TEMPE, AZ — As the spring semester ends for tens of thousands of Arizona State University students, ABC15 thought that would be the perfect time to check back in with one student in particular who has "gone the distance," quite literally, to be a Sun Devil!
And after her first year, she says she has no regrets!
New experiences, new friends, and even a new outlook on life – all rights of passage for any college student.
But when you are 8,000 miles and a world away from everything you've ever known, even the smallest things can seem like milestones.
"Dorm life was pretty nice!" explains ASU freshman Kashish Bhutani, an international student who relocated from India last summer to attend classes on the main campus in Tempe.
"There [in India], they don't have a fridge or microwave in the room, but here we do have them!"
But those were just the beginning of the changes for Kashish, who left her parents and sister behind in Punjab to get a college experience in the United States.
"It was my dream," she explained to ABC15. "I wanted to go abroad because I wanted to know a new culture, make new friends, and have a different environment."
We first introduced you to Kashish in August 2023, just weeks before the Fall semester at ASU began, and our team thought it would be the perfect time for a follow-up visit with Kashish!
Look back at Nick Ciletti's first report from last year in the video player below:
"My first year went very well," says Kashish. "I've seen a lot of progress in myself and I've made new friends and I've joined extracurricular activities."
But like any college student, there was also an adjustment period for Kashish.
"In my first semester, it was kind of hard for me to manage my studies and how to live here and everything."
Kashish also noticed differences in the American teaching style.
"Here, it's very practical. They make you practice a lot...Here is more fun and they have activities for you to learn."
"It's important for us to not only invest in them but also to show them here is who we are, we are dedicated to their success and doing it in a personal matter," explained Matt Lopez from ASU in 2023.
ASU tells ABC15 they remain committed to growing their international student population.
In Fall 2023, ASU officials say they had more than 15,000 international students - a new record - and up 1,300 from Fall 2022.
More than half of these international students, like Kashish, are coming from India.
And for Kashish, so much of the learning has happened outside the classroom.
"It's taught me that going out on your own without the support of your parents helps you," explains Kashish. "It builds up your confidence for the future and then it kind of pushes you to try new things."
Once again, ASU is hosting recruitment events where they send staff to India to speak with prospective students and families. This year, ASU staff members will visit 15 cities throughout India.
There are also plans to host similar information sessions in both Mexico and China. In fact, ASU officials tell ABC15 they have recruitment teams based in China, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
Currently, ASU officials report the school has more than 15,000 international students with more than 6,800 coming from India.
