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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (July 27, 2000)
Advisor assimilates new students ■ Magid Shirzadegan guides students toward an understanding of American culture and education By Yoshiomi Morishita for the Emerald International students arriving in the United States to attend the University are welcomed by someone who has been in their place before. Magid Shirzadegan organizes an international stu dent orientation at the beginning of each term. Shirzadegan, associate director of the Office of International Edu cation and Exchange, has advised University international students for seven and a half years on visa matters, financial issues and aca demic difficulties. “The unique differences [be tween international and U.S. born students] are understanding the American-style communica tion in the classroom and in friendship,” he said. In recent years, the University has had the highest percentage of international students compared to all other public universities in the nation, according to a survey by the Institute of International Education. Numbers from the OIEE showed that 1,384 interna tional students from 82 countries were enrolled at the school as of fall 1999. Shirzadegan said international students choose to come to the U.S. because some want to learn English, an “international lan guage,” some want to take advan tage of the flexible, integrated ed ucational system and others want to explore American culture. “I have a lot of similar experi ences to international students,” Shirzadegan said, explaining that he is the only non-U.S. born advis er among five international stu dent advisors at the OIEE. “They can relate themselves to me.” Shirzadegan. 46, was born and raised in Iran and said as an inter national student, he was trans formed by experiencing “Ameri can individualism. Coming here, some of us are runningaway from the pressure of collectivism.” After attending Georgetown University as an English as a Sec ond Language student in 1977, Shirzadegan earned a master’s de gree in plant science from the University of Wyoming, and fin ished his education in 1984 in Germany with a doctorate in ge Mad DuCkLing T'Children's heatre For information and reservations Join us on the lawn of the Robinson Theatre on the UO Campus! Limited free parking is available. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. $4 tickets for all ages All Shows begin at 11 am July 1S-30 can 346-4192 or visit our website at http://play.at/duckling Yoshiomi Morishita for the Emerald Magid Shirzadegan has been helping University international students since 1993. netics. When he returned to the states to fulfill his post-doctoral work at the University of Michigan, he re alized science was not his pas sion. “I made a big mistake,” Shirzadegan said. “Growing in the culture as I did, you have to study; that’s all they told us.” He said he was basing his life decisions on what was good for his country and his family, in stead of what was good for him. “I asked myself for five years, ‘What else can I do?”’ Through volunteering at a crisis center to help poor families and runaway youths, he found himself gaining energy from working with people and became determined to serve international students, whom he could “relate to.” He quit his second post-doctor al work at the University of Neva da, and after spending one year as an international center advisor at the University of Michigan, he was hired in January 1993 as an international student advisor at the University. “He is sincerely interested in counseling international stu dents,” said OIEE director Tom Mills, who hired Shirzadegan. Mills’ high opinion of Shirzadegan is echoed by stu dents. “He treats us not in the rela tionship between a student and an adviser, but as a person,” said Hanayo Ozaki, a sophomore in pre-journalism. Influenced by Shirzadegan, Ozaki said she has been involved in the International r ' Student Association since last year. Shirzadegan pointed out that the support system for interna tional students has improved since he was a student 23 years ago. Due to efforts of the NAFSA: Association of International Edu cators. which works closely with the U.S. government for the sake of students, he said it is easier for international students to consult their international student advi sors for help. Only in the past 40 years, Shirzadegan said, has the advis ing duty switched from profes sors to advisers more focused on issues Specific to international students. Despite these supportive atti tudes of international student or ganizations, students say they still sometimes encounter prob lems. "The U.S. is very ethnocentric; people are overly focused on our own culture,” said Deidre Schuetz, an American student who just graduated with degrees in interna tional studies and Spanish. Getting past that ethnocentrism should be a fundamental value for all people, Shirzadegan said. He stressed the importance of soul-searching and said, “If vou don’t know yourself, you cannot get to kno-w;others. "This is a unique opportunity to be with people from all over the world,” he said. “Anything you want to know, any stereo types you have, any questions you have, ask them now. You won’t get the chance again.” 1 Canesh HIMALTRAPINC: FROM KATHMANDU, NEPAL TO YOU! new Jewelry isr Singing Sowls wrHempBags-# Great Hats ^■Journals ^ Clothing “^Textiles & Madal Drums Prayer Flags & SUPPORT FAIRTRADE FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE OPEN MON-SAT 10-6 & SUN 12-5 jldvertke in Oregon (Jaih/ Emerald Classifieds! Call 346-4343! 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