Minnesota State University, Mankato’s new International Center will be dedicated Thursday, Nov. 15, in a grand opening ceremony that will highlight International Education and Diversity Week.
The International Center, open since the start of the academic year, brings the International Student and International Programs offices together in a strikingly renovated space on the second floor of Centennial Student Union.
The grand opening reception will be from 5-6:30 p.m. in the new center space, and will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event is free and open to students, faculty, staff and the public.
“The new International Center is a tangible result of the priority that President Richard Davenport and the University place on preparing students for success in our global economy and multicultural world,” said Caryn Lindsay, the center’s director of International Programs.
Lindsay and Tom Gjersvig, director of International Student and Scholar Services, hope that students, faculty, alumni and members of the Mankato community will use the Center as a one-stop information and service hub for all international inquiries.
The center will help academic departments bring more international speakers to campus, will organize activities that let students learn about other cultures, and will keep the campus informed of international activities on and off campus.
In 1948 the U.S. Department of State authorized Minnesota State Mankato to enroll international students, making it one of the first Minnesota higher education institutions to do so. Since then the International Student Office has facilitated student admissions and orientation for an increasing number of students.
Today nearly 500 students from more than 65 nations study, contribute to the success of athletic teams and campus organizations, and bring the flavors of their cultures to campus. One of Davenport’s strategic goals is to increase the number and diversity of international students.
The University also is making it easier for students to integrate a foreign study experience into their academic programs.
Until 10 years ago, students who wanted to study in another country for a semester or more had to independently seek out opportunities with help from their professors. The International Programs Office was created to promote and facilitate the life-changing experience that comes from studying in a foreign environment.
New partnerships with European, African, South American, Asian and Indian universities reduce the costs for students while increasing the diversity of students and guest faculty. Students can stop at the new International Center for advice and information about opportunities for study, internships and volunteer experiences around the world.
Minnesota State Mankato is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, which comprises 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota. The system serves about 240,000 students per year in credit-based courses and an additional 135,000 in non-credit courses.
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