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Discovering a new home 7,000 miles away

Tue, Feb 04, 2025

“Home is where the heart is and my heart is on this campus,” said Shanaya James, a second-year student at Calvin University.

While James’ feels right at home now, Calvin University was not her first choice when she graduated high school in Islamabad, Pakistan. “I was always centered on being a doctor and wanting to go in the footprints of my parents,” said James.

But doors kept closing on that dream. She was unable to get into medical school and all the private institutions she was looking at were not affordable for her. So, she started looking for more affordable options in Russia and China. But nothing seemed to be working out.

“It was all God’s plan,” said James. 

Opportunity on the horizon

She expanded her search to the United States and upon the recommendation of a family from her church, she added Calvin University to the many schools she was applying to through the Common App.

James says the primary reason she chose Calvin was “because they gave me an excellent scholarship package.” And secondarily: the community. “I didn’t see any other school accepting more than 20% of international students every year,” said James. “I thought, ‘wow, they really care about international students.’” 
 
And it wasn’t just about the number of students, it was their stories that stuck with James. “I read stories of people, about how they came to Calvin from thousands of miles away and how Calvin became a home to them,” said James.

Making a big decision from afar

While she heard these stories and looked at the beautiful campus and pictures on the website depicting the community, she had never visited the campus, which was 7,000 miles away from her hometown, before she said “yes.” 
 
“Everything was blind trust, but I was optimistic because I was following the lead of God,” said James. “When I entered the states, anxiety kicked in. I’d never been away on my own.” 
 
For James, questions started swirling in her head. “When will I be able to see my parents again? Will I be able to call this place home? Will people be kind? Will I be able to practice my values, my culture, my morals, my ethics, on this campus?”

Discovering a supportive community

It didn’t take long for James’ anxiety to be calmed as she entered an orientation experience intentionally designed to help international students transition to a new culture. 
 
“That has been the best experience of my life,” said James. “I heard someone from orientation say, ‘this is something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.’ Calvin designs a package for international students where we have group mixers and activities. It broke the boundary of being uncomfortable to talk with people. To know there are so many other people sharing the same story, same struggles, same burdens as you de-escalate your emotion of anxiety or stress.” 
 
James has also found support everywhere she’s turned. 
 
“At Calvin, there should be no situation where a person says they are struggling and there’s no solution,” said James of her experience. “People really care here and listen to you and really want to help you. From mental health to personal values, goals, growth, anything you want to achieve in life, Calvin has a pretty good package to support you.”

Helping others feel at home

James’ has so appreciated how Calvin made her feel right at home from the start, that she wanted to pay it forward. So, this year, she’s a resident assistant and is helping students feel right at home. 
 
“When students come and share their stories with me, they often comment ‘I feel at home with you,’ so I am grateful to God that he has blessed me with that ability,” said James. “Sharing the love of Christ with those around me has been a deeply fulfilling part of my journey.” 

James also has advice for students who are encountering a new environment: “Go out of your comfort zone, explore more, and make new friends,” said James. “Get to know more people, be curious. It will make you learn new things.”

Knowing she belongs

Now, almost two years into her college experience, James reflects in gratitude for how God opened the door for her to come to Calvin. 
 
“Being a Calvin Knight has been an incredible blessing, and I am grateful for the opportunity to grow spiritually, academically, and personally in this Christ-centered community,” said James. “There are no nights when I have been sleepless. When I go to bed, I know I belong here.”


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