Empowered by presidential initiatives and strong institutional commitment to internationalize Virginia Commonwealth University, the Office of International Education recruitment staff has embarked upon a proven in-depth international student and scholar recruiting effort. The four-year-old recruiting initiative has been successful, resulting in a 67 percent increase in the university’s international student enrollment from 640 students in 2004 to more than 1,100 in the fall of 2006.

VCU representatives travel overseas to attend educational fairs, and visit secondary schools and advanced degree institutions to recruit highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students for all disciplines. The quality and scope of majors in VCU’s liberal arts college and 15 schools, as well as the welcoming nature of the international admissions policy, make VCU a strong and attractive choice for American education for many students. OIE international recruiting also engages students via the VCU Web sites and other electronic and media outlets. Ongoing contacts with school and university counselors and private education admissions are a priority.

Focus for travel has been to the emerging international student markets in the areas of the Middle East and Gulf regions, the Far East and Pacific Rim countries, southern Asia and Latin America. The office also takes advantage of the university’s close proximity to Washington, D.C., to visit and contact embassy educational ministries for access to scholarship students. The international recruiting of the Office of International Education plays a vital role in diversifying and enhancing the international community at VCU and in the greater-Richmond area.