UIU-Malaysia brings a little bit of Iowa home
FAYETTE, Iowa (January 21, 2008)-The students at Upper Iowa University-Malaysia (UIU-Malaysia) are proud of the fact they are getting an American education, but what they love even more is the lifestyle of American college students--everything from jeans to American movies and popcorn to formal dances.
In an effort to bring some of that American culture home, the students at UIU-Malaysia in SEGi-Subang Jaya have opened a Fayette House at their center. It is a room fully decorated in memorabilia from Upper Iowa University's campus in Fayette, to remind them that though they live an ocean away, they are just as much a part of it.
The Fayette House is a student-run organization open to all 300 students at the UIU-Malaysia center. It provides a full schedule of both fun 
and educational activities each month, where students dress in American-style clothes and celebrate traditional American-type college events. Some of the activities include de-stress week before finals, Martin Luther King Day, Valentine's Day and American Heart Month, where students are given health checks and talks by medical professionals.
A supportive SEGi/ UIU-Malaysia faculty appointed student Elaine Hui Shan Tan as president, a sophomore working toward a degree in 
communications and psychology. "This is truly an honor for me," said Tan. "I pledge my full support and unending efforts in representing the student body and to ensure the success of the Fayette House."
Dr. Steven Baptist, who heads the American degree program in Malaysia, is excited about the addition. "The Fayette House acts as a bridge in bringing the American and UIU experience to the shores of Malaysia," said Baptist. "I'm confident this student initiative shall achieve great success and provide an avenue for forging better ties between both our countries." Baptist added, "It is our small way of contributing to nation building and making this world a better place for our present and future generation."