Noor Agustina is a doctoral student, majoring in curriculum and instruction in Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services (EHHS). She is from Indonesia and a faculty member at the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta (UMY). She is also a scholarship awardee from FULBRIGHT-DIKTI (Directorate General of Higher Education Indonesia).
Love at first 'site'
Agustina chose Kent State because “Kent State has the best education major in the United States and is the pioneer in teacher education,” she said. “That's why I love Kent State and chose Kent State.” The first time she saw Kent State was via the website and she thought it was beautiful. “Kent State is blooming with flowers, and I love gardening, and (the campus) is very clean,” she said. “So, I really loved the place from the first.”
Coming to Kent was a big decision for Agustina. She had to leave her extended family and brought her husband and two daughters, now ages 18 and 12, to the United States. “That’s really a change of everything because actually I was in a comfort zone in Indonesia,” she said. “I’m a faculty member, I have a good job and a good life, but then I have to change everything to study.”
“But this is what I’ve dreamed since I was a little girl, because I want to study at the highest level possible.”
Safety for her family was also a priority for her in choosing to come to Kent. “Kent is a family-friendly city with a low crime rate,” Agustina said. “If you bring your family here, not only will you learn, but also your family, your children, will earn a lot from Kent State and the city of Kent.”