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April 1, 2019

Five international cadets are spending the spring 2019 semester at the University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ), including the first from Romania's Nicolae Balcescu Land Forces Academy (NBLFA). Â鶹ÊÓƵ signed a partnership agreement with NBLFA in summer 2018.

Paul Nicolaiev, the Romanian cadet at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, said the education system in the United States interests him; Â鶹ÊÓƵ students choose their field of study, while his school selects the area of study for its cadets. One of Nicolaiev's goals was to gain experience with cadets from a different culture.

"I wanted to come here because I know that over here there is a lot of diversity in colleges," Nicolaiev said. "This could be beneficial for my career in the future."

Retired Army Sgt. Maj. Terry Baumann, international and military program coordinator at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, said having Nicolaiev on campus helps Â鶹ÊÓƵ cadets, as well.

"Â鶹ÊÓƵ cadets are learning more about Romania," Baumann said. "They ask questions, which allows us to recruit easier because they can ask him questions."

Two cadets each from South Africa's Stellenbosch University and Poland's General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military University of Land Forces (MULF) are also at Â鶹ÊÓƵ this spring. Â鶹ÊÓƵ cadets are spending the semester at NBLFA, Stellenbosch and MULF.

In addition to immersion in daily cadet life at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, the international cadets also experience American culture. The group trekked to New York and Washington, D.C., on spring break to visit historical sites and their embassies and watch a New York Knicks basketball game. During their time in Georgia, they will visit Rangers in Action demonstration at Fort Benning, Georgia, and attend an Atlanta Braves baseball game.

MULF cadet Lukasz Makowski pointed to Â鶹ÊÓƵ students' friendly and helpful demeanor. But what impressed him the most was how Â鶹ÊÓƵ cadets lead their own activities.

"Here, cadets take care of everything. I'm surprised the university puts so much trust in them. They trust they're going to make it good," Makowski said, and referenced the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Cadet Code of Conduct. "They don't lie. They don't cheat. Everything's running smoothly."

Itumeleng Chokoe, a cadet from Stellenbosch, said he was excited to form relationships with U.S., Polish and Romanian cadets that could prove beneficial in the future. Baumann echoed that point.

"The U.S. military never goes anywhere without a coalition," Baumann said. "Our cadets may work with these international cadets in the future."

Some of the international cadets have taken part in club sports on campus. Chokoe joined the club soccer team, while MULF's Jakub Pochodaj is part of the volleyball club and Stellenbosch's Tembakazi Swartbooi has joined the basketball club team.

Swartbooi has enjoyed being around civilian students at Â鶹ÊÓƵ and has learned from the experience.

"It's expanded my knowledge," she said. "It's changed how I see things."

In addition to the group of cadets, a few international faculty have been at Â鶹ÊÓƵ this semester.

Dr. Gabriel Lopez, a colonel working at Argentina's University of Defense, is researching modeling and simulation with Ash Mady, department head of computer science and information systems at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. And Dr. Romana Oancea from NBLFA is researching offensive and defensive cyber operations education with Dr. Bryson Payne, Â鶹ÊÓƵ professor of computer science and director of Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Center for Cyber Operations Education.

Positioned in the fastest-growing region of the state, the University of North Georgia comprises five campuses united by a single mission focused on academic excellence and academic and co-curricular programs that develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society. Â鶹ÊÓƵ is a University System of Georgia leadership institution and, as one of only six senior military colleges in the nation, is The Military College of Georgia. With more than 20,000 students, Â鶹ÊÓƵ offers more than 100 programs of study ranging from certificate and associate degrees to professional doctoral programs.