Students
Students
Meet 5 International Students Studying at JWU
Author Audrey Soemarno '27 is a Media & Communication major and works as a student assistant at JWU, contributing to JWU News.
When you're an international student, a new life awaits you. Boarding that plane as this wave of excitement and rush of adrenaline takes over. Having this quiet smile knowing that a new chapter in life is about to unfold. Embarking on this new journey, in a new country thats miles away from home. Possessing this unspoken hope of making loved ones proud. Pushed out of comfort zones, learning to navigate through the next four years of college, seeking this new support system and building a home away from home. This adventure is about more than just crossing oceans — it's about chasing dreams and fulfilling purposes.
Johnson & Wales University equips students with real-world experiences and countless opportunities to thrive in their chosen fields. That’s what these international students from different parts of the world chose to do, making the bold decision to come all the way here. As we shine a spotlight on these brave students highlighting their cultural background, experiences living in the United States and the journey they took making their way to JWU.
Audrey Soemarno ’27: Media & Communication major
I know it’s always hard adjusting to a new environment — especially when it means leaving home. As a Chinese Indonesian I loved growing up with what I like to call a whirlwind of cultures and traditions meshed in one household. One of the hardest things about leaving home my first year was leaving my grandpa. He always called me his “cucu tersayang” — his beloved grandchild; he was the person I looked forward to seeing the most. With his sudden passing last November, my grandpa will always have this huge impact on my life that shaped the person I am today. I would describe him as a selfless, kindhearted man who only wanted the simple things life had to offer. He would always say “udah cukup” — that's enough— a phrase that was used so often in his life that he would never complain or burden anyone. His dream was to go study in the States, but sadly he didn’t get the opportunity to do so. He is the reason I’m here today, to not only fulfill my own dreams but to let him live vicariously through me, making him proud of the person I am becoming.
It’s difficult for people to understand the trials and tribulations of being an international student. From not being able to return home for a long time to having to find this concept of a “second home” to ease the feeling of missing our own families. Being a Media & Communication student at JWU has provided me with the opportunity to pursue my dreams. JWU embraced me warmly, as did my friends who became family. Now, as a sophomore and working as a marketing student assistant, I never imagined this achievement when I left home. I know that through this role, I am slowly but surely working toward my dreams, making my grandpa proud.
I’m not alone in this journey, with the many international students at JWU. Here are some of the students far from home who have shared their stories with me:
Ida Laila Sery ’24: Business Administration major
Ida Laila Sery grew up in the Ivory Coast located in West Africa and made her way as a senior transfer student from community college to Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte. She says the Business Administration program was one of her biggest reasons for coming to JWU. She also works as an academic student assistant, mainly focusing on promoting JWU’s Study Abroad programs but also doing a weekly post on the JWU international student’s page.
“All the faculty and staff seem to really care about students and want to be there for students,” she says. Ida is graduating at the end of this semester and plans on pursuing her career as a financial analyst or in human resources. She is bilingual and comes from a mixed family background; her father is Ivorian, while her mother is from Senegal and Mali. "My family has always been like two religions,” she says of growing up in a household with Islam and Christianity. She is thankful that her parents brought her to other countries. “They wanted me to be open to other cultures and religion — and be open to the world,” she explains.
Ida has a fond love for books, cooking and travelling. She celebrates many holidays, being in a massive family with many aunts and uncles. Ever since she was in high school, she had wanted to be bilingual, and her aunt offered her the opportunity to come to the States. Ida’s goal was to better her English. It was challenging coming to the States for the first time and leaving her family, but Ida wanted to be independent.
And she found some substitutes for the family she missed, particularly through her international student advisor. "The feeling of homesickness got to me at first,” she says, “But I met some really great people and now we are like a family.”
Ida’s advice for other international students: “You are in a new world, and you shouldn’t come here with certain ideas in your mind without trying to get to know a person. You should be open to other people because you never know who you are going to meet; don’t be closed to opportunities.”
Her perspective of being an international student at JWU: “We might think people would judge, but no. Everyone is just welcoming and trying to create a big family, and I just love it.”
Ida adds a quote in French — “Ne jamais abandoner quand on fait face à une difficulté” —meaning that we should never give up when facing difficulty.
Sunny Sysomphou ’27: Marketing & Advertising major
Sunny Sysomphou is a Marketing & Advertising major from Laos. He traveled to the States back in his last year of high school, then made his way to Johnson & Wales University after graduating. He is active at JWU, from being in DECA, serving as a social media ambassador for the College of Business, working as a barista at Starbucks and many more accomplishments. Just like his name, Sunny shines bright like the sun.
Sunny’s motivations as an international student are fueled from the understanding that other people’s achievements should stimulate our work ethic and inspire us to be the best we can be. “It shouldn’t be what brings us down,” Sunny says. Coming from a Southeast Asian country, he feels we can learn a lot from collectivist communities. In these communities, people are taught from a young age to “never give up in life” and “always try our best.”
"Coming from far away, being sent abroad to do our education isn’t something that is taken lightly,” Sunny says. He mentions the challenges as an international student, stating that “it isn’t impossible, yet the possibilities are endless when you push yourself to try even though you fail.”
