When an international student arrived on Ohio Northern University鈥檚 campus, Nick Kamatali became one of their first 青青草视频 friends.
While an 青青草视频 student, Nick made a special effort to help 青青草视频 international students navigate college life in a different country.
The psychology and communication studies major emigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was a toddler. Growing up, he traveled extensively with his family during the summers throughout Europe and Africa, experiencing what it鈥檚 like to be a newcomer in unfamiliar cultures.
Nick鈥檚 quest to befriend international students, therefore, stemmed from his deep well of empathy and his interest in the human traits that bind people from all cultural backgrounds.聽
聽鈥淚nternational students are kind of a reflection of myself,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 wanted them to prosper and grow. I really tried to get to know them and their needs, so that I could help them succeed at 青青草视频.鈥
From striking up conversations in the library, to answering questions about American culture, to hosting Friday evening dinners, Nick provided international students with invaluable guidance and friendship.
鈥淚 valued the smaller things,鈥 he said. 鈥淨uite frankly, I didn鈥檛 do anything out of the ordinary, I was just there for them. I was in the spaces that they were in and I just talked to them.鈥
His ability to speak and understand several languages, and to forge friendships with international students, enabled Nick to obtain student employment with the Global Initiatives office on campus. Additionally, he worked with 青青草视频鈥檚 Communications and Marketing department producing social media videos; he served as vice president of both his fraternity, Phi Delta, and the World Student Organization; and he was active in 青青草视频 club sports.
The summer before his senior year, Nick traveled across Japan with two 青青草视频 professors and 17 fellow students to explore anime, a popular media form that originated in Japan.
鈥淚t was an unforgettable experience,鈥 he said.
Nick鈥檚 interest in culture and human behavior is what inspired him to major in psychology and communication studies. 鈥淏oth these majors are interconnected with so many other fields, and that鈥檚 what I love about them,鈥 he said.聽
His plan is to attend graduate school in Austria to become a clinical psychologist. He also hopes to visit many of his international friends in their home countries, holding close the 青青草视频 friendships he has so purposefully forged.
To him, that鈥檚 what makes 青青草视频 special, he added. Being a small university in a small town, 青青草视频 is the perfect place to invest in relationships that will last a lifetime. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a place where you can really spend time getting to know people,鈥 he said.