International Student Receives a Warm Welcome at Middlesex CC

Middlesex Community College student Bensu Bastopcu came to study in the United States from Turkey in 2017. She knew very little about American culture or the education system, and was nervous about whether she would fit in to this new place.

Arriving at MCC in January 2018, Bastopcu was happy to discover that differences are celebrated on campus, and that all students are made to feel welcome.

“Here, is my home now,” the 27-year-old psychology student proudly declared in a recent interview. “At Middlesex, I learned and experienced diversity. People here appreciate differences, and I was different,” she said. “But right now, I feel like those differences make me – and MCC – unique.”

Middlesex will host a Bedford Campus Open House at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, in the

Bedford Campus Center, 591 Springs Road. Prospective students can learn about MCC’s more than 80 degree and certificate programs, noncredit courses, and online-learning options. Call 1-800-818-3434 for more information.

Bastopcu decided to study in the U.S. knowing she was interested in eventually becoming a psychologist. She discovered a passion for psychology and sociology while studying in Turkey, but was not sure exactly how to forge a path to reach her goal.

She began searching online for affordable schools in the United States. She needed a college that accepted the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), and that had a psychology program. She found many schools that fit her criteria.

“But the admissions people at MCC were so patient toward my bombardment of questions. I was in contact with (Assistant Dean of International and Multicultural Affairs) Pat Demaras and (Assistant Director of Admissions) Jeff Tejada, They were so patient and helpful. They played a huge role in my decision to pick Middlesex,” she said.

“I am so happy here,” Bastopcu said of MCC. The Lowell resident added that her happiness is a result of being accepted by the community, and also because of her decision to get involved. She is active in several clubs and organizations, and has a busy social life on campus.

In the spring of 2018, Bastopcu became a member of the Multicultural Career Institute, and has been an Orientation Leader. She continues to work as an International Student Ambassador and as a Supplemental Instruction leader for statistics courses. She is also part of the Leadership in Action/Paul Sullivan Institute class.

“More importantly, I am hanging out and talking to friends in the Multicultural Center a lot,” she said.

Bastopcu’s favorite Middlesex moment, thus far, was helping with an annual campus event that doubled as an immersion into American culture: the 2018 International Thanksgiving Dinner.

“I helped organize this event, inviting people, recruiting presenters, putting up decorations, and so on,” she said. “All this involvement made me feel like a host! This is a marvelous tradition at MCC to organize a Thanksgiving dinner for international students.”

This past year at MCC has taught Bastopcu that she can adapt easily to a new environment and that she has a voice. “I have learned that I can speak up, even though English is my second language,” she said.

Bastopcu expects to graduate in spring of 2020 and transfer to a four-year school to earn a bachelor’s degree. She hopes to eventually enroll in graduate school to become a psychologist. “Maybe one day I will come back to MCC as a teacher or counselor.”

For more information about MCC’s Bedford Campus Open House, or to RSVP, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/OH or call 1-800-818-3434.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, we educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners. MCC offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses – on our campuses in Bedford and Lowell, and online. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!