Office of International Programs

Office of International Programs

News and Events

Spring 1998

Faculty

Students

Faculty

Senegal and U officials sign agreement for proposed joint project.

Representatives of the College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences (COAFES), the College of Natural Resources (CNR), and the government of Senegal signed a statement of proposed cooperation July 9 to lay the groundwork for a joint program of graduate education and rural economic development.

The project is expected to run for ten years and cost about $500 million, dependent on funding from the World Bank. The first Senegalese students could arrive within a year.

Senegal, situated on the west coast of Africa, is seeking to develop intensive, high-value agricultural production in the semi-arid Sahelian regions of the country while maintaining and even enhancing a natural resource base necessary for sustainable development. "Le Sénégal Agricole" (Agricultural Senegal) would allow up to 500 Senegalese to work for master's and doctoral degrees in agriculture and natural resource fields at U.S. universities.

The project would be coordinated through COAFES and CNR at the University of Minnesota, and through Enda/SYSPRO, a nongovernmental organization based in Dakar, Senegal. Enda/SYSPRO has been the University's partner in Senegal for the Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID) program, which provides grassroots internships for students from across the country in developing countries including Senegal, Kenya, Ecuador, and India.

In his remarks to an enthusiastic audience of about sixty people on Thursday, Ambassador General Mamadou Mansour Seck praised the efforts and vision of Moussa Seck, who received his master's in plant pathology from the University of Minnesota and returned to Senegal. Seck has been a key contact for Minnesota as director of Enda/SYSPRO.

Minnesota was chosen as a partner because of its strong record in the institutional and human resource development of several African countries. Le Sénégal Agricole would be modeled on the University's Morocco project, through which Moroccans received 240 master's and 130 doctoral degrees. Collaboration has continued between the University of Minnesota and Morocco's Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences Hassen II.

Following that example, Le Sénégal Agricole would require graduate students to perform their research projects in Senegal to better prepare them to apply their knowledge to agricultural development in their home country.

In a reception for MSID in-country directors and the Senegal delegation on July 10, President Yudof announced a University of Minnesota contribution of $100,000 toward the project in the form of scholarships for Senegalese students. The deans of CNR and COAFES will make equal an contribution.

Moustapha Niasse, Senegal's minister of state and foreign affairs, and Robert Jones, the university's vice-provost for faculty and personnel, signed the agreement in advance.

A delegation of University representatives traveled to Senegal in April, including dean Al Sullivan, Robert Jones, Steve Clarke and John Vreyens. The visit concurred with President Clinton's trip to that country as his last stop on a tour of Africa.

Text of the Statement of Proposed Cooperation Between the University of Minnesota and the Government of Senegal.

More information about:

-- Gayla Marty, senior editor, Institute of International Studies and Programs, international@tc.umn.edu

ISSS, China Center moved to West Bank Aug. 10

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and the China Center have moved from the Mayo Memorial Building, and are open in new offices on the West Bank.

The ISSS location is 190 Humphrey Center, 301 19th Avenue S. Enter through the doors facing Wilson Library.

The China Center is at 130 Management/Economics, 271 19th Avenue S.

Telephone numbers remain the same.

Staff are requested to help spread the word to direct newly arriving students and scholars to 190 Humphrey Center.

 Orientation programs are being held every Wednesday from August 26 through September 23 on the West Bank. A new three-week Minnesota Preacademic Program is also being held August 23 - September 14.

The move is necessary now because the Academic Health Center needs its space in Mayo for capital projects to begin. ISSS and the China Center were moved temporarily to Mayo in May 1997 due to deteriorating environmental conditions on the ground floor of Nicholson Hall that were causing employee health problems.

CARLA from UTEC to Appleby

The Center for Advanced Reseach on Language Acquisition (CARLA) moved to new offices in 333 Appleby Hall, 128 Pleasant St. S.E., on August 4.

The telephone number will change to 612-626-8600, fax 612-624-7514.

CARLA's faculty is drawn from the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Education and Human Development. General College administration is donating space; ISP continues to provide an administrative home and central support.

Refugee Studies Center collection remains open

The faculty advisory committee for the Refugee Studies Center is currently working with multicultural affairs staff and others to reexamine the center's mission and future priorities. The collection will remain open at its current location in 104 Nicholson Hall at least through December 1998.

Culture Corps invites proposals for projects in and outside the classroom

Culture Corps is a new program to promote internationalization on the Twin Cities campus. The goal is for international students to assist faculty and departments to provide international perspectives in academic or non-academic activities. For example:

"The possibilities are endless," says Dr. Mohammed Bari, the Culture Corps project director. "What makes this tool for internationalization unique is that it's driven by the needs of faculty and staff, not a central office."

Interested faculty or staff must apply. It's not necessary to have a particular student in mind, but it's fine if you do. Students may also approach a faculty or staff member with an idea. Participating students receive partial or full tuition waivers or a cash awards to their STARS accounts.

Culture Corps is funded from the quarterly international student aid fee and the international student financial aid program, and administered by International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS).

Do you have a course or program that could benefit from an international perspective or skill? Apply now! Applications into academic year 1998-99 will be accepted as long as funds are available. Contact Dr. Bari at 626-7448 or by e-mail.

Intercultural Training Center launched

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) recently launched the Intercultural Training Center to reflect an expansion of their services to the broader community.

In less than a year of operation, training center staff have trained more than 1500 people on campus and in the community, through trainings including The Saint Paul Companies, Macalester College, and the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES).

