Staff members in UMSL Global worked with Vidzu Media to develop new recruiting videos that capture the welcoming environment international alumni Prachi Talwar, Alexander Schlaubitz and Yuan Chen found at UMSL. (Screenshot)
Though the University of Missouri–St. Louis is rooted in the St. Louis region as a driver of research, philanthropy and workforce development, students come from all over the world to take advantage of the university’s high-quality instruction and strong academic programs.
New videos developed by UMSL Global highlight the experiences of graduates Prachi Talwar, Alexander Schlaubitz and Yuan Chen, who traveled thousands of miles to study at UMSL, found community far away from home and got the training and tools needed to be successful in the wider world.
Staff members in UMSL Global worked with Vidzu Media to develop the videos, which are part of ongoing efforts to bring new international students to campus.
Liane Constantine, UMSL Global’s interim executive director, believes Talwar, Schlaubitz and Chen’s stories highlight what makes UMSL a great choice for international students.
“UMSL has a really strong portfolio of very good programs,” Constantine said. “Where UMSL sticks out is the quality of how we take care of our international students. Many bigger universities with larger international student populations don’t have the same focus on student support.”
High-quality degree programs, strong support from faculty and staff and the unique opportunities of the St. Louis region make UMSL a perfect home.
At first, Talwar said she had a difficult time adjusting to being away from home, and she even returned to New Delhi, India, for a couple of days during her first semester before deciding she needed to fight through the homesickness. She found help from faculty members in the College of Business Administration.
“They didn’t act like my professors,” Talwar said. “They were very supportive, whether it was for that course or it was my personal life or how I was adjusting and whether I needed something. They made it really easy for me.”
Talwar stayed on to earn her bachelor’s degree in information systems and technology in 2019 and completed her master’s in December.
Schlaubitz, a native of Germany, also praised faculty members for how approachable and willing to help they were when he was earning his BSBA from UMSL in 1995.
“It was really, really easy to get to know both other students but also faculty and staff,” Schlaubitz said. “I had a lot of friends from Asia and Africa, and it got so much more immersive. We read each other’s literature, and we ate each other’s food and we’ve tried to really surround ourselves with these other cultures. I think that prepared me quite a bit.”
Schlaubitz has made his mark in international business, including stints as the director of marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for the Intel Corporation, Facebook’s director of European marketing and as the vice president of marketing for Lufthansa. He’s now the CEO of DDB Group and Lemon Group in Germany.
UMSL also assists international students in gaining experiences outside the classroom by helping them find internship opportunities at some of the leading companies with offices in St. Louis, including Ameren, Boeing and Express Scripts.
“It just feels like they are providing a 360-degree (experience) – academically, socially and with different opportunities culturally,” said Chen, who received her MBA from UMSL in 2013 and now coordinates the International MBA program, which has partnerships with universities in both Asia and Europe.
To view the video, click below or visit the UMSL International Students YouTube channel.
