Thursday, Aug 21, 2025 • Cristal Gonzalez : Contact

Students at The University of Texas at Arlington come from across the globe, and they were welcomed to campus Tuesday during the annual Global Maverick Welcome event as part of Maverick Stampede.

To help students who are far from home adjust to college life, the Office of International Education brought student organizations, campus departments and resource offices to answer questions and share guidance on studying, living and working while attending UT Arlington.

The event was also an opportunity for Mavericks new and those returning to connect with new faces and reconnect with old friends.

Related: Mavericks kick off Fall 2025 with MavsMeet

At Global Maverick Welcome Krish Neupane, a sophomore business analytics major from Nepal, reunited with his friend Amayr Patel, a sophomore finance major from India, after a long summer. The two first met last year while playing video games in the UTA Libraries basement and have been close ever since.

“I feel like UTA is really diverse, so you find a lot of people from your same background or culture,” Patel said. “Krish and I have a lot of things in common—we play badminton together, hang out a lot and just have fun.”

Neupane added that UTA is known for being international-student friendly, cost-effective and a big school to get involved and meet new people.

“UTA has a lot of opportunities to meet new people through its hundreds and hundreds of clubs,” Neupane said. “The Maverick Activity Center also has lots of fields and areas to play all the sports—soccer, badminton, tennis, swimming, basketball—they have everything.”

For sisters Jayeda and Jasin Jebun, being international students at UTA and getting involved on campus has been a fun experience.

“I do feel like the University being so diverse makes it easier to adjust and feel more comfortable than maybe at another university,” said Jayeda, a junior architectural engineering major. “I decided to come to UTA because it was a good school for research and the program I’m studying.”

Jayeda and Jasin, who are from Qatar and Bangladesh, arrived just before the first day of classes on Monday. Jasin, a sophomore studying neuroscience in the Department of Psychology, decided to attend UTA because her sister was already here; the two will spend their second year together.

Related: Mavericks stampede to campus for Move-In Day

Freshman nursing students Ritika Tamang and Niki Sherpa, both from Nepal, said this is their first time in America. UTA’s location, a wide range of opportunities and scholarships played major factors in their decision to enroll.

“I really like where UTA is—right between Dallas and Fort Worth, two big cities,” Tamang said. “I also heard we can really get involved here, so we’re excited to meet new people all over campus.”

Maverick Stampede, the official kickoff to the new academic year, continues through Aug. 29.

About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.