According to a report by College Factual, approximately 1.1% of Point Loma Nazarene University’s students are international. Of that group, many come over to play sports at the university level. PLNU boasts an incredible Division II program in multiple areas, including soccer, tennis and volleyball, that international students are able to take part in.
Lisandru Susini is one such student. Susini plays on PLNU’s soccer team as a defender, and hails from San Martino di Lota, France. While growing up in Europe, Susini has had years of experience playing soccer.
“I grew up playing soccer in Corsica and spent several years in the professional academy at SC Bastia, which was playing in the French first division at the time,” Susini said.
However, his path to PLNU was not a straight line. Susini initially decided to come to the United States to pursue academics and soccer. Pursuing both of these things tends to be more challenging in European universities as opposed to ones in the U.S.
“I first played college soccer at Limestone University in South Carolina. Unfortunately, the university shut down, so I unexpectedly had to find a new school and basically start that process all over again,” Susini said. “Thankfully, that journey brought me to Point Loma, and I’m extremely grateful to be here and to have the opportunity to continue both my education and soccer at PLNU.”
It’s that move that sparked Susini’s desire to start sharing his life on social media. He’s garnered 91,500 followers between two major social media platforms (Instagram and TikTok).
“I started posting more seriously when I came to Point Loma and moved to California. I remember getting here and just loving the energy,” Susini said. “There were so many things around me that I wanted to capture and share.”
Solely looking at his immense social media following, that desire to share this newfound culture has resonated with people. English isn’t Susini’s first language, but he shares his content in that format because it pushes him outside of his comfort zone. His content has reflected the way that his experience at PLNU has been in a raw and reflective manner.
“I thought it could be interesting to show California and life in the U.S. from the perspective of someone who grew up on a small island in the south of France,” Susini said. “Things that might seem completely normal to someone who grew up here can still be fascinating to me.”
Beyond social media, Susini has excelled as a player for PLNU’s soccer team. Heading into the 2026 season, PLNU’s team was ranked No. 7 by the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. It’s the highest mark that PLNU has ever achieved in their preseason rankings. Susini has been a major contributor in that success.
“[Susini] is a great addition to our team with a wonderful personality in the group. He is really thankful to be here and brings a positive energy to the team at all times,” Phil Wolf, head coach of men’s soccer, said.
Susini said he wants to do whatever he can to continue the team’s success.
“[Susini] always gives his best and does it with a smile,” Brett Evans, assistant coach of men’s soccer, said. “He works hard, is very coachable, and is always willing to do whatever is needed to help the team.”
That said, this time has come with plenty of obstacles. International students often struggle with this reality once they move into the new, and radically different, culture of the United States.
“Moving from Corsica to the U.S. was obviously a big change,” Susini said. “But it was also something I had dreamed about for a long time. I’ve been able to meet people from completely different backgrounds, discover a new culture, and learn a lot about myself along the way.”
However, Susini has certainly had to overcome some cultural differences with his fellow teammates. There aren’t many international students on the team, and there haven’t been too many in the past either. Because of that, the students from overseas end up being forced to adapt to American culture, which he said can be difficult.
“In this way, [Susini] has done amazingly well and has shown to be a bright light of positivity not only in this school, but in our greater community as well,” Wolf said. “We have learned much from him and he has had a great impact in the culture of our team.”
With that in mind, Susini said he’s loved his time in the U.S. The defender has been an integral part of the PLNU men’s soccer team and it has offered him an opportunity to integrate and find a place of belonging.
“Being part of a university and a soccer team also gave me a community and made that transition much easier,” Susini said.
Kailyn Collette