Cutting the ribbon for Shepherd’s new International Student Center are (l. to r.) Dr. Virginia Hicks, assistant provost, Academic Community Outreach; Dr. Lois Jarman, director, International Affairs; Henry S. Navarrete Mendez, computer and information technology and Spanish major and president of Global Shepherd Students, Cojutepeque, Cuscatlán, El Salvador; Bob McMillan, former member and chair, Board of Governors; Tia McMillan, current member, Board of Governors; and Dr. Scott Beard, provost.
Shepherd University recently opened an International Student Center in Gardiner Hall. The center serves as a central hub and offers comfortable furniture, desks, Chromebooks, and a Bluetooth speaker so students can study, relax, and socialize together. The center houses the offices of the director of International Affairs, international recruiter, and director of the Intensive English Language Program (IELP). It has a newly renovated IELP classroom, international student lounge, and reading café. The center offers language learning lunches to the campus community and international First-Year Experience classes. The International Student Center is available to all international students, and is open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Before the ribbon cutting, Bob and Tia McMillan were presented medals for their recent induction as honorary members into Shepherd’s chapter of Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars. The McMillans made a three-year, $125,000 pledge to support the McMillan Family International Initiative and the Intensive English Language Program. Bob McMillan is a former member and chair of Shepherd’s Board of Governors (BOG) and Tia McMillan is a current BOG member.