International students choose to study in the United States for numerous reasons. The Western Herald recently reported on a student from the Dominican Republic who found success both in his studies and in athletics and is on a quest to expand opportunities for success to students from other countries.

Juan Tavares wanted to set his future apart from those in his native country. “The U.S. has a wonderful system of higher education where you can be a student and you can also be an athlete,” Tavares said. “Most countries do not have that system… I wanted to study and I wanted to swim. The U.S. higher education system presented that opportunity.”

In 2008, Tavares provided the same opportunity to students from the Dominican Republic with an interest in studying in the United States by establishing a tuition-bargaining agreement between Western Michigan University (WMU) and the government of the Dominican Republic. According to the agreement, “in exchange for sending a set number of students, the Caribbean nation pays for the entire tuition, lodging and other school-related expenses for any Dominican who enrolls at WMU.”

As the Director of International Admissions and Services of Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Tavares hopes to increase the international population at WMU by gaining interest of more foreign countries. University spokesperson Cheryl Roland said, “Right now, 92 countries are represented on campus… It gives us a real vibrant academic environment. That’s the kind of the thing we want to continue.”

Sources:

• Dominican Students Attend WMU, Western Herald
• The Diether H. Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Western Michigan University