Alumni Stories
Douwe Driehuis, '14
Major:
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Hometown:
Hilversum, United States
Why did you choose to attend Grand Valley?
I chose to attend Grand Valley because I received a full ride
scholarship in the Netherlands. Through that program, I got to pick
from numerous schools. Grand Valley has a really nice website in which
you can find a lot of information about sports, campus dining,
housing, and all the other stuff that is important.
How did Grand Valley aid you throughout your enrollment process?
Most of it went through the Fulbright program, but once I was
actually accepted into Grand Valley I got in touch with Kate Stoetzner
from the Padnos International Center, who would tell me what's the
next step, where would be good to live, what are the options for a
meal plan, how all that is going to work, what is the best day to
arrive, and when orientation is starting.
What do you like best about Grand Valley?
That it is such a friendly community. Back home most of the
universities are all scattered throughout the city, but here it is one
big student group living together. And I think it's very good that
there are so many international students who can give a perspective on
everything in the world.
How has the Padnos International Center assisted you in
adjusting to life in the United States?
They had a great orientation week about culture in the U.S. You
learn what you can do, what you can't do, what would be kind of odd,
and what kinds of questions you can expect Americans to ask you. It
was very helpful the first week.
How has Grand Valley's faculty made a difference in your
college experience?
One of my hospitality management professors happened to be
international as well. He helped me by writing letters of
recommendation for my position as a resident assistant, as well as
letter's of recommendation for scholarships I applied for. He even
invited me for Thanksgiving dinner because at that moment I didn't
have anybody to go with yet.
What advice would you give to prospective students?
Ask for a lot of information and make sure you are prepared for
when you come here. Also, make sure you get in touch with American
students or previous international students who can help you. And make
use of the newly introduced Freecycle program in which internationals
can pick up stuff in the beginning of the year that has been recycled
from last year.
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