Tabor College’s geographic lines stretch beyond its Hillsboro, Kan., campus.
The college seeks to fulfill its vision of providing a life-transforming, academically excellent, globally relevant, and decidedly Christian education, and equip students who cross country lines with the tools they need to thrive around the globe.
Whether on its physical or “online” campus, Tabor’s international growth has been integral in its enrollment.
Thirty-one additional countries were represented across undergraduate and master’s programs, spanning six continents. Over the past five years, Tabor has seen students from 25 countries complete their degree(s).
Ignacio Fabeiro, a freshman from Montevideo, Uruguay, wasn’t sure who he’d meet at Tabor or where they’d be from. Seeing so many students from Spanish-speaking countries brought a taste of home.
Recruited to play soccer for the Bluejays, the game runs deep in Fabeiro’s personal and country roots as Uruguay was the first-ever winner of the World Cup in 1930.
2024 Foreign Countries at Tabor College
| Australia | Belize | Benin |
| Brazil | Canada | Chile |
| China | Colombia | Congo |
| Ecuador | England | Finland |
| France | Haiti | Indonesia |
| Japan | Germany | Ghana |
| Nepal | Malaysia | Mexico |
| Panama | Peru | Poland |
| Portugal | Spain | Sweden |
| Switzerland | United Kingdom | Uruguay |
| Venezuela |
“I figured there would be some international students on campus, but not as many as there are,” Fabeiro said. “Having so many students raised in a similar context helped me adapt to my new life here.”
Cocone Matsuzawa transferred to Tabor from Central Methodist University (Mo.). Her move to the Midwest was her first trip out of Japan. Living with her grandmother, mother, and younger sister, Matsuzawa shared her value for the community, finding it both in Concert Choir and on the volleyball team. A fun surprise was meeting Ko Osuga, a Tabor sophomore from Osaka.
Rafael Marins (g’14) is in his first year back on campus after moving from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Hillsboro to attend college and play soccer. He and his wife Alyssa (King g’12) recently moved back from the Seattle, Wash. area to Kansas to take jobs at Tabor. He became the full-time head coach after the 2024 season.
While difficult to be far from home, he attests to the community he found on campus.
“Tabor offers a great curriculum to help students be prepared for the world ahead of them,” Marins said. “Like my experience, I truly believe our students can go anywhere globally and succeed. But most importantly, Tabor prepares our students to serve God wherever they go.”
Dr. Sarah Tham, assistant professor of education, is a native of Malaysia and spent the better part of her career in other countries. She co-led a trip to Indonesia last spring, immersing Tabor students in different cultures.
It’s also why Tham enjoys professors, speakers, guest lecturers, etc., who can speak to a different upbringing.
“There were a lot of cultural norms that students were prepared for, but seeing them play out and having to navigate the thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and remain culturally respectful while representing the family of Christ was beautiful,” Tham said of the trip. “Students ‘tried’ new foods, responded with openness and just basically loving others through their actions and smiles.”
Craig Jost, director of the Carson Center for Global Engagement and assistant professor of intercultural studies, spent 20 years with his family as missionaries in Brazil, France, and Portugal.
In his current role, he teaches and guides students to dig deeper into discipleship in new or familiar environments. He hopes that more students continue to pursue global engagement. In 2025, Tabor will send out four international trips and also be sending students for internships in other countries.
“As an institution, we’d like to reach a point where we have over half our students engaged in an international trip of some type during their time at Tabor,” Jost said. “We are not there yet but we have seen more and more students exploring opportunities and we’re optimistic our goals can be reached soon.”