Sri Lanka recruiters visit Shawnee State University

Sri Lanka recruiters visit Shawnee State University
Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.

This summer, Priyanthi and Dissa Dissanayake, college recruiters to the United States from Sri Lanka, visited Shawnee State University for the first time to look at possibly sending students for their education.

More than 100 students have come to the United States from Sri Lanka for higher education since 2001 with the help of Priyanthi Dissanayake, who is recognized as Sri Lanka's foremost individual recruiter to colleges and universities in the U.S.

Her daughter, Sashi, wanted her higher education in the United States when she first started researching and after many rejections, she found a private college in Minnesota that worked with her. After that, her friends wanted help in sending their students to the United States.

"There had been very few Sri Lanka students coming to the United States for higher education before that," said John Lorentz, executive director of SSU's Center for International Programs and Activities. "They usually would go to Australia."

Lorentz has been involved with strategic planning in the state of Ohio with the Ohio International Council. One of the discussions of the group was determining how to promote education in Ohio, including promoting education abroad.

Shawnee State is also a founding member of the American International Recruitment Council, a new accrediting association for recruiters. The purpose of the organization is to develop standards of ethical practice to recruit international students to American educational institutions. Through his involvement in these organizations, Lorentz was introduced to the Dissanayakes.

"Last summer, we were introduced to Ohio," Dissa Dissanayake said. "We are visiting 16 schools in 10 days. What we have found is that Ohio offers so much diversity in schools for our students."

Until they came to Ohio, the Dissanayakes were working with about a dozen schools and now they have about 28 schools for their students.

"Having worked with so many schools in so many states, I see Ohio as one of the most forward-looking states where the international students are concerned," Dissa Dissanayake said. "From what we have seen, Shawnee State University has a lot to offer our students. We feel that students coming here would have a quality education."

In the next month, Lorentz will be traveling to Sri Lanka and Nepal for education exhibitions to introduce students to SSU.

"When you invite international students and you teach them a liberal arts education and the values of democracy, you pass on certain values to the future generations, the future leaders," Dissa Dissanayake said. "America has a lot to offer through its education to make the world a much safer place, a much better place. What I see here is that it goes far beyond educating individuals. This is the ultimate goal."

Visitors from Sri Lanka tour Shawnee State University to consider sending students. Contact: Elizabeth Blevins, Director, Office of Communications

Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 464-4854

Sourced: goswoop