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International student coordinator moves on

BY HART FORD-HODGES & TONY PAN

To American students, Eric Staab is just another name. To Kenyan student Eric Omwega '08, Staab is "Mr. Grinnell." On Sept. 29, however, "Mr. Grinnell" will become "Mr. Kalamazoo."

Staab, the International Admission coordinator since 1996, will become the dean of Admission at Kalamazoo College in Michigan. For international students at Grinnell, this means the loss of a valued guide and friend.

Omwega remembered reading the farewell letter that Staab sent to every international student. "My heart sank," Omwega said. "I was speechless for 10 minutes."

Through phone calls and e-mail, Staab made international students thousands of miles away feel like part of the Grinnell community. Assistant Dean Janet Alexander, director of International Student Services, said one international student told her that he "chose Grinnell because he already felt like a Grinnellian. He said he already felt very much at home, in large part because of the way Eric communicated with him before he came."

In the same way, Farai Rusinga '08, originally from Zimbabwe, credits Staab with helping him pick Grinnell. "[Staab] gave a very favorable impression of Grinnell and made me feel attached to the place before I even came here," Rusinga said.

In addition to his coordinating work, Staab has also served as a host for many international students, a role that is part mentor and part friend. One student Staab has hosted is Dew Rattansangpunth '10. "If it wasn't for Eric, I would not have come here," Rattansangpunth said.

Staab's communication and concern have translated into empirical success for the international recruitment program. During his 10 years at Grinnell, international applications more than tripled, from 350 in 1996 to 1,100 in 2006. The percentage of international students on campus increased from around eight percent to 12 percent during that time, well above the national average for liberal arts college.

The College's financial resources are responsible for at least part of this increase. By heavily promoting scholarship opportunities abroad, Staab helped make Grinnell affordable. "I made Grinnell a well-known school for great students and a great school for students who needed financial aid," he said.

At times, these scholarships extended beyond tuition.

Even with a generous scholarship from Grinnell, Talent Takundwa '10 was unsure that he could comfortably afford the plane tickets from Zimbabwe to Iowa. He talked to Staab and was able to receive an additional scholarship from the College.

Despite his move to a higher position at Kalamazoo, Staab is still "horribly sad." "It's an exciting opportunity to lead an office, it's a great school to work for," Staab said. "But it also means leaving a program that for 10 years I've developed É and leaving the students I've recruited over the years."

Staab insisted that nothing will change about Grinnell's international student program. He is spending the rest of his time here traveling in Asia to finish his part of the fall recruiting. A search for his full-time replacement will begin in late spring, but Staab is confident that whoever is chosen, Grinnell will continue to create a welcoming environment for international students. "It's not me who makes this happen," Staab said. "It's the college."

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