Majoring in International Business, Natalja Kurenkova shares why Alverno College is the place for her. “I did some research on schools and where I could possibly go to study and I choose Alverno because it’s a smaller school and it is prominent in the Mid-west, people really know about it and it has a very good reputation,” she says.

“It’s an all women’s school so this is a really good opportunity to be with other women here in school and we can easily relate to what we go through in life and that is really helpful. Also, I think the level of education, the quality of education is too.”

She also believes that choosing a major in business will help her be successful in today's global society. “I’ve always been interested in traveling and learning about different places, different cultures and also because of what is going on in the world…globalization and interconnectedness the world really feels smaller right now so I thought that a degree in International Business would really help me to be successful in this new world.”

Studying at Alverno wasn't without difficulty initially says Natalja. She says one challenge for her was the language barrier. “Well, my first year I was just transitioning and I think it was the language barrier probably because at first I didn’t feel comfortable speaking up in class,” she says. “I thought my English wasn’t good enough and I wouldn’t express myself enough as I wanted to, but with time it went away kind of so I think that was the most difficult thing at first.”

Natalja is from Estonia. This isn't her first time in the U.S, but she says she is the only international student from her country attending Alverno College. During her own time Natalja mentors incoming freshmen. “As new students start their studies and have problems I am here for them, to advise them in case they need help and need someone to talk to.”

The twenty-seven year old says having memories are a big part of attending college. For Natalja, memories for her consist of ...

“My discussions at class I think are they are very interesting and they really give me a whole new perspective on many things and my trip to South America and South Korea with a group of students,” she says. “The interactions with students here because in the United States there is so much diversity here I’ve met people from all kinds of cultures and different places so that is really something that I will take away with me.”

Once Natalja graduates, she says staying here for a while is in her plans, but she will eventually return home. “I’ll do practical training here for a year, so I will working in a company, in a travel company and after that I am planning to go back to Europe and possibly work in Great Britain, London but I haven’t found a job yet, but that is what I am going to do.”

Advice for other international students wanting to study in the U-S....”I think to be open minded and try to accept the way things are because sometimes it doesn’t mean that things are worst, but back home they are just different and you have to learn how to accept that, how to deal with that,” she says. “Also, try to experience all the things that you can in college. Be involve and do everything that you can because the college years pass so fast you want to be able to look back and say that you really enjoyed it and you did everything that you wanted to do.”