Global experience now vital to student mind

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Global education initiatives remain more important than ever, despite a sluggish economy, university officials said.

And although study abroad participation is projected to be about 13 percent less than last year, an international experience can add flare to a résumé.

“I think in today’s environment, (international experience) is something you can’t do very well without,” said David Griffith, John William Byington Endowed Chair in Global Marketing at MSU. “All businesses understand the world is a global marketplace.”

Initial data from the MSU Office of Study Abroad for the 2008-09 year shows about 2,700 students are participating or plan to participate in study abroad. The number won’t be finalized until August, but is lower than last year by about 400 students.

Despite that, international internships have increased about 12 percent, from 181 in 2007-08 to 202 in 2008-09, according to the Office of Study Abroad.

Marketing junior Molly Mann is participating in the Marketing and International Comparative Dimensions of Business in France, Italy and Belgium program this summer and said studying abroad is a good way to get credits while experiencing other cultures.

“I think just noticing the cultural difference between counties is important, especially if I decided to go into international business,” Mann said. “We also do a lot of group work and presentations which will help me in the future.”

Griffith said a student’s area of study affects where the student should focus.

“(Students) need to think long-term (about) what job they want and where their career is going, then select the language and market where they’re going,” he said. “To me, it’s a personal decision based on career goals because that becomes more valuable to the employee and more to the individual.”

These experiences can be study abroad, an international internship or courses at MSU, Griffith said.

Provost Kim Wilcox said students’ international experiences and education can help Michigan progress into the future by adding ideas from around the world.

“When we were founded in 1855, it took a day to travel 20 to 30 miles — now we can go around the world in a day,” he said. “In 1855, most of the commerce was local; most of the influences that shaped people’s lives were local. Commerce is now international.”

“We have to be engaged with the broad world,” Wilcox said.

Although the economy has caused participation in MSU programs such as study abroad to decline, the effect was not as much as expected, said John Hudzik, vice president for global engagement and strategic projects at MSU. Hudzik, who also is president of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers, or NAFSA, said during its May conference that students know participating in international programs is important.

“I told the conference that my read of this was of course we have an economic slump, but the recognition of the importance of the international education in people’s lives has become so important that people figure out how to do it even in tough economic times,” he said.

MSU has partnerships with 158 universities and institutions worldwide, according to International Studies and Programs at MSU.

“We want all MSU students to have opportunities and experiences that contribute to becoming global citizens,” said Jeffrey Riedinger, dean of International Studies and Programs.

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