International students share voyages to Brandon with worldwide audience

Brandon University’s (BU’s) international students drew thousands of views from around the world with the latest stories of their journeys to Canada.

The latest Destination:BU video challenge has concluded with six international students from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Central America sharing short social-media style videos of their trips to Brandon. The students documented clips of their hometowns, their goodbyes to their friends and families, their trip experiences and their welcomes at BU. In total the challenge generated about 2,000 votes as viewers chose their favourite videos.

“There’s so much to take away from each of these videos as we learn more about our international students and the amazing journeys they take to get here,” said David Rowland, BU’s Director of International Activities.

“Our international students all make an incredible commitment to pursue their dreams at BU, and they each bring knowledge, experience and personality to campus that benefits us all.”

This time, two prize winners are being presented with $500 to contribute to their education. Chisom Okoro received the most votes for her story of hour journey from Lagos, Nigeria to BU. Janine Campbell, from Spanish Town, Jamaica, was the other top winner as her video was named the best by the BU selection committee. Both videos held some extra significance for the students as it was their first trip to Brandon.

More international students come to BU from Nigeria than any other country, and Okoro, a first-year Pre-Nursing student, said she already had some connections on campus, which has made this big step easier for her.

“Overall, it has been great being here, especially because I have friends,” Okoro said.

Campbell is a third-year Business Administration major, but this is also her first term at BU, as she has come here through an exchange agreement with the University of Technology in Jamaica. She had some setbacks on the way to Brandon, including a cancelled flight and a missed bus, but she hopes that other students will draw inspiration and see that the challenges of the journey are worth it.

“I hope that when other students watch my video and see all the struggles and complications there were to get here, it motivates them to keep moving forward and to continue working hard towards their goals,” Campbell said.

International students make up the fastest growing portion of BU’s student body, representing about 15 per cent of BU’s enrollment of approximately 3,200 students.

“Brandon University is an excellent destination for international students who want to study in Canada,” Rowland said. “We offer great value, with outstanding education as well as tuition and cost of living that are more affordable than many universities. It can take a little bit longer to get here than some of the major cities, but we make up for it by going the extra mile for our students and making them feel welcome here.

Learn more about the Destination: BU video challenge and watch the videos by visiting BrandonU.ca/international-activities/destination-bu-video-challenge.

If you are a prospective student ready to start your own journey to BU, please contact Ms. Iris Wang at WangI@BrandonU.ca in the Office of International Activities to assist you.

International students share voyages to Brandon with worldwide audience

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