The West Virginia University Office of International Scholars and Students (OISS) hosted a special reception yesterday (May 12) at the Erickson Alumni Center to honor more than 260 international students graduating this month.

WVU President Gordon Gee, Vice President of Student Life Dr. William Schafer and Associate Vice President of International Student Life and Global Services Dr. David Stewart were among the family and friends who helped the graduates celebrate their academic achievements and share their incredible journeys.

“We are extremely proud of all these brilliant and courageous young men and women who have travelled miles away from home, made Morgantown their second home, and risen to such excellence,” said Stewart. “We wish them nothing but the best as they start a new chapter as Mountaineer alums.”

The class of 2016 consists of 179 graduate students and 84 undergraduates who represent 50 different countries. The majority of these students are from India, China and Saudi Arabia.

The Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources will be graduating the largest number of international students from the various specialization fields. Other colleges graduating a large number of international students include the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of World Languages, Literatures & Linguistics and the College of Business and Economics.

The graduates were awarded honorary citizenship of Morgantown by Mayor Marti Shamberger.

For more information on OISS, visit http://oiss.wvu.edu/.

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CONTACT: Grace Atebe, OISS
Grace.Atebe@mail.wvu.edu; 304.293.5937

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