Students advocate for international education, explore history of democracy in Jefferson City

UMSL Daily

Jianyu Wang (at left), who is from China, and Animesh Panda (at right), from India, joined UMSL International Studies and Programs staff members for a trip to the Missouri State Capitol earlier this month. (Photos courtesy of Jennifer Amatya)
Animesh Panda has visited cities around the globe – in his home country of India, in New Zealand and now in the United States, where he is an exchange student at the University of Missouri–St. Louis this semester. Two weeks ago he checked one more destination off his list: Jefferson City, Missouri.
“I had been wanting to go there for a while, and International Education Day at the Capitol offered me the opportunity,” said Panda, who is pursuing his master’s degree in business administration from Auckland University of Technology. “Learning about the history of Missouri was an enriching experience, and witnessing the House of Representatives in action was another highlight of the day.”
He and fellow UMSL scholar Jianyu Wang were two of about 300 international students statewide who gathered in Missouri’s capital city April 11 to explore the region’s history and politics – and to send a message to lawmakers.
“It was a great way to teach international students about our political processes as well as a reminder to our legislature of the big impact that these students play in our local economy,” said Jennifer Amatya, who works in International Studies and Programs at UMSL and accompanied Panda and Wang on the trip alongside fellow staff member Gabriela Renteria-Poepsel.
The event was organized by Study Missouri, which advocates at the state level for the importance of study-abroad opportunities and for the recruitment of international students to Missouri.
International student adviser Jennifer Amatya (lower left) described the April 11 trip as “a great way to teach international students about our political processes and a reminder to our legislature of the big impact ...

Read More