Every year thousands of students transfer to different colleges through the National Student Exchange. Since Mississippi State began participating in the program in 1999, 64 MSU students have taken classes at participating colleges and 23 students have transferred in.
“In 1999 Mississippi State University became the first Mississippi college to join the NSE program,” program coordinator Nancy Fultz said.
The student exchange program allows students to choose from more than 180 universities in 48 states, five Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Applications to participate in the exchange are due Friday.
By using the NSE program, academic credits are marked as MSU credits, not transferred hours. The host and home schools work together to credit all hours taken by the student, Fultz said.
Mechanical engineering major John Zabaldano spent the fall semester of 2003 at California State University.
“I researched the program before I signed up,” Zabaldano said. “I loved the time I spent there.”
“I especially enjoyed taking several courses in robotics,” Zabaldano added.
In addition to taking different classes, students have the opportunity to experience different cultures through the exchange program.
Benjamin Rouette, a senior civil engineering major, transferred to MSU from the Universite De Sherbrooke in Quebec.
“My classes at Sherbrooke are in French, so it is harder for me here. But I like being challenged and hope students at Mississippi State will choose to come to Quebec,” Rouette said.
“It’s a great program and I hope students will want to experience other states and countries as well,” Rouette added.
For more information on the National Student Exchange program contact Nancy Fultz at 325-7049 or go to www.nse.org.