Faces of NLU: Meet Sindi Cekrezi
A computer science student from Albania discusses the wide-ranging support she’s received at NLU and describes what she loves most about living in Chicago.
At National Louis University (NLU), we know that, for international students, moving to a foreign country to earn your degree is a daunting task. That’s why we have a robust suite of international student services and a full support team that can help students apply for a visa, secure financial aid and scholarships, find student housing and more. Sindi Cekrezi, a sophomore from Durres, Albania, is a great example of a student who has taken advantage of the opportunities we offer international students at NLU – all while earning her degree and planning for her future career.
Sindi says she chose to enroll in the Computer Sciences and Information Systems, B.S. program at NLU because of the program’s rigorous academics:
“For me, education has always been very important, and coming here was a big decision. I have always loved going to school and I really wanted to choose the best educational path – one that was going to help me grow and shape me for my future career. After a lot of research, National Louis seemed like the best option, and it has met my expectations pretty well. I have always been very into math, science and computers, and I feel like studying computer science is a great fit for me, because you can have both of the best worlds. You do a lot of work individually, and at the same time, can also enjoy working as a team.”
Sindi came to National Louis University from Albania to immerse herself in a new culture while also earning her degree. She says Chicago has not disappointed:
“Chicago has become one of my favorite cities. I love the city lights. The Chicago skyline at night is one of the best things to see.”
“I love the diversity,” Sindi continues. “Here, you have the opportunity to learn a lot from other cultures and to try different food from all over the word. I also always felt pretty comfortable and welcomed here. There is so much to see and so much to do in Chicago that you will never get bored.”
Although she was at first nervous to attend a university in a foreign country, Sindi says that her program at NLU eased her into classes and made the transition easier.
“First, I was nervous about how I was going to do in school here because of the language barrier,” Sindi says, “but, surprisingly, it went very well [...] The way that we started with easy and general subjects and dove more into intensive courses that required more study little by little, term by term helped me adjust. I can enjoy going out and exploring the city outside of school since we have more free time, and it would require many more hours studying in my home country.”
Sindi praises NLU for their wide-ranging support, both inside and outside the classroom:
“The best thing about National Louis University is that you can find plenty of resources. Whatever you’re struggling with, they always have the solution. Food, housing, counseling, technical issues, career insecurities, learning support, study tables – in a word, everything. You will never get bored here. There are plenty of activities almost every week.”
She is currently gaining hands-on work experience while working part-time in the IT department at NLU.
“I love it,” Sindi says. “I have learned a lot working there and I got more familiar working in the IT field.”
One of the things that made coming to NLU an easy choice for Sindi is that she received a scholarship.
“It lowered the tuition so it’s affordable for me and gave me the opportunity to come here,” Sindi says.
NLU offers multiple scholarships for international students, including the International Opportunity Scholarship (new for 2022), which can give students up to 10 percent off their full-time tuition. You can view all NLU scholarships on our website.
Sindi is on track to graduate in 2025, so she doesn’t know exactly what her career will be yet. However, she knows that she wants to pick a career in a field that she loves:
“I always think that no matter what you choose to do, you should love it, do it with passion and keep learning new things from it. My career will be a very important part of my life, and I feel like it’s something that will make me feel fulfilled. My dream is to be the best at what I do and to be always advancing and learning more.”
If you’re an international student interested in coming to NLU, be sure to visit our International Student Admissions page, where you can find all the information you need to apply. You can also contact an Enrollment representative online or by calling (888) 658-8632.
