By Lovis Bienefeld
According to the communications office, approximately 1,491 students are currently enrolled at Peninsula College. Recent enrollment snapshots report that there are 33 international students; that makes about 2.2% of total enrollment at Peninsula College. These students are mainly athletes, but not exclusively. They come from various European countries such as Norway, Germany, England, and the Netherlands. There are a few Asian students, Japanese athletes or Vietnamese international students who attend the school too. Peninsula College Vice President for Student Services, Krista Francis, describes her motives as follows: “Many of our students chose to come to Peninsula College to be able to play sports while getting their associate degree. For non-athletic students, to get their associate degree and either transfer or do OPT (Optional Practical Training, which is a benefit of their F-1 visa after they complete a degree level of study) and then transfer. Some students also need to study intensive English before entering the degree programs. All international students want to improve their English and have an opportunity to experience living in an English-speaking culture.”
Furthermore, they receive help with admissions paperwork, visa questions, airport pickup, and housing placement. The school also actively promotes itself abroad and attends international college events. “That is how I got recruited,” said Noah Moe, a 21-year-old student from Stjørdal, Norway. He attended a university fair in Trondheim, where he was approached by Sophia Iliakis Doherty, Director of International Student Programs and Student Recruitment. They stayed in touch, and after completing his mandatory one-year military service, he decided to attend the school, partly because of its strong soccer program. Thus, he became the first Norwegian student ever to attend Peninsula College.
Compared to the total number of international students in the US (over 1.1 million in 2024), the community college sector accounts for only a relatively small proportion (approximately 5–7%) (Open Doors data). Another reason for the relatively small number of international students on campus is probably the required tuition for international students. It is higher than for in-state residents, being roughly double resident tuition per term.
The internationals benefit from this small number. The relationship with employees like Sophia, who is half Italian and half Greek herself, is very informal. “People come into the office, grab snacks, and stay to chat.” Everyone is greeted with a hug and addressed by name.
However, the reality at most universities, especially the larger ones in the US, is somewhat different. The Chronicle of Higher Education indicates that the United States is currently experiencing the largest decline in international student quarter-semester arrivals ever outside of the pandemic. The data show a 20 percent decline in international students arriving in the United States in August compared to the previous year. While August arrivals have historically served as a fairly accurate bellwether for fall enrollment trends, the senior writer Karin Fischer notes the data do not distinguish between new and returning international students. In 2025, many current international students have avoided travel abroad during breaks, fearing that they might be barred from re-entering the United States. So, the decline might reflect fewer departures from the United States as well as fewer new arrivals.
The situation is particularly delicate in Minnesota, with the future impact on the number of foreign students there still uncertain, as described by a former international PC student and journalist for The Buc. A familiar, safe environment looks different. There is a phone number for the international student service desk that he can call if he has any questions, but behind it is no one he knows well. He seems isolated and frightened in the unsettling atmosphere in Minnesota and does not even dare to go on campus at the moment, for fear of becoming a victim of the arbitrariness of ICE officials himself. He advises everyone to carry copies of their documents with them and describes how people openly carry their passports with them so that it is clear that they are American citizens.
It remains to be seen how the situation will develop. How will the enrollment of international students in the US change in the near future, and will Peninsula College be able to continue to be the haven for foreigners that it is today? The former PC student observes that the majority want to stay and are simply very frightened at the moment. He believes that if everyone calms down and follows the instructions of the university and officials, the situation will soon become clearer again.
