Dr. Randy Glean officially launched the Caribbean Recruitment program in the spring of 1993. After the experimental admission of four students from Grenada, a concession was established to recruit more students. Visits to Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, and St. Vincent in the summer of 1993, yielded eight students in fall 1993 and an additional six in spring 1994.
In January 1994, the Caribbean Students Organization was formed (CSO) by the 18 students that were present at that time. The program was predicated on the simple proposition that foreign students would enroll in Midwestern State University if given the opportunity to pay in-state tuition. This was accomplished by the provision of competitive waivers and partial tuition scholarships by the university. In addition, the core students agreed to provide basic adjustment services and assistance to students who arrived in the later semesters. With the combination of these factors, the stage was set for the growth of the program. In the late spring of 1995, a change in state law threatened to derail the entire competitive waiver option and almost put an end to the program.
However, as a result of Dr. Glean’s hard work and struggles with different governments, the program continued. Today nearly 200 Caribbean Students are a part of this program and the numbers are rapidly increasing. A housing program exists, students have on-campus jobs to help offset their educational costs and many students maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above. This program has proven to be very rewarding and as a result administration is now actively seeking alliances to sustain and further advance the program.
