Page 10 - Access Magazine 2023

Indonesian Sisters
Fresno Family BY DOUGLAS HOAGLAND
Two sisters from Indonesia are the second generation in their family to attend Fresno State – a reflection that international students feel welcome at the university.
“We grew up hearing about Fresno State,” says Kaylin Prayitno, a sophomore majoring in food science. “Our parents told us stories of how fun and exciting it was. They also said there is a great, diverse community in Fresno and that professors are very understanding of students from Asia.”
Her sister, Katherine Nathania, also a food science major, says Fresno State’s excellent program influenced her choice of universities, too. “My father’s colleague said Fresno State’s food science professors are well known in the industry.”
The sisters arrived at Fresno State about 25 years after their parents graduated in the late 1990s. Their father – Winata Prayitno – majored in management information systems and today owns a motorcycle dealership in Indonesia. Their mother – Merlinda Koeswanto – stud- ied finance and helps manage the dealership. (The sisters have dif- ferent last names because of paperwork problems in Indonesia with Katherine’s birth certificate. Nathania, her last name, is actually her middle name.)
Katherine, a senior, came to Fresno State in 2019, and Kaylin, a soph- omore, followed in 2021. Once they graduate, both want to conduct research and development of new food products. “People don’t think that much about how new products are developed because we have
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such easy access to food,” Katherine says. Kaylin also is interested in sensory science – the why of what makes people like certain dishes and dislike others. “How humans respond to different foods is fasci- nating,” she says.
At Fresno State, Katherine and Kaylin found jobs – and friends – in the Fresno State creamery. Those connections – plus assistance they received from the International Office – helped them feel welcome at the university. The office, in fact, awarded both Kaylin and Katherine a Muharab International Grant. It’s a direct award to students to spend without restrictions, though most use it to help cover travel expenses to the United States. Money for the grants comes from Michael and Brittany Muhareb, who contribute in honor of Michael's late father, Ken, a Palestinian immigrant who attended Fresno State in the 1960s. Day of Giving contributions from the public also support the grants, which help international students pursue their goals in the United States. “Michael’s intent was for the grant to be a door opener . . . that gets the student here, says Frank Puccio, Associate Dean of the division of Continuing and Global Education.
In addition, says Sarah Lam, Assistant Vice President of International Affairs, “The Muharab International Grant is not just financial relief but a message to the international students: ‘We, the Americans, wel- come you to our community and want to see you succeed.’ ”
THE GRANT SHOWS THE UNIVERSITY’S HIGH REGARD FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, KATHERINE SAYS:
10 California State University, FRESNO
“It’s great how Fresno State cares.”
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