Erkhes Ariuntuya: From Mongolia to Ada

erkhes

Ohio Northern University thrives on the energy and insights that students from all over the globe bring to campus. Meet Erkhes Ariuntuya, a first-year student from Mongolia. 

Erkhes is from Mongolia’s capital city of Ulaanbaatar, where he’s lived with his grandparents since birth. He chose to enroll at ONU after engaging in extensive research on American colleges to identify schools that provided scholarships and were “international student-friendly.”

His journey to the U.S. was over 6,500 miles and required several flights. “It was a long flight for me, but I was so excited to come to America for the first time,” he says. 

A personable and helpful individual, Erkhes “tries to brighten the mood where I can.” At ONU, he’s majoring in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). “I hope to meet new people, improve my language skills and broaden my horizons,” he says. “I know these new experiences will open my eyes to all the differences we have in the world.”

In his free time, Erkhes plays the Morin khuur, which is a traditional Mongolian bowed stringed instrument, and he enjoys video games and volleyball. 

Almost all the universities in Mongolia are located in major cities, so Erkhes is enjoying ONU’s rural location. So far, he says he’s noticed more similarities than differences between life in Mongolia and life in the U.S. “ONU is a very welcoming community and I have been very happy with the level of support that ONU provides. I am very pleased and honored to be studying here and representing my country.”