Making History: meet the students

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Map Key

  • Blue: Capitalism/United States Allies
  • Red: Communism/Soviet Union Allies
  • Green: Involved in Military Dealings With the Soviet Union
  • Brown: Focus Point for both sides

The map to the left shows the expansion of Communism and countries that had dealings with the Soviet Union from 1940 through the 1980s. There are red markers to identify the countries of origin for the international students featured below.

The spread of Communism is important to consider in this exhibit in order to understand the intentions behind enrolling international students from countries who either supported communism or were surrounded by communist influence. The American government's fight against communism involved creating an impression on the citizens of that country. A way of doing this is through bringing over international students to provide a western education that they would than take back to their home countries.    

Between 1946 to 1960, students from at least 10 different countries enrolled at ETSC. The students arrived to Johnson City in search of top-tier education from an American University or College. The interactive map above includes images of some of these students along with information on their time at ETSC. 

The students in these images each have their own story to tell about their time attending ETSC. The map provides a glimpse of the students' time at ETSC. Although the information is limited, the degrees and campus interests speaks to the individual brilliance and hard work each student put in to their time enrolled in the college  

Click on this link to look through the past of ETSC! 

ETSU Yearbooks | University Archives | East Tennessee State University

Making History: meet the students