Yasmin Bathamanathan

Check out what new international students have to say!

Yasmin Bathamanathan, from Penang, Malaysia, has been attending three weeks into her first semester at Drury. Hear what she has to say about the first couple of weeks of her life at Drury!

"I was undecided about where to study pre-medicine. Not only was I considering American universities, but also universities in India, and even Russia. Then the director of international admission from Drury came to the college where I was studying for A-levels. Through her I saw the opportunities for me at Drury. It is a smaller school with a great record. And I qualified for scholarships, which really made a difference.

"The professors are great. It's not like they are way up there and you are down here. They treat you more like a friend who cares about you."

"Coming from a highly urban setting in Malaysia, it is so different here. It's more of a town than a huge city, but it has everything you need. It is conducive to education. A good place to study. I have experienced no racism here. My parents worried about that. But racism must be almost non-existent here. And the weather is beautiful.

"I think a lot of people from Asia have the impression that New York is America. I thought that anywhere else would be boring, no social life. But it's not. I'm learning a lot from other international students and Americans.

"Going so far from home teaches you a sense of responsibility for yourself. You learn to be independent, manage your own finances, your life. And, for me, Drury is the best place I could be."