Bringing a new ear to the States

-Jeniece Jamison, Intern, Office of International Affairs

For Cynthia Noury, a senior in Communication-Media, music will serve as her link to home.

Noury is an exchange student from Montreal, the second largest city in Canada, where she attended the University of Montreal. Her decision to spend her final semester at NC State could definitely be seen as an unconventional choice in her home province, but according to Noury, NC State proved to be the best fit.

“Our university back home has a partnership with universities on the east coast, so I checked each one to see which is the best considering all of my classes because I’m studying communication,” Noury said.

“I’m at my last semester so I didn’t have many options. Overall NC State looked like it had the best campus and the best classes so I chose to apply here. There aren’t many Canadians studying abroad in the United States because they don’t think it’s a really exotic destination. From my school I only think that there were six out of hundreds that were going to the United States.”

In Montreal the music scene includes a diverse mix of genres from popular American music to French artists. Even though she is only one of 26 Canadian students on NC State’s campus this year, her upcoming radio show on WKNC will introduce the NC State community to French music.

“I was talking with WKNC’s manager and we thought that it would be interesting to have a French show,” Noury said. “In a few weeks when the training is over we might have a French show on the air. She thought that it could be good because there are plenty of French speaking people here and there isn’t much French music playing. “

She had previous experience as a disc jockey at the University of Montreal, so when she arrived at State she knew where she could feel at home away from home.

“I was in a radio station in Montréal called CISM 89.3,” Noury said. “It’s my university’s radio station and it’s comparable to WKNC. That’s why when I got here I went to WKNC office and I wanted to get involved.

That’s what I know the best because I’ve been working at the radio station for a few months in Canada. “

Even though she had previous experience on air, according to Noury she is still has a lot to learn about American radio.

“The difference is about regulation,” Noury said. “It’s really strict here, much more than back home. Back home they would tell us to use our common sense and don’t say stupid things on the radio, but here it’s more official.”

The emotions of missing your hometown and your family are common among college students, but just like any other student at State, between juggling classes, extracurricular activities and life in general, she has definitely been busy and enjoying her experience here at the same time.

“So far I’m too busy to miss home, so it’s fun.”