International Student and Scholar Services Director Ginny Stark has helped connect the University to the rest of the world for 21 years. Working in various capacities in the Office of International Programs, Stark has witnessed hundreds of international students come and go, American students set off on study abroad adventures and the Eugene community encounter diverse cultures without even leaving town.
Stark, who is retiring at the end of this school year, said the links built through international education are integral to how people interact, not only at the University but also on a global scale.
“I think we need to know each other regardless of where we’re from,” she said. “It helps us to develop a foreign policy where we can all live with one another.”
Apart from many administrative responsibilities as director, Stark also has been in charge of the International Cultural Service Program. Through the program, international students visit local schools and groups to share their culture. She said the program has been particularly rewarding because of the interactions with students and the contributions the program has made to the community.
Stark said multicultural exchange helps to establish meaningful dialogues and lessen hostilities among people.
She said University President Dave Frohnmayer has made international issues a top priority at the campus.
“This administration at the University goes beyond being supportive,” Stark said, adding that Frohnmayer has traveled overseas to build connections and has participated in recruitment efforts. “We’ve seen this tremendous support for the concept of international education.”
Stark said since she began working at the University, the department’s staff has expanded, as has the number of international students. The University had peak international student enrollment just before 1997, when there were more than 1,600 students, she said. She said in recent years, overseas programs also have become very popular, with almost 800 students participating in exchange programs each year. The University also has been nationally recognized for its high involvement in international efforts like the Peace Corps, she said.
While the value of international education is recognized, international students face various challenges with the changing global climate, and there have been some emergencies. For instance, some students had difficulties during the Asian financial crises in 1997, she said.
Stark said changes in national economies affect the demographics of students who come here to study.
“I think there’s a cycle in international education, which moves with the geopolitical scene,” she said.
More stringent immigration laws after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks also have affected international education. Stark said implementing SEVIS, an electronic system which tracks international students, was a very complex process and may have fostered the perception that the U.S. is now less hospitable to students.
“Those of us in international education feel that’s such a devastating result,” she said.
Evidently, Stark has touched many students’ lives; her office is full of pictures of international students who have passed through the institution. Stark’s influence also manifests itself in the relationships she has built with students and colleagues.
“I can’t think of anybody I’d rather work with,” Associate Vice President for International Programs Tom Mills said. Mills said Stark was a thoughtful and capable adviser who could always be depended on to get a project done.
OIP Graduate Teaching Fellow Keavy Cook, who works with Stark on the ICSP program, also noted Stark’s dedication and consistency. “She’s one of the first people here and one of the last ones to leave,” Cook said.
International programs Associate Director Magid Shirzadegan, who will be taking over Stark’s position, said he realizes he has significant shoes to fill.
“I’m sure I can’t duplicate her leadership,” he said, adding that Stark has always been a strong leader and dedicated advocate for international students.
“She has always spoken strongly on behalf of international students and scholars,” he said.
American English Institute Director Christa Hansen agrees.
“She very much keeps the needs of students at the forefront,” Hansen said. She added that Stark has been a great resource for scholars in and outside the office, helping them to acclimate to their new environments.
Stark said her work has taught her many lessons.
“I’ve learned that you can’t make assumptions, that you need to listen,” she said. “Just about anyone who sits down with you has something to offer and you never know what it’s going to be.”
While many people say she will be hard to forget, Stark said she is not concerned about people remembering her. What is more important to her is that people who have interacted with OIP have found what they were looking for.
“I think it’s mainly important that people have had a good experience at the University, and if this office has contributed to that good experience, then that’s what makes me happy,” she said.