Anastasiia Glushneva ‘21 is a communication and journalism double major from Siberia, Russia. For Glushneva, living in Los Angeles is very different than her home town. “I lived in a small city, which was very condensed. You could tell where the city ends because once you drive out of its forestAnd here, LA’s super spread out, and it never ends because there are so many little towns and then also the cultures are different, drastically, the difference from Russia. The weather is different, and it doesn’t snow in November.”
Glushneva has lived in LA for five years now and attended a French High School in Culver City. “It’s funny because I lived nearby and passes by LMU every day,” said Glushneva. “My younger sister practiced at LMU pool, and I would drop her off. That’s how I got familiar with the campus. I thought it was very beautiful and went online to check it out.” Now that she’s on campus, Glushneva works as an Office of International Students and Scholars event programmer, in the digital section of the Loyolan and as a social media coordinator for PRSSA.
Some of the most influential people in Glushneva’s time at LMU have been the international community. “During the international orientation, all the people that welcomed me like my O-leaders were very nice,” said Glushneva. “I thought that I want to be like them when I grow up, like when I’m a junior or sophomore.” The international community is one of Glusheva’s favorite parts of life at LMU, but she also loves the campus, the bluff and the small class sizes.
One of her professors in her first year made a big impact on her life while at LMU. “I am a communication major, and I wasn’t sure about my writing since I just moved from Russia,” said Glushneva. “In high school, I didn’t write essays, so I was very anxious about my writing. I really like writing, and now I’m double majoring in communication and journalism. My professor encouraged me that I’m a good writer during the first semester of my freshman year.” It was that advice in the early stage of her college experience that helped encouraged her to keep writing and take some other classes to keep improving.
She now uses these writing skills to embody the pillars of Student EXPerience. The Student EXP pillar that speaks too Glusheva most is to “live a life of purpose because I feel like everybody can make an impact, and everybody can make a change,” said Gusheva. “Today, there are so many people who are oppressed and trying to voice their opinions, and they’re not always able to do that.”
For Glushneva living a life of purpose means that you’re giving that voice to others. “This is why I’m studying journalism because the main point of journalism is to give voice to the voiceless,” said Glushneva. “I think it’s very important to give that help, especially if you have the privilege of doing that.”
When I asked what Glushneva wishes other LMU students knew about what it’s like to be an international student, she shares, “I wish they understood the perspective we have as international students,” said Glushneva. “We’re very straightforward and honest. Sometimes people don’t understand how to take that. I hope the LMU community would take more time to listen to what international students had to offer.”
To learn more about programs and resources available for International Students at LMU, visit the Office for International Students and Scholars website.
By: Tygre Patchell-Evans