As summer comes to an end and a new school year begins, thousands of students here in Ohio will be heading to college — many of them for the first time.

But it’s not just Ohio students that pursue their education here. Bright young students from across our country and around the world flock to Ohio because we have some of the best public and private universities in the world. While we might be partial to our Valley’s own Youngstown State University — Go Penguins! — our state takes immense pride in the caliber of all our institutions and the impressive faculty talent we attract year after year. And rightfully so.

Ohio ranks sixth nationwide on the list of states with the most colleges and universities, according to research by Yahoo! Finance.

From our research powerhouses to STEM, health care, business, the arts and unrivaled creative writing programs, Ohio institutions are a prime destination for talented individuals across all disciplines, and they produce an amazing workforce.

So, it’s important that we fill our institutions’ classrooms with students, regardless of where they come from. Because we have far more jobs than we do workers, and any barriers to attracting students could cause real harm to our economy and our college towns and hamper the ability of Ohio and America to remain the top destination for the world’s best and brightest.

One important source of those students is Ohio’s international student programs.

Literally thousands of students from faraway countries come to Ohio every year, and they come here because of the quality of our education.

Today, however, there are challenges to our international student programs. America’s immigration process is complicated. Concerns about border security and ensuring international students are coming here for the right reasons have tightened, and in some cases, delayed the student visa issuance process. But without student visas, these students cannot study in America.

The result? Thousands of students who were making their way to our great state to pursue higher education may not be able to do so.

And that could have significant economic impacts on all Ohioans.

The approximately 37,000 International students who study and live in the Buckeye State, contribute nearly $1.3 billion to Ohio’s economy each year. At YSU alone, our approximately 1,300 international students have an economic impact of around $26 million.

That economic impact increases even more in our region when considering the more than $2.5 million that comes from international students attending other schools nearby: the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Hiram College in Hiram and Thiel and Westminster colleges in western Pennsylvania, and others.

But YSU does a great job of helping our international students navigate the complex immigration and visa issuance issues.

Earlier this year, about two dozen YSU international students and alumni had their visas temporarily revoked. YSU’s International Programs Office immediately stepped in, guiding affected students so they had access to every available resource and the information they needed to remain focused on their studies. At YSU, we will continue to support our international students, because we know that thriving in the classroom begins with stability and support outside of it.

YSU’s dedication to their international students aligns with the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber’s talent and population expansion initiative, which recognizes the tremendous value international students bring to our region.

Many of these students have called the Valley home for four years or more while pursuing their education, contributing to our culture, local economy and community life. After graduation, we want them to stay — to launch their careers here, raise their families here and help write the next chapter of our Valley’s story, supported by the jobs being created by the many companies seeking to start or expand their businesses here.

Retaining the talent of these international students is not only the right thing to do; it’s a smart investment in the future strength and prosperity of our region.

And there are other benefits to a robust international student program.

Some may think that international students displace American students, but research finds that domestic enrollment actually increases when international enrollment increases. In fact, for every additional international undergraduate student enrolled at a public university, two more in-state first-year students enroll as well. Why? Because international students are not eligible for federal aid or student loans, and that leaves more financial aid support for American students.

International students from Ohio have gone on to advance the U.S. in our nation’s fight for technology and innovation dominance — launching billion-dollar start-ups from AI platforms to biopharmaceutical companies focused on combating Alzheimer’s disease to helping to reverse Ohio’s physician shortage. Overall, an influx of international students helps combat the brain-drain that various regions of Ohio are currently facing.

International students receive a terrific education at our universities. We should help them come here and ensure that talent stays here after graduation, rather than returning home to compete against us.

Our nation is a cauldron of diversity, built on immigration. And by keeping international student graduates in our communities, we are essentially importing the best and brightest from around the globe to improve the Valley’s, Ohio’s, and America’s competitive edge.

Guy Coviello is president and CEO of the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber.