By Karsen Kling
Each year Casper College diligently seeks out the finest athletic talent to build top-tier rosters. 1/3 of the students that fill these teams are exchange students from foreign countries.
Mala Stagg works as CC’s international and athletic student coordinator, a role she’s held for over 9 years. Stagg has a front row seat in seeing what an impact the exchange students make to CC’s athletic teams, as well as the struggles they encounter.
“There are a lot of technicalities that come with exchange students being able to have the same opportunities as domestic students,” said Stagg when asked about her role as international and athletic student coordinator.
It is Stagg’s job to help and make sure that the foreign athletes have the required documentation and paperwork to come to CC. The most common required paperwork is an I20 document, which is needed in order for students to get their F-1 visa. Students must go through their country’s embassy to get their visa, which is what allows them access into a different country for college. The only caveat to this is that Canadian students don’t have to get a visa from their embassy; they just need an I-20 document.
Stagg shared the biggest advantage of having exchange athletes.
“Our program is very unique, as we get personally involved with our students. The diversity they bring into the state of Wyoming opens up a whole new way to see things,” Stagg said.
But with all advantages come disadvantages: exchange students must pay three times the average cost of tuition in-state students pay, have health-insurance as a requirement of their visa, and need proof of funds for school-fees/living expenses before entering the United States.
The exchange student program greatly impacts CC sports, as they make up 35% of the college’s sports teams. The percentage drastically increased since adding soccer to CC in 2020.
“With 40% of our men’s team being Canadians, it makes me proud to say that we are big contributors to the team,” said Canadian Chase Siemens, a freshman on the Casper College Rodeo Team.
When asked what made him decide to leave the maple leaf country for school, Siemens’ only answer was “to rodeo, make the college finals, and to get better at riding bucking horses.”
With his hometown of Chetwynd B.C. being over a 21-hour drive away, it was quite the decision to come to Casper for school. Siemens said the highlight of his time at CC so far was winning the first college rodeo in Chadron, Neb., and he is looking forward to another win September 22nd -24th in Riverton, Wyo.
These students are not just here to showcase their outstanding talent, over half of the exchange students that come to CC leave with a degree. Most students will graduate with a general studies degree as certain courses have too many years of school than their visa will allow them to complete.
