Flight cancellations. Closed embassies. Confusing paperwork. Health concerns.��Restrictions on travel. Worried parents.  

Those are just a few of the challenges international students have grappled with amid the pandemic. For the fall semester, Beard and his team were expecting 154 international students. Instead, there are just 55.��

“To be honest, I am thrilled with the 55, considering all the closed embassies/consulates and the travel restrictions,” Beard said.��

School of Public Health and Information Sciences doctoral student Aravind Reddy Kothagadi was one of those 55 international scholars who navigated COVID-19 restrictions to attend UofL.

Kothagadi, a medical doctor who previously worked in rural areas of India, found it especially onerous to make travel plans.��

“Only one carrier was operating flights between India and the U.S.” said Kothagadi, who arrived the day before classes started. “I am glad that I could finally make it in time.” 

Kothagadi said his parents were concerned, but supportive, about his plans to pursue a degree overseas.��After all, he was no stranger to international travel and study: he previously earned a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and a master’s degree in biomedical and health informatics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Even so, his parents were worried.

“I assured my parents that I understood their concerns and would take all necessary precautions,” he said. “I am very passionate about pursuing my PhD and determined to take this chance.” 

But just two weeks into the semester, Kothagadi got bad news from home: both parents had fallen ill to COVID-19 and were in the hospital.��

“I felt devastated,” he said.  

Amid his apprehension, Kothagadi’s UofL family helped him through the crisis. Both parents have now fully recovered.

“My mentor, , and my faculty and colleagues here in SPHIS were a pillar of support during this time,” said Kothagadi, whose current research work includes developing COVID-19 projections for Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness.

Beard is inspired by such stories of collegial comradery.  

He has found that—despite the additional paperwork and headaches his staff has endured due to the pandemic—there’s a silver lining.

“International students are displaying their resiliency and adaptability, the students find new ways to connect, either through meeting virtually, finding new hobbies, taking advantage of university resources or talking with ISSS coordinators,” he said. “The ISSS team has become closer with the fall 2020 incoming students, in large part because of the uncertainty, and it has been a pleasure working with these students more closely, getting to know each student and helping them find normalcy even during a pandemic.”   

In the Fall of 2016, there were a total of 1,033 student scholars on campus, including 244 from China and 173 from India.

During the week of Nov. 13-17, the university will celebrate International ����ֱ�� Week, recognizing the benefits of international education and exchange.

The joint initiative between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of ����ֱ�� functions to “promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn and exchange experiences in the U.S.” IEW was first held in 2000 and is now celebrated in more than 100 countries.

To mark the occasion, UofL will host a number of events, from a salsa night to a workshop to a Thanksgiving dinner. The full schedule is below:

• From Nov. 13-17, the International Center Exhibit will be displayed at Ekstrom Library, east side. It includes the history of the center.
• On Monday from 2-3 p.m., a Q&A session will be held to answer travel questions, hosted by the International Student and Scholar Services. It will include dessert, coffee, hot chocolate and raffle prizes.
• On Tuesday from 12:30-2:30 p.m., the International Luncheon will be held on the Health Sciences Campus, CTR Building, Room 124. This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the ISSS.
• On Wednesday from 3-5 p.m., an Immigration Workshop covering current trends and outcomes will be held on Shumaker, Room 139. It is co-sponsored by J. Gregory Clare Law Offices and ISSS.
• On Thursday from noon to 1 p.m., the International Luncheon will be held in Bigelow Hall, Room 1316. This event is co-sponsored by the Dean of Students Office and the ISSS.
• Also Thursday, Salsa Night will be held at the Red Barn from 6-9 p.m. This event is hosted by the American International Relations Club.
• Finally, on Friday from 6:30-9:30 p.m., a Thanksgiving Dinner will be held at the Red Barn, hosted by the Organization Assisting and Serving International Students.

All events are free and open to students, faculty and staff.

According to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, international students and their dependents contributed $36.9 billion go the U.S. economy during the 2016-17 academic year.��

For more information about International ����ֱ�� Week, .��

Also, save the date for the International Center’s Get Connected and Resource Fair, January 4 at noon at the Red Barn.