Word-of-mouth advertising and special programs drew nearly 1,100 students from 81 foreign nations to attend NIU last fall.

Of the foreign students, Thecla Behrens Cooler, assistant director for NIU’s international student and faculty office, said 749 were students with visas and 341 were classified as permanent U.S. residents.

Although the students enrolled in virtually every academic area, the largest numbers showed up in business, computer science, engineering, mathematics, the physical sciences and certain areas of education.

Harold Wright, associate dean of the College of Business, said foreign students are often drawn to NIU by word-of-mouth recommendations from other students.

“If a student goes by the reputation of an institution, they would pick Harvard or Yale. Most students came her because of a person,” Wright said.

NIU’s closeness to multicultural Chicago is also a draw, he said, because students can find reminders of their homeland nearby.

Mark Thackaberry, director of the International Student/Faculty Office, said students come to NIU for a multitude of reasons.

“Some come for a specific might come to study under (Shmuel) Ashkenasi,” Thackaberry said.

He agreed with Wright that many come to NIU after referrals from alumni and past NIU faculty members.

Chinese students represented the largest segment of foreign students, totaling 238, with 126 from the People’s Republic of China, 88 from Taiwan and 24 from Hong Hong.

Cooler said students from mainland China are staying longer at NIU to pursue second degrees because of President Bush’s resolution to let those students stay until 1994.

Following Chica in enrollment were students from India (148), Korea (76), Malayasia (45), Thailand (37), Mexico (35), Canada (33), the Philippines (31), Peru (29) and Norway (28).

Others included Laos (20), Japan (18), Pakistan (18), England (17), Iran (15), South Africa (13), Vietnam (12) and Poland (11).