Portland State Magazine Fall 2007

Viewpoint Last academic year, Portland State had more international students than any other Oregon university. Have you ever wondered how these stu– dents feel about starting college in a new culture far from home? FU E LING ONG -just 17 years old-came to PSU from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She is now a confident sophomore. Q: When you first got to PSU did you have any preconceptions that needed correcting? Fue Ling Ong A: I love dressing up and thought Americans did too, at least from TV People here are not about fashion. I saw people wearing cloche similar to pajamas. I asked myself, "Where am I?" I guess the answer is, not in New York City. Q: How has it gone academically? A: I have a really good physics class that is hard. The professor failed half the class the first term, and there is so much homework. (Fue Ling earned all .Ns in physics, rook other core classes, held down two jobs, and won an International Culture Service Program Scholarship from PSU.) Q: What do you miss most from home besides family? A : The food. There are foods of many different countries in Kuala Lumpur. I also miss the warm weather. I really layer up here. People must chink I am crazy. The eerie glow of some spiders under ultraviolet light can look otherworldly. PSU biologist Susan Masta recently concluded a novel survey of fluorescence in spiders. With student Kindra Andrews and colleague Scott Reed, Masta discovered that all spiders' blood fluoresces under ultraviolet light, but that only some spiders emit a fluorescent glow. Current work aims to determine whether this luminosity affects interactions with insects and birds, spiders' main prey and predators. 6 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE FALL 2007 First to offer MBA online at Peking University PORTLAND STATE'S SCHOOL of Business Administration beat out ocher U.S. universities to offer its MBA+ pro– gram online at Peking University start– ing next spring. The program, which emphasizes leader hip and innovation, will answer China's growing need for middle managers trained in business leadership. Chinese managers will access the Master of Business Administration program on the Internet, most likely at their jobs, beginning in March. After a year of online studies in China, the first class will come to Portland for its second and final year. Each student will be paired with a P U graduate student, who will act as a cultural mentor for the first term, says Sully Taylor, associate dean in the PSU School of Business. The school will also establish job-shad– owing opportunities for the Chinese tudents, who will study in English. With success in China, the Business School may replicate the program in other countries. " audi Arabia is inter– ested," says Taylor. In recent years, PSU has taken on other joint ventures with China, in– cluding an undergraduate engineering program in Shanghai and training for Chinese officials on su tainable land– use management. A Confucius Institute was recently established on campus to promote Chinese language and culture. The University also offers study-abroad opportunities in China. ■