Each year, Mississippi State University students are faced with deciding how to spend their summer. Most opt for a job or an internship, and while these are great ways to spend a summer, the majority of MSU students do not consider the option of studying abroad.
Hannah Rachel Cardin, an MSU graduate and now employee, chose to study abroad one summer several years ago. She spent three weeks studying French in Quebec under an MSU faculty-led program and said it was one of the best learning experiences she had as an undergraduate.
“I would recommend that any student study abroad, no matter how long or short, near or far, expensive or inexpensive the experience may be,” Cardin said. “The United States has been a great home for me, but I would not appreciate it nearly as much if I had not gone to other countries to see how their cultures are formed.”
MSU offers a variety of international programs through the Office of Study Abroad. However, only between 250 and 300 students take advantage of these programs each year. In 2010, the university released its “State of Excellence: 2012-2017” plan, and “Encourage Globalization” was outlined as a goal. One strategy to meet this goal included providing more global academic opportunities and a “50 percent increase in the number of students participating in international education” as its measure of success.
The OSA, located in Memorial Hall, coordinates all study abroad programs for students. Currently, OSA has connections with 1,600 programs in 60 countries. Students have the option of participating in exchange programs, MSU faculty-led programs or programs offered through study abroad agencies.
Katie Frantes, interim manager and coordinator of study abroad programs, said she thinks it is a great way for students to experience learning in a new way.
 ”Exchange or provider companies allow students to go more on their own and meet new people,” Frantes said. “Going with a faculty-led program is good for students who maybe aren’t quite ready to go explore on their own, and it gives them the comfort of having other students from Mississippi State to go with.”
The cost of studying abroad can be steep. However, most of the programs, as well as OSA and the Office of Financial Aid, offer scholarship opportunities and financial assistance to students. Exchange programs also allow students to pay the same tuition for a semester at a foreign university as they would pay at MSU.
Frantes said she thinks another reason for MSU’s low rate is students do not feel the need to challenge themselves in this way. According to the MSU’s 2011 enrollment statistics, 75 percent of MSU’s students are Mississippi natives, so some students may not have the desire to travel.
“Mississippi is one of the states that has the least students who study abroad,” Frantes said. “I think that a lot of students here aren’t used to going outside of their comfort zone. They aren’t used to getting out of the state even, and so it can be a difficult choice for them to make.”
Last year, 18 faculty-led programs were proposed and approved. First, the department heads and deans must approve the trip, and then it is processed through OSA. This year, the proposals for faculty-led programs are due Oct. 15. Currently, the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Engineering lead in the most faculty-led programs.
Wendy Roussin, a communication professor, led a photography class to Belize last summer. The class lived in the jungle and on an island off the coast of Belize for several weeks. Roussin said this was an experience not only had her students never had, but one she had never had as well.
“You have to see the world. You have to travel,” Roussin said. “It’s important for students to experiences things. I received an email from one student recently that talked about how it was one of the most important experiences of her life. That’s one reason we teach and study abroad.”
Caroline King, a recent MSU graduate, spent a summer in London taking a photography course at the University of Richmond.
“The experiences I had in London were unlike anything I had ever had and caused me to mature as a person and begin to understand the bigger picture of the world,” King said.
OSA is working with MSU to encourage more students to take advantage of these opportunities. The study abroad fair was held Oct. 3 in the Colvard Student Union. Representatives from study abroad agencies had information available for students, and a staff member from the Office of Financial Aid also attended to answer questions about funding. Frantes’ goal is to raise the number of students from MSU going abroad to 350 in the next several years.
“I think it’s important that Mississippi State become a more globally-aware campus,” Frantes said. “I would love to see more faculty-led programs that are consistent and that are well known to the students. You regret the things you don’t do. You’re never going to regret the choice to study abroad.”