West Palm Beach, Fla. (February 15, 2024) At Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA), diversity isn’t just a statistic – it is a vibrant tapestry of stories, experiences, and aspirations. In the heart of this multicultural community, students from 56 different countries converge to create a truly global campus. As of spring 2024, PBA has 194 international students enrolled on F-1 Visas.
International Student Services Manager for PBA, Isabel Maldanado Ramirez, is passionate about creating a space where students from around the world can share their cultures and can easily assimilate into the PBA lifestyle. She described the on-campus mix of nationalities as something that can both “make a community a lot [more] special,” and “mak[e] us grow in different ways.”
Swedish Sailfish Duo Hedda Jarhall and Frida Alsterhem
Meet Hedda Jarhall and Frida Alsterhem, two dynamic Swedish students shaping their PBA journey. Hedda, a 21-year-old junior studying politics and wreaking havoc on the soccer pitch, also serves as an Audio Video Technician for PBA’s Creative Services. 22-year-old Senior studying Business Management, Frida Alsterhem, a powerhouse in women’s tennis, leads as the president of the American Marketing Association club, works in the Rinker School of Business, and is a distinguished presidential ambassador. It is safe to say that these ladies stay busy! Another thing they both have in common: their love for PBA. For Alsterhem and Jarhall the choice to attend PBA was an obvious one. Both ladies attributed the school’s breathtaking location and athletic opportunities as two major deciding factors, with Alsterhem describing PBA as “all that [she] had dreamed about.”
African Ambassadors Haile Buck and Prince Owusu
Across the Mediterranean from Sweden lie the African countries of Ethiopia and Ghana, the home countries of two more proud Sailfish, fellow business management majors, 20-year-old sophomore Haile Buck and 22-year-old senior Prince Owusu. Like Jarhall and Alsterhem, Buck and Owusu are both Sailfish athletes. Buck is a runner on the Cross country and Track teams, and Owusu is a men’s soccer team member, the driving factor of his committing to attend PBA, with aspirations of going pro. When not enjoying their time on campus, they both stay with individual host families north of West Palm Beach in Orlando, Florida.
Shared Experiences and Love for PBA
What unites these four students beyond their diverse backgrounds and athletic engagement is a profound love for PBA.
Hedda describes it as “a great place for international students,” emphasizing individualized support. Frida reflects on transformative personal growth during her four years at PBA.
Every student is treated as their own individual,” affirms Jarhall. Alsterhem attests, “My past four years here have changed my life.” Owusu and Buck praise PBA’s diversity, friendliness, and spiritually enriching atmosphere.
Owusu and Buck both described PBA as a “diverse” community where one can find good friends and can quickly assimilate into the laid-back culture.
Owusu characterized the school as “lovely,” while Buck highlighted the spiritually nurturing nature of PBA and the campus’s pedestrian-friendliness as some of his personal PBA favorites.
PBA is more than an educational institution —it is a global family. The stories of our international Sailfish resonate with a shared appreciation for diversity, community, and personal growth. Are you considering international study? If you want to learn in an environment that will make you feel right at home , learn more about PBA’s International Admissions, visit: International Admissions | Palm Beach Atlantic University (pba.edu)
