Championing the attributes of HBU and finding students who fit well with the University were the goals of the Houston Baptist University China Delegation聽which went to China last fall. The delegation visited聽schools and met聽with key leaders in the far eastern cities of Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai.聽Shannon Bedo, director of International Student Services, Dr. David Hao, dean of the Department of Student Success & Advising,聽Dr. Jason Lester, dean of the School of Fine Arts,聽and聽Ed Borges, senior director of Special Projects, comprised the group.
HBU students聽and alumni聽hail from all across the globe.聽The University offers, in a sense, the best of both worlds to students聽of聽many backgrounds.聽They聽can聽reside in聽a diverse聽city and among聽a population of聽fellow聽international聽students. At the same time, they enjoy聽a聽learning聽community in which faculty and staff help make sure no one is lost in the obscurity of a crowd.
Thanks in part to an increased outreach effort, HBU has seen a 30 percent growth in its international student population during the past two years. 鈥淗BU is attractive to international students because they feel welcome,鈥� Bedo said. 鈥淥ur smaller school allows for a high-care聽environment, and I encourage students to be part of groups like the International Student Organization.鈥�
Uniquely, HBU聽has聽the same scholarship opportunities聽for聽American and international students alike.聽Furthermore, HBU offers many of the programs and majors that international students find appealing, all in a聽receptive聽campus environment.
Typical Chinese students know from an early age if they will compete for a place in a university in China, Borges said. Grade school students can expect to have limited options when it comes to gaining admission to Chinese universities.
鈥淧art of the conversation about college for many Chinese families now is going abroad to study,鈥� Borges said. 鈥淲e knew that, in order to be part of that conversation, we needed to go there and start making and cultivating relationships. Our dream is to have a bridge created where we can start being a viable option for many Chinese students.鈥� Not only do students find a hospitable place at HBU, they are only miles from Houston鈥檚 own two Chinatowns, Borges noted.
Throughout their visit, the group focused upon international schools and international baccalaureate schools which help prepare their students for English proficiency and for study abroad opportunities.聽The delegation observed that students聽everywhere聽have more commonalities than differences, Borges said. 鈥淲e were literally on the other side of the world, but the high school students have the same wants and needs and interests as students at home,鈥� he said.
Lester built upon purposeful connections made during a previous trip to China just a few months before, and perceived an increased interest in arts education. 鈥淥ur desire is to help these students; we want a relationship that is mutually beneficial to the students and to HBU,鈥� Lester said. 鈥淲e offer an excellent education with a worldview that鈥檚 distinctly Christian.鈥�
For聽Hao, the trip was especially meaningful.聽鈥淚 was born in聽Harbin,聽China, and though I have visited China multiple times for personal reasons, this was the first time I went for a business purpose,鈥澛爃e聽said. 鈥淭his聽recruiting聽trip was something聽we聽had been dreaming about for a few聽years.聽Because we鈥檙e聽located in Houston, we are聽uniquely聽poised聽to聽attract students聽due to the multitude of opportunities afforded by our international city. We can give students a great education, and we have聽the ability聽to share Christ.鈥�
Although China has not historically offered warm receptions to Christian organizations, perhaps that is changing. 鈥淢any are familiar with Christianity, and are increasingly open to their children attending a religiously affiliated school,鈥澛燞ao聽said. 鈥淲e found that many of the parents have a great amount of respect for Christians because of our values; even the government is beginning to take a new approach toward faith in general. During this trip, we heard from students and parents about finding聽purpose in their education and careers, rather than just obtaining a degree for a job. That was usually not part of the discussion in the past, and reflects a shift in both thought process and economic opportunity.鈥�
In addition to聽visiting聽schools,聽the group聽met with a representative of聽EducationUSA in聽the聽American聽Embassy, went to a church, and took in iconic sites like the Great Wall and聽Tiananmen聽Square.
鈥淲e had a tremendous team in which each of us brought contacts and聽abilities聽to the table,鈥� Lester said. 鈥淲e want to stay in touch with聽the聽new聽friends聽of the University, and聽look forward to future opportunities to strengthen these friendships.鈥�
痴颈蝉颈迟听HBU International聽for more information聽about International Admissions.