Trinity Collegiate School expands international student program
Trinity Collegiate School in Darlington County welcomed 21 international students this year. Students from China, South Korea, Vietnam, France, Canada, Lithuania, Turkey and Ireland are investing in a TCS education.
“International students are not new to Trinity Collegiate,” says April Munn, Director of Admissions, Promotions and International Relations. “The International Program engages our students in the world around them and reflects the school’s mission to prepare our students intellectually, physically, socially, and spiritually to be well-rounded citizens able to lead productive lives in a global society.”
Since coming to Trinity Collegiate School in 2011, Head of School Ed Hoffman has traveled extensively building relationships in order to advance the School’s International Program. China, South Korea, Vietnam, Ireland, and Germany were a few of his 2018 and 2019 destinations.
Tom Nguyen, a senior from Vietnam, who joined Trinity as a junior, said, “It’s a great school because teachers are helpful and students are so friendly.”
He expressed his appreciation and gratitude for all the support he received when he began at TCS last year. When asked what he likes most about TCS, Nguyen said “learning from the teachers.”
This year, Nguyen is taking a full course load, including 4 AP classes. When he graduates, he hopes to major in Computer Science in college, which he was introduced to at Trinity Collegiate.
Over the last five years, Trinity Collegiate School has attracted predominantly Asian students, but with the challenges of the global pandemic, TCS quickly recognized in early summer that it would be more difficult to attract students from China and Southeast Asia.
“Over the years, we have built strong relationships throughout the world, but with the uncertainties of the Asian student market, along with the potential negative economic impact for TCS of COVID-19,” says Hoffman, “we turned to Europe to attract students whose families might want to invest in a Trinity Collegiate education. We select families not only willing to pay tuition, but also who trust us to watch over their children thousands of miles away from their home country.”
“I am so pleased my parents have sent me to Trinity Collegiate this year,” says junior Jamie Muldowney from Ireland. “I’m looking forward to playing basketball and soccer as well as getting to know the other students. Everyone has been so nice to me, making me feel at home.”
Although the hope of playing basketball and earning a college scholarship attracted junior Ed Doviltis to travel from Lithuania to Darlington, he says that his parents agreed to make the investment in TCS after learning that the school had a 100 percent acceptance rate to 4-year colleges.
“I am very thankful to be at TCS this year,” say senior Ceyda Yucel from Turkey. “When I told my parents that I wanted to go to South Carolina, they were very supportive. I hope to go to college in the United States when I graduate.”
Earlier this year, Trinity Collegiate announced plans to construct an on-campus International Dormitory that would accommodate up to 32 international students.
“Our International Program remains critical to the continued growth, overall success, and emphasis on global connections and diversity at Trinity Collegiate. An on campus international dormitory,” Munn added, “will help us to better integrate our international students into the fabric of our school and strengthen our community.”
