From Türkiye to Kalamazoo: A global Bronco love story

By Reem Arshad, Marketing and Outreach Student Ambassador

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—For Bronco alumni Halil Dursunoğlu and Fatma Dursunoğlu, the journey from Türkiye to Kalamazoo feels like destiny bringing them together. 

They met on Western Michigan University's campus as international students and later, as professor and engineer, returned to West Michigan to raise their family.  Now, they're reinvesting in the community as entrepreneurs, having opened Ayasofya, a Turkish restaurant near campus. 

Halil graduated with his M.S. in computer science in 2015. He is now a faculty specialist for cybersecurity in WMU's Department of Computer Science. His research revolves around artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.

WMU offered scholarship opportunities and top-ranked programs, Halil says. “...And plus, Fatma,” he jokes.

Fatma, a forest engineer, earned her M.S. in geography from WMU in 2015. “I visited Michigan, and I fell in love with Michigan," she recalls. 

After graduation, she went on to work as an environmental engineer with the United Nations in Türkiye. She also worked in Africa, focusing mainly on climate change and erosion.

Kalamazoo: A Shared Dream

After the couple got married and had their first child, they decided to return to Kalamazoo. Their hearts longed for the place that brought them the most peace. 

“It’s a great place to raise kids—peace and tranquility, you can say,” Halil explains. 

“I feel safe here," Fatma adds. "I feel like I belong here.”

When they returned to Kalamazoo in 2023, the only thing missing was a place that served authentic Turkish food. They wanted to bring a taste of Türkiye to Kalamazoo and noticed many locals were eager to try different cuisines.

Named after the historical site in Istanbul that transitioned from a cathedral to a mosque, Ayasofya, which opened on Michigan Avenue in 2024, carries cultural and religious symbolism, celebrating connection between Christianity and Islam.

Opening a restaurant wasn't a decision that was made over night. Halil dreamt of opening a restaurant back when he was an undergraduate student, and both say their professional journeys have prepared them for entrepreneurship.

A Home for International Students

The two are confident about their decision to build their lives in Kalamazoo and hope international students find the campus as welcoming as they did so many years ago.

They still remember the places that made Kalamazoo feel like home. Their favorite? Bruno’s Pizza, where they spent time together as students. While the beloved restaurant has since closed, its memories remain—notably because Ayasofya is now located in the very same building.

They also fondly recall visits to Crow’s Nest and Tim Hortons, local favorites that helped make their WMU experience unforgettable.

Fatma encourages all WMU students to get involved in campus life: “Don’t stay at home or go to class and come back,” she says, encouraging students to join student organizations and attend campus events to find connection and get involved.

Both Fatma and Halil are former members of the Turkish Student Organization and Muslim Student Association at WMU, which gave them valuable organizational and leadership skills they use to this day running their restaurant.

They also describe Ayasofya as a place where international students can come and make themselves at home when they miss their families. 

They check in on students who visit and make sure they are well fed. They hope to create a welcoming environment where WMU students feel comfortable and can return whenever they feel homesick.

“We act like a family,” Fatma says.

Explore Programs and Apply Today

Ready to become a Bronco? Apply to WMU as an international student.

To learn more about WMU’s computer science programs, contact the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

For more information about WMU’s geography programs, contact the College of Arts and Sciences.