By participating in clubs and campus events, international students engage in meaningful cultural exchange with the College community.
By Megan Z. Shearin | October 28, 2010
Each semester, Virginia Wesleyan College welcomes international students from various countries. International students bring a curiosity and different world view to the college campus and a fresh academic perspective in the classroom. By participating in clubs and campus events, international students engage in meaningful cultural exchange with the College community.International Education Week, November 15-19, aims to increase international exchange. On campus events include the passport and study abroad fair, presentations by individuals who have worked and traveled abroad, international games and exhibits, and an international photo contest. For more information, call 757.455.3116.
Director of the Office of International and Intercultural Programs Lena Johnson said, “Having international students at Virginia Wesleyan supports our campus internationalization efforts, and also encourages our domestic students tostudy abroad. Statistics show that students who study abroad are more likely to continue their education through graduate school, and for the past two years Virginia Wesleyan has graduated back-to-back Fulbright Scholars.”
This semester, Virginia Wesleyan hosts two exchange students, Edgar “Edward” Limas Perez from Mexico and Maxi Hubner from Germany.
Edgar “Edward” Limas Perez
Thanks to Virginia Wesleyan’s direct exchange program with the Universidad of Madero in Puebla, Mexico, Perez is studying Foreign Languages at Virginia Wesleyan for the fall 2010 semester.
“I thought coming to Virginia Wesleyan would not only help me to improve my English, but to also learn about a different culture while I’m here,” said Perez, a sophomore from Veracruz.
While at Virginia Wesleyan, Perez has taken an active role in campus life as a photographer for the Marlin Chronicle student-newspaper and participated in his first student art exhibition during Hispanic Heritage Month. He can also be found tutoring Spanish in the Learning Resource Center.
“Studying abroad is a great experience because I have the opportunity to get to know so many people and do things I am not used to doing while I’m learning,” he said.
In his spare time, Perez enjoys playing and watching soccer, playing the piano, creating motion videos and animation, and listening to music. 
Maxi Hubner
Double majoring in English and German, Hubner comes to Virginia Wesleyan through a direct exchange program with Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany. She hopes to become a teacher in the secondary school system in Germany.
“Virginia Wesleyan is a nice change because 30,000 students go to my home university, so my classes are attended by 30 - 100 students,” said Hubner. With an 11:1 student/faculty ratio and close-knit atmosphere at Virginia Wesleyan, Hubner has enjoyed personal attention in her courses.
Having a passion for singing, Hubner immediately became a member of the Wesleyan Singers and the College Chorus. She has also immersed herself in the College’s clubs/organizations, volunteering with the Wesleyan Activities Council and serving as president of the International Student Organization.
“I want to experience as much as I can and make great friends,” said Hubner, who was recently selected by her peers as a member of the homecoming court. “I am very excited to be at Virginia Wesleyan and to become a part of the campus community.”