Dear friends:
Our PhD program thrives on international students. Our international scholars from eight countries comprise more than 80 percent of our total student population.
For this edition’s director’s message, I thought I’d let the students do the talking. I asked eight international students questions about their experience, and a selection of their responses are provided below.
What drove you to pursue a PhD in the United States?
Wayne Xu (China, Hospitality and Tourism Management): “US doctoral programs emphasize not only advanced methodological skills, including diverse statistical techniques and software, but also theory building and scholarly thinking. At the same time, there is strong training in academic writing, presentation, and teaching, which prepares students to become competitive faculty members.”
Aylin Parsa (Iran, Marketing): “The US is the best place to train as a researcher. The field is very advanced here, and US programs offer strong data, methods, and mentorship that allow you to ask big questions and make a real impact.”
Laman Mirzayeva (Azerbaijan, Operations & Management Science): “PhD programs in the US are extremely strong in terms of research quality, funding, and overall impact, and the academic system is quite different. One important aspect for me was that US PhD programs usually require taking course work before fully starting the research. I felt this was essential because I wanted to strengthen my technical background before diving into research.”
Rachel Gao (China, Finance): “I was particularly drawn to the opportunity to work closely with faculty and advisors who are deeply committed to student mentorship. This environment has allowed me to pursue research that is intellectually rigorous and meaningful, with the potential to contribute to both academic scholarship and real-world applications.”
What memorable thing have you learned about another country from another international student or faculty member at WSU?
Shetu Ranjan Biswas (Bangladesh, Management): “I heard from a post‑doctoral student in the engineering faculty who completed his PhD in Belgium about how strongly work–life balance is protected and prioritized in their academic environments. This learning helped me compartmentalize my time and reflect on my own habits.”
Styliani Alevra (Greece, Operations & Management Science): “What stands out most is that we meet people from completely different cultures who share the same purpose — to contribute to knowledge and, in some way, to society. Despite different educational systems and backgrounds, the motivation to strengthen research and understanding is common.”
Seema Bhandari (Nepal, Accounting): “At WSU, interacting with students and faculty from international backgrounds has shown me how deeply empathy and community can transcend national and cultural boundaries. Across the halls and buildings of WSU, I have observed a shared culture in which food, language, mutual support, and collective responsibility are deeply valued.”
Kenneth Nwafor (Nigeria, MIS): “In my international peers, I’ve observed a strong desire to stay focused, an unparalleled commitment to success, and a desire to be a pillar of support to other international students within the WSU community as well as a role model to family and friends in their home countries.”
These voices reflect the strength of a program shaped by global perspectives and unified by scholarly purpose. Our students come to WSU to deepen their expertise, challenge themselves, and contribute meaningfully to their fields. In doing so, they strengthen our academic community and extend the reach of Cougar research around the world.
Chuck Munson,
PhD Program Director