When we think of the College of Arts and Sciences' commitment to international learning, we usually think first of study abroad opportunities for our American students. But international learning also means welcoming students from around the world to experience the excitement of the academic programs here on our campus. Solvin Mathew typifies the quality, energy, and diverse perspectives that our international students bring to the College and to the entire University community.

Solvin arrived in August 2005 as one of three PLUS Scholars selected for study on our campus. An initiative begun by the United States Department of State after 9-11, the Partnerships for Learning Undergraduate Studies (PLUS) program selects students from countries in the Middle East and Asia to complete humanities and social science baccalaureate degrees in the United States. The program is highly competitive, so students such as Solvin are among the most talented and accomplished in their home countries.

A native of India, Solvin is a senior major in International Studies, preparing for doctoral study in international relations focusing on South and Southeast Asia. While his immediate goal is an academic career as a professor, Solvin ultimately hopes to serve in his country's diplomatic corps. This past summer, Solvin furthered his own international experience by interning in Washington, DC with the China Support Network, an organization dedicated to promoting democracy in that country. As a result of the internship, Solvin was selected to participate last month in the 9-11 Plus 5: A Hope not Hate Summit, sponsored by the Brookings Institute, Americans for Informed Democracy, and George Washington University. The summit brought together young leaders and scholars to develop strategies for engagement between the United States and the Muslim world.

Solvin credits the faculty, graduate teaching assistants, and staff of the College of Arts and Sciences for helping him not only to survive in his new academic and cultural environment, but to excel and thrive in it. For Solvin, "every moment at the University of South Carolina is intellectually stimulating," both inside and outside the classroom. As a resident advisor at South Quad, he lives in the University's Global Community with both international and American students. Certainly, it takes diplomatic skill to live among students from all over the world amid the chaos of college life; we hope that as he achieves his aspirations, Solvin will remember this experience in South Carolina as perhaps his first diplomatic post.

For his academic achievements, his commitment to excellence, and his contributions to our international community, the College of Arts and Sciences is proud to recognize Solvin Mathew as our student of the month.

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