University News

WIU's Caribbean Connection Continues to Flourish

January 12, 2023

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MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University's student body from Caribbean nations continues to grow, with over 150 students now enrolled at WIU and approximately 125 additional prospects in the pipeline for next year.

WIU has formulated an encompassing agreement with The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) that fully articulates transfer credit for regional students. In addition, WIU has partnerships with Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, Anguilla Community College, Antigua State College, Charlestown Secondary School Sixth Form, Dominica State College, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, TA Marryshow Community College and the University of Guyana. Discussions are underway with the University of West Indies, Five Islands campus. According to Associate Vice President for Global Studies Randy Glean, the current agreements are fully articulated to ensure that students receive full applicable credit for their studies in the region.

"Our partnerships with colleges and universities throughout the Caribbean provide outstanding academic experiences to students and faculty of these nations," WIU President Guiyou Huang said. "One of our goals is to continue to internationalize our University, which includes increasing international student enrollment and growing our study abroad opportunities for all of our students, faculty and staff. We are well on our way to becoming a more global university."

Samaria Williams, of Barbados, a recipient of the International Presidential Scholarship, began her studies in Business and Accounting last fall.

"WIU is very determined to make the price of education as affordable as possible for students across the world through scholarships," Williams said. "The international community continues to grow and accommodate as the years go by, and the faculty and staff are happy to help me with any issues I may encounter."

Glean, who has visited numerous Caribbean nations over the last few years, continues to work with students to ensure a successful transition to WIU. Qualified undergraduate students can compete for the International Presidential Scholarship, which covers full tuition and fees, and high-achieving students can earn up to $11,000 in scholarships toward tuition, making Western the most affordable option available to students in the region, Glean added. In addition, all Caribbean students earn an additional scholarship, the Undergraduate Regional Diversity Scholarship.

"I am delighted to have this opportunity to reward top students in the region with a scholarship that recognizes their unique achievements," Glean said. "I met over 400 prospective students on a recent visit to the region who are struggling to find resources to embark on higher education. Many students have a preference for the USA, and Western has become their best option."

Keilan Goodridge of Barbados, who attended Queen's College, began her studies in Public Relations and Advertising as a junior transfer.

"The perspective I had about WIU as an international student made me happy to learn and attend," said Goodridge. "Not only did WIU offer a minor in Event Planning and Management, I appreciated the smaller class sizes and being able to have individual time and attention from my professors."

More than 1,100 international students are currently enrolled at Western, in both undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with 420 new students joining WIU and 688 international students returning to the University. The Fall 2022 international student enrollment is the highest in Western history. The previous peak 35 years ago saw 547 international students at Western.

For more information or to apply, visit wiu.edu/global_studies. For more information on WIU's international scholarships, visit wiu.edu/global_studies/scholarships.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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