Bowie State University Welcomes First International Exchange Student

Samra Ejaz to Spend Semester Studying Computer Science

MEDIA CONTACT: Cassandra Robinson, crobinson@bowiestate.edu, 301-860-4336

(BOWIE, Md.) – Bowie State University has expanded its footprint in international education welcoming its first foreign exchange student as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in Pakistan (Global UGRAD-Pakistan).

Rising senior Samra Ejaz is the first international exchange student to join the BSU community. Samra, who is pursuing her studies in computer science at Fatima Jinnah Women University, will spend the fall 2021 semester at BSU and expressed excitement about what’s in store.

“This program is a huge opportunity for girls like me. I have never been this excited before,” said Ejaz. “I just thought that I would be a teacher, and now I am looking forward to traveling to other states like New York and Florida, and exploring the latest technology like barcode readers in shopping centers. My family and the people in my village are proud of me.”

In just two weeks, Samra has already made fast friends with her peers on campus and has identified other personal goals she would like to achieve. She desires to become fluent in English, understand the problems of Americans, and change Americans’ perception of Pakistan.

As part of the semester-long program, she will participate in a community service project, give a presentation on her country, interact with Americans in the Bowie community and her peers on campus, and attend social events, which will allow her to gain a broad understanding of American culture and values. She will also take classes in American and African American History. Samra’s computer science course schedule will allow her to immerse herself and develop expertise in her academic field.

“My hope is that this is going to be the first of many ongoing series of Pakistani students coming to experience the HBCU life and being able to bring that experience back to their home country to not only talk about the United States, but also African Americans in the United States,” said Patrick Frazier, BSU Study Abroad Coordinator. “By doing this correctly, and giving a positive experience, we'll be able to bring more students here for either a semester or a year to continue this kind of cycle of bringing students to meet us, and for BSU students to meet the students from these other countries.”

Over the past decade, UGRAD Pakistan participants have volunteered more than 40,000 hours of service in communities across the United States, and more than 90% of alumni share the skills and knowledge they learn during the program in their home communities upon returning to Pakistan.

Upon graduating college in December 2022, Samra plans to become an entrepreneur and establish her own software house. Because the culture in Pakistan traditionally limits women to teaching careers, Samra wants to introduce equal gender opportunities and inspire young girls in her community to think broader and pursue tech careers such as graphic design, digital marketing, and programming.

Since its inception in 2010, Global UGRAD-Pakistan has provided over 2,000 talented, highly motivated undergraduate student leaders from across Pakistan with the opportunity to study at an American campus. The program is part of a broader U.S. Department of State effort to promote greater understanding between the people of the United States and other countries.

“It's important for Bowie State to play on the world stage,” said Frazier. “The impact of the program adds to the diversity of the university. Our students are able to better experience what happens in the outside world, to get a different voice than the one that perhaps they've received most of their life growing up in the United States.”

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About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.