Among the international student population at Saint Peter’s College there are 22 undergraduate students who have traveled 7,530 miles from their native country, Nepal, to Jersey City. Located on the southern slopes of the Himalayan Mountains, this narrow territory divides India from China; its size is slightly larger than the state of Arkansas, and the country has a population of nearly 29 million people.
Although Nepal has made substantial economic progress in recent years, it remains the poorest country in South Asia and ranks as the twelfth poorest country in the world. For young adults in Nepal, this means it’s almost impossible to receive a private, higher education in the United States without the appropriate funding. However, Saint Peter’s has provided aid to its Nepalese students, as well as many of its other international students; it’s an investment that ensures a better quality of life for these young adults. 
The students, many of whom come to Saint Peter’s from their country’s capital, Kathmandu, discovered Saint Peter’s through Fr. Lawrence V. Brooks, S.J. He served as the students’ guidance counselor at St. Xavier’s College, a network of schools in Nepal that are managed by Jesuits, and offer courses and degrees at the high school and college level. Other students found out about Saint Peter’s academic offerings simply by word of mouth, or the Internet.
When the students discovered the College’s proximity to New York, they were sold on the idea of attending Saint Peter’s. “The subsequent internship and career opportunities in the New York metropolitan area also play influential roles in a student’s decision to attend SPC,” said Saugat Karki, a sophomore from Lalitpur, a city adjacent to Kathmandu.
In terms of giving back to the community, these young adults emulate the Jesuit tradition of serving as “Men and Women for Others.” In addition to volunteering at local soup kitchens, the students participated in the 10th Annual Jersey Cares Day, donating a Saturday morning to paint at the Peshine Avenue Prep School in Newark. Through their involvement with the SPC Student Alumni Association, the students also took a group of elementary school students to the Liberty Science Center.
The students are making the most of their college experience – in addition to their community service, they are involved in many campus groups, including the Accounting Society, CALL Tutoring, Indo-Pak Club, Cricket and the Society of Physics Students, just to name a few. Their weekends are spent exploring New York City to see movies, visit museums and landmarks, and to have fun in general.
Saugat expressed how grateful the students are to Saint Peter’s for allowing them to attend a private college in the United States. “They’ve made it possible for us to pursue our dreams.”