New Class Includes Citizens of 33 Countries, Speakers of 22 Native Languages

The fall is always an exciting time at the Monterey Institute where faculty, staff and returning students welcome a diverse group of new students from all over the world. This year the incoming class includes citizens of 33 countries and speakers of 22 native languages. What they discover during the first week of orientation is that now they all have one important thing in common—they are all citizens of the Monterey Institute community.

As President Sunder Ramaswamy said in his welcoming address to the incoming class on Monday morning: “You are about to become part of one of the most unique and special communities on earth,” not only because of the amazing scenery and wonderful culture but because “it somehow manages to be small and huge, accessible and international, all at the same time.” He added: “It’s not everywhere that you can walk down the street and routinely hear people chatting away in five or six different languages on the same city block—while competing with the cries of seagulls and sea lions!”