Sunny relates to many other international students when translating certain words in his head. He says, “I personally count numbers in Lao instead of English and accidentally say certain words in Lao because I forget that no one understands me. It's funny because as international students we don't realize the privilege we have in knowing more than one language. Moving here was when I was able to appreciate that aspect.”
Sunny finds comfort in the loving small community JWU offers, allowing him to build connections with professors and peers. One of the clubs that helped him the most with his time here was DECA. "At their first meeting, the people there were just as passionate about business as I was,” he says. He was able to find a sense of community in the club, making the friends he now calls family. With his job as a barista in Starbucks, Sunny states - “Working as a barista allows me to meet people and get to know them on a deeper level, creating bonds that lead to lifelong friendships.”
His love for content creation and social media proves his hard work and determination in coming here to the States. Sunny aims to pursue a master's degree and plans to work in marketing, leveraging his diverse work experiences to understand the various industries in his field.
Sunny’s advice for international students: “I get asked how I am able to meet so many new people and I always tell them the importance of being in clubs and learning to embrace other cultures as well.”
Jenny (Kwak Young Seo) 곽영서 ’24: Food & Beverage Industry Management major
Kwak Young Seo, known as Jenny, is a South Korean student finishing up her final semester at JWU majoring in Food & Beverage Industry Management. She transitioned from an all-girls Korean university to studying here in the States after feeling as though something was missing in her studies.
“Back in Korea there are no food marketing majors for study — only culinary cooking majors available,” Jenny states. As she was looking for a university in the states, she came across Johnson & Wales. “Many other universities don’t allow me to transfer my credits from my Korean university,” she notes, grateful that JWU gave her opportunities that weren’t available back home.
Jenny is actively involved in the Korean church here. She grew up with the Korean concept of “jong -gyoui jayu” (종교의 자유), or freedom of religion, where she never had a specific belief before coming to JWU. Through her church, Jenny found a community that brings comfort.
Working at Willie’s on JWU’s Providence Campus was Jenny’s first time ever working in the States. English is her second language, and Jenny says that her coworkers and boss at Willie’s helped her gain confidence in speaking with customers. Jenny overcame the barrier she felt in speaking English with the help of ESL (English Second Language) classes and her friends at work.
Post-graduation, Jenny hopes to work in food marketing looking for jobs that are based in the East Coast, hoping to obtain a visa sponsorship from a company.
Jenny’s advice for international students: "Join clubs in the university to meet new people and utilize academic resources available for students.” She particularly appreciated the tutors that helped her with classes in JWU’s Academic Success Center.
For now, Jenny is enjoying her time here at JWU — which she now calls her “second home.”
Behnaz Zobeiri ’28: Culinary Arts major
Behnaz Zobeiri comes from Iran and is majoring in Culinary Arts. She is the first in her family to pursue a culinary education. Her journey began with the Young Chef Olympiad competition, where she joined other contestants from 62 different countries. Through Young Chef Olympiad, she was introduced by Chef Jeremy Houghton, an associate professor on JWU’s Providence Campus.
Behnaz’s dream is to share her love of Persian cuisine with the world. She struggled to pursue a culinary degree in her home country, where food is not fully accepted or common as a major. She had an associate degree in mathematics back in Iran, but math wasn’t her passion. She had learned of the Young Chef Olympiad competition through Instagram and went alone to New Delhi — where she was introduced by one of JWU’s own chefs and got the opportunity of a lifetime to attend Johnson & Wales. She talks more about the competition on our This Week at JWU podcast if you want to listen more about her amazing journey here to the States.
Behnaz recalls how her love of cooking started around age six: “Honestly, my first chef was my grandma because she taught me so many things.” Her grandma would find recipes from watching cable channels and write them down to try. “She was patient teaching me — ‘you must add this first then this’ — and she was a really good cook,” Behnaz recalls. She likes to think that her grandma is on this culinary journey with her: “I’m sure she can see me.”
After attending JWU for two months, Behnaz is amazed by the opportunities students have at JWU. “Just last week, there was a career fair I went to,” she notes. “You can make good connections there finding internships, jobs and networking opportunities — it’s crazy.”
She appreciates how the people at JWU Global helped with her transition. "At Orientation, the faculty members gave me the most comforting welcome that helped me enjoy my first time coming to the States,” she recalls. Behnaz has taken a quote her parents often said throughout her life: “Natijeh mohem nist vaghti ke to talashat ra kardi” (نتیجه مهم نیست وقتی که تو تلاشت رو کردی), which means “the result doesn’t matter when you have tried your best.” She says the phrase gives her the strength and wisdom to take on her dream in spreading her love of Persian food with the world, fulfilling it here at JWU.
Our international students have journeyed from all over the world to Johnson & Wales University. Each of us carries our own dreams, challenges and deep-rooted traditions from home. Our stories illustrate our resilience, courage and determination in building this new life far from what was familiar, honoring our cultures while embracing new opportunities. We are not only paving the way for our own futures but are also adding to the rich tapestry of diversity and inspiration for all of us here at Johnson & Wales.
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