Students studying abroad during a first-year seminar in Ecuador. (Photo: CSU Office of International Programs)
Colorado State University is one of many institutions across the country celebrating International Education Week, which began on Nov. 14.
IEW is an annual joint initiative between the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education to promote international engagement at U.S. colleges.
“International education allows our faculty, students and staff to build an understanding of the world and its people,” said Kathleen Fairfax, CSU’s vice provost for International Affairs. “By incorporating a global dimension in our education, we equip today’s students – tomorrow’s leaders – with the needed skills and cross-cultural perspective to tackle the world’s biggest challenges.”
CSU takes IEW as an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the global activities occurring regularly at the University.
No stranger to global excellence, CSU’s most recent incoming class included students from 36 different countries around the world. International students represent a vital component of the fabric of the University.
They come to CSU for a world-class education, and in doing so enrich the lives of the entire campus community. CSU currently enrolls more than 1,400 international students throughout all levels of the University – a number that is expected to grow, since international applications for Fall 2023 were up 54% over the previous year.
In addition to recruiting top international students to the campus, CSU is also highly participatory in sending domestic students abroad for a wide range of enriching educational programs.
This semester, CSU recorded its highest ever fall enrollment of students in education abroad programming, with 267 Rams participating in for-credit experiences and an additional 129 participating in non-credit experiences. By comparison, in Fall 2019 the number of Rams abroad was 182 for-credit and 90 non-credit.
In partnership with the departments of Mechanical Engineering, Psychology and International Studies, CSU Education Abroad is also excited to offer a unique experience in short-term first-year seminar abroad programs, which are designed specifically to create learning communities and support structures for incoming students.
Recognizing the importance of access and affordability, the Global Access Award Scholarship funding has recently been expanded to support first generation college students participating in study abroad.
Events to keep in mind include:
2023 International Symposium, Feb. 27 – March 1
Global Engagement Distinguished Speaker – International Women’s Day, March 8
World Unity Fair, April 8
CSU faculty and staff are fully engaged in global education efforts,providing more than 52 opportunities for international, faculty-led, for-credit programs this year alone. CSU is especially proud to offer unique programming experiences for students through CSU Todos Santos, an international wing of CSU located in Baja California Sur, Mexico. A true extension of Colorado State, Todos Santos is an exceptional choice for students wishing to globalize their education while remaining in the CSU System.
More than just the international exchange of students, CSU prides itself on providing many opportunities for campus-wide global engagement. With an on-site Peace Corps recruiter, Programs for Learning Academic and Community English (PLACE), and regular annual international events, one needs only to look to find an opportunity to interact on global matters.
Happy International Education Week, Rams.
