NOW!! Come see the dogs until 2 pm on the quad between the Chapel and the library!! #caninehelpshu

A post shared by S.W.E.E.T PEER EDUCATORS (@shu_sweetpeered) on Sep 13, 2017 at 9:32am PDT

According to Robinson, the program is referred to as (Can) (I)ne help SHU. The school develops these visits into a learning opportunity for students. Depending on the week, peer educators will discuss specific tools with students on topics such as time management and stress relief.

Quinnipiac University offers its students opportunities to play with therapy dogs Ben and Tucker on several days leading up to finals week in both the spring and fall semesters. The dogs are typically found in the student center.

Ben and Tucker are American Canine Club-certified Canine Good Citizens. Students can play fetch and run around with them for a 4-hour time window each day they are there.

Unlike students at Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac, students at Fairfield University do not have to travel to various buildings to see therapy dogs. Therapy dog Olivia can be found right inside the Counseling and Psychological Services Center several times a week.

She has her own office full of toys. There is no door attached to the door frame, so students are able to stop by to say hello either before or after their counseling session.

 

group therapy

All three universities offer unique group therapy programs to their students. However, the programs are more successful at some schools than others.

At Fairfield University, there are eight different group therapy programs offered each semester. During the Spring 2017 Semester, the groups offered included: Understanding Self and Other, Recovery, Grief, Connections, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) for Anxiety, CBT for Depression and The Power of Relaxation.

There was an average of five students who regularly attended each group therapy program. In total, 44 students attended group counseling at Fairfield University during the Spring 2017 Semester.

Comparatively, at Quinnipiac, there were only three groups offered during the 2016-2017 school year: A Mindfulness and Meditation Group Series, Hope and Healing Sexual Assault Support Group and The Art of Being Social.

Only one of the three groups was successful. According to Kerry Patton, the group therapy program for social anxiety was the one that seemed to draw students’ attention.

“We’ve been successful this semester. We’ve probably had a good handful, five or six students, that have been consistently coming,” Patton said, “So what’s great about that is that you’re meeting other students and they’ve been able to to connect with one another and do things outside of it, and that’s ultimately the goal, is to learn and be able to implement some of the skills you’re learning.”

 

The “Zen Den”

Sacred Heart offers a unique space for their students to unwind and relax. The room, attached to the health center, is referred to as the “Zen Den”.

According to Jocelyn Novella, the Director of Counseling at SHU, the space is equipped with an mp3 player with a selection of guided meditation sessions, a massage chair, and a “stress eraser” biofeedback advice. The space offers students a space to rejuvenate their mental health before things become beyond their control.

Feeling stressed? Make an appointment for the zen den at the wellness center today!

A post shared by S.W.E.E.T PEER EDUCATORS (@shu_sweetpeered) on Sep 23, 2015 at 10:19am PDT

“What we’re always trying to figure out is how can you work more on preventing people from getting worse […] if we can work on the side of prevention, you know, all the better,” Novella said.

The Zen Den, introduced just three years ago, has been a success thus far. However, one of the downsides of the space is that because it is located in the counseling center, not all students feel comfortable accessing it.

Looking toward the future, Novella would like to see the Zen Den located to a different location, such as a residence hall. Currently, students who do not use the counseling services are too uncomfortable having to go to the health center to use the Zen Den.

“We think other students are less likely to come in and use it if they don’t come to the counseling center because they’re scared about walking into the counseling center,” Novella said.

Novella believes having the space in a more accessible and neutral area may compel even more students to take advantage of this resource.

Recovery Houses

 

One mental health resource that is completely unique to Fairfield University is its Collegiate Recovery Program. The program, introduced to the university in 2013, provides a strict regimen for students recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.

“We have two houses off campus, they’re beautiful homes, they’re great, and we have students in recovery living there.”

The program began with only one house, in which seven students lived. However, the program was so successful within its first year that they recently added a second off-campus house. According to Susan Birge, this program is the first collegiate recovery program in the Northeast to provide housing for its participants.

“We have two houses off campus, they’re beautiful homes, they’re great, and we have students in recovery living there. It’s a very structured program, it’s not like a sober house,” Birge said.

“They have to be in individual and group counseling, they have to go to 12-step meetings, they have to have urine drug screenings routinely, they have to have a sponsor in their program, and they have to go to academic advising. So we want everyone to do really well personally and academically.”

Peer Education Program

Sacred Heart University is the only school out of the three that offers a peer education program to its students. The program is called s.w.e.e.t. The acronym stands for Student Wellness Education and Empowerment Team.

The team consists of undergraduate students from every grade who work to give fellow students the tools they need to be both physically and mentally healthy.

“What we have is, we do have a peer education program called s.w.e.e.t and that is actually part of the counseling center. So the nice thing for us is that these are students who are trained by one of our staff members and then they do a lot of our outreach for us,” Novella said, “So it’s kind of like the outreach arm of the whole wellness center.”

 

Cory Robinson, now a senior, joined the program his second semester of freshman year. Having struggled with mental health issues in both middle and high school, he felt inclined to give back.

“The resources I had in high school were in a peer mentorship [format] and they were extremely rewarding experiences,” Robinson said.

Robinson shared that although other student organization on campus provide social exposure and fun activities, he appreciates that the s.w.e.e.t program is able to discuss more serious topics. The program tackles a multitude of issues that are dependent on the time of year.

“We try to reduce the risk and have programs as often as possible, for things like registration, midterms and finals,” Robinson said. She has also been a mentor since her second semester of freshman year.

Amy Ricotta, a senior social work major, shares Robinson’s passion for participating in the peer education program.

She explained that providing support for fellow students is a large part of the peer education program. The s.w.e.e.t mentors understand that reaching out for help can be difficult. They do everything they can to assist others in need.

“If you want to [use the counseling services], go ahead, we’ll even walk you up there,” Ricotta said.

The s.w.e.e.t peer education program has been around since 2013 and grows each year. The program allows students to reach out for help to students their age who may have gone through a similar situation.

***

Today, as a senior, Cory Robinson works hard to provide as much care and support as he did to the student he found in the SHU library during his freshman year.

Over the past few years, he has watched parents grow more and more comfortable with sending their children to school. They are aware of the quality and variety of mental health resources provided with the school.

Though the demand for these services continues to increase, so does the school’s efforts to meet the demand. Robinson adds that students are content with how readily and easily accessible SHU’s services are.

As a student who proactively worked to help others in need as a peer mentor, Robinson is an example of how all schools should meet their students’ needs; by providing adequate mental health resources, colleges allow themselves to work on the side of prevention as opposed to having a large number of students who have reached a crisis point.