International students do not have to look much farther thancampus for essential items.
The Loan Closet in the Parker Coliseum provides basic householditems such as microwaves, bed sheets, towels and batteries forinternational students, said Sue Ellwood, Loan Closetcoordinator.
“It’s like a mini Wal-Mart in here,” Ellwoodsaid.
She said the the International Hospitality Foundation startedthe Loan Closet on campus around 1964.
The Loan Closet is open Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. duringthe fall and spring semesters.
Ellwood, who has been working with the Loan Closet for fouryears, said it helps many international students who may have cometo the United States with nothing but the clothes on theirback.
“Many of us have worked overseas and we know how hard itis to travel with some of the basic items,” Ellwood said.”So here, we try to provide them with theessentials.”
Ellwood said the Loan Closet only is available to internationalUniversity students, not all international people in BatonRouge.
“They can come in here and get something like a lamp foraround $9,” she said. “They keep it as long asthey’re here, and when they’re finished with it theycan bring it back to us and we’ll give them their moneyback.”
Ellwood said Loan Closet shoppers also can choose to sell theitem to someone else, instead of bringing it back.
Ellwood said every student who shops at the Loan Closet isrequired to pay a $2 fee every semester.
“Sometimes I’ll go to garage sales or Wal-Mart andpick up stuff that I think might be useful,” Ellwoodsaid.
She said people from the Baton Rouge community also donate itemsto the Loan Closet.
Ellwood said many new international students use the LoanCloset.
“It’s especially helpful for those internationalstudents who can’t get off campus because they don’thave a car,” Ellwood said.
She said the most popular items are bicycles and mattresses whenthey have them. If some items are not sold, they give them awayafter a certain period of time.
Ellwood said some international students have volunteered tohelp run the Loan Closet.
Jomish George, an electrical engineering graduate student fromIndia, said he appreciates having the Loan Closet on campus.
“It’s very convenient and helpful for thestudents,” George said. “And, the people here are veryfriendly.”
Rajiv Soundararajan, an electrical engineering graduate studentfrom India, said the Loan Closet has been extremely helpful forhim.
“When we first got here, we didn’t have much,”Soundararajan said. “Now, we have things to cook with, a sofaand even a computer.”
Phyllis and Earnest Harrison have worked with the Loan Closetfor the past eight years.
Phyllis said she enjoys working there because the internationalstudents really appreciate what they are doing for them.
She said she enjoys talking to the international studentsbecause they learn about each other’s cultures and languagesfrom each other.
“The international students are so appreciative,”she said. “I get great satisfaction from workinghere.”