Marywood educating students from Kurdistan

[Aslan]

Rebin Zikhani wants to improve the health care system in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Karokh Mohammed wants to better his government.

The cousins from the growing region are trying to improve their home 5,800 miles away - while at Marywood University.

Officials at the school have attended three college fairs in Kurdistan, whose residents hope for independence and are seeking education to better themselves and their region's future.

Three students from Kurdistan now attend Marywood. As many as 20 students are expected on campus this fall.

"Now the word is spreading, and these students are fantastic. The Kurdish people are the kindest I've ever come across," said Christian DiGregorio, who is director of admissions at Marywood and returned from his latest recruiting trip last month.

Kurdistan is located within four countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran and Turkey. The Kurds were persecuted by Saddam Hussein, and after his fall, the region started to grow. The government is investing in infrastructure and the region is starting to see riches from its oil.

"Just to be part of the rebuilding process is really special," Mr. DiGregorio said.

In order to educate its citizens, Kurdistan's government created the Human Capacity Development Program in Higher Education, which provides scholarships for students to attend graduate programs around the world. After receiving their degrees, the students must return to Kurdistan.

Marywood first became involved in the program through assistant professor Alexander Dawoody, Ph.D., who is from Kurdistan. After a few meetings with Kurdistan officials, Marywood representatives in April 2012 attended their first college fair in the Middle East and found themselves surrounded by some of the largest and best-known schools from around this world. Mr. DiGregorio and assistant professor Christopher Speicher, Ph.D., represented the college in April.

"We have this niche because we can do things the big schools can't do," Mr. DiGregorio said. "We can take better care, pay more attention to students."

On a campus of 3,400, students from the Middle East are learning how to become better leaders.

Mr. Zikhani, a physician, is studying health service administration. Mr. Mohammed, who works for the Kurdistan Region Presidency Office, is studying public administration. They say what they learn at Marywood will improve their home.

Since their arrival in January, the cousins, whose native language is Kurdish, have been in an intensive English program and hope to start their programs in the fall. Their master's degrees will take 2½ years. They are also starting to explore the region.

"It's a really good, quiet city," Mr. Zikhani said. "It's a nice town."

Mr. DiGregorio said educating the Kurds fits with Marywood's mission.

"It's really been a great process," he said. "I can't say enough about the students and how gracious they are. They are so eager to learn."