Intercultural training gives participants the knowledge and tools needed to successfully communicate with people from other cultures and backgrounds. Trainings are individually designed for each group, from beginners seeking an introduction to cultural differences, to experienced professionals who are looking to refine their skills.

For more information contact Barbara Kappler at ISSS, 612-625-2010 or kappl002@tc.umn.edu.

MSID in-country directors meet in Minnesota

Eight in-country directors from Ecuador, India, Kenya, and Senegal for the Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID) program attended an intensive two-week workshop at the Twin Cities campus from June 29-July 10.

The workshop provided opportunities for the on-site directors and the MSID staff to review the first year's experience with a new program model, share ideas for improving curriculum and pedagogy, and develop guidelines for the semester-based MSID curriculum after 1999.

President Yudof met the group at a reception on July 10, along with a delegation from Senegal, which was on campus to sign a statement of proposed cooperation with the University of Minnesota for a long-term project to develop sustainable agriculture in the semi-arid regions of Senegal.

The workshop included academic and administrative directors from each MSID host site: from Ecuador, Jose Suarez and Dolores (Loli) Suarez; from India, Sudha Datar and Sharmila Godbole; from Kenya, Mohamud Jama and Simeon Kanani; and from Senegal, Ousmane Sene and Moussa Seck.

Mohamud Jama of Kenya spoke at the reception on behalf of the in-country directors to commend the University of Minnesota for developing and supporting MSID.

"There are six other somewhat similar programs operating in my country, but MSID has features that make it unique," Jama said. "For students, it provides a very powerful experience."

MSID implements new program model

One of the University's flagship study abroad programs, MSID has always enjoyed a high level of support and commitment on campus. The atmosphere at the reception July 10 was more like a reunion, with many staff and faculty members in attendance who have supported MSID over the past 15 years.

MSID's new program model, fully implemented for the first time during 1997-98, utilizes on-site host country faculty and administrators. The pre-departure component at the University of Minnesota is now an intensive week-long retreat, with the in-country staff providing program administration once the students reach their country destinations.

Students have been enrolling in MSID since 1983 to go to Africa, Asia, and Latin America to study development issues and carry out grassroots internships. Each year the program attracts fifty to sixty students in a wide variety of majors--mostly juniors and seniors, some graduate students or recent graduates--from across the United States.

Through MSID, students gain cross-cultural skills, self-confidence, ability to function in new and diverse settings, and greater understanding of the world and complex global issues. Many MSID alumni go on to careers in international or domestic development work.

Remarkable in-country leaders

The University agreement with Senegal signed July 9 crowned many years of effort by MSID's administrative director for Senegal. Moussa Seck received his master's in plant pathology from the University of Minnesota and is the director of Enda/SYSPRO in Dakar. He was praised by Senegal's ambassador to the United States, General Mamadou Mansour Seck, for his vision and initiative.

"The intellectual and human qualities of the directors are remarkable," said Chip Peterson, MSID program director and assistant director of the Global Campus, the University's study abroad office.

"It was gratifying to watch such deep intellectual and affective bonds developing among them over the two weeks," Peterson continued. "The workshop confirmed our conviction that MSID is blessed with extraordinary in-country leadership."

For more information contact Chip Peterson at 612-624-4808 or visit the Global Campus Web site .

More about MSID at the Global Campus

-- Gayla Marty, senior editor, Institute of International Studies and Programs, international@tc.umn.edu

International alumni volunteer as contacts in sixty countries

Since the call went out last summer, 238 University of Minnesota alumni have said yes: they'd like to be a contact for other Minnesota alumni in their area.

"The response has been overwhelmingly positive," said Kay Thomas, coordinator for the University's international alumni initiative. "And it's not just from one or two areas--it's coming from every continent. As an institution, our reach has been very broad, and the depth of feeling for the University is very great."

Three years ago, the University launched an effort to maintain and reestablish ties with international alumni and friends, including those who may have worked or conducted research in Minnesota as staff or visiting scholars. The effort has included

The database now includes almost 2,500 names with tested good addresses.

The goal of the initiative is to build alumni support abroad for the University, and to provide a way for international alumni to have a voice in the ongoing life of the University. International alumni groups and chapters engage in a wide variety of activities, from raising scholarship funds to hosting University students, faculty members, and groups while they're abroad.

President Yudof meets alumni abroad

President Mark Yudof got his first greeting by enthusiastic international U of M alumni in Beijing in January. He and several other University representatives joined Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson there for meetings with high-level government and education officials.

China was part of Governor Carlson's business development mission, which also included the Netherlands, Singapore, and New Zealand.

Finland and Norway are the next stops on the president's international agenda, scheduled for Aug. 27-30. Once again he will accompany Governor Carlson, and the focus will be on opportunities for economic development and complementary research capacities. And once again, faculty and alumni are playing key roles.

International Career Services meet global workforce needs

In an alumni-related initiative, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) has developed career services to help local, national, and international companies connect with the University's international graduates who have the language, cultural, and country-specific knowledge they need.

International graduates who participate can receive job announcements.

Contact Kristi Nokken at 612-626-0360 or nokke001@tc.umn.edu.

Faculty traveling abroad

Faculty traveling abroad should contact Dr. Kay Thomas about alumni connections, at ISSS, 612-626-7100, or kthomas@tc.umn.edu. Dr. Thomas, director of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and associate director of the Institute of International Studies and Programs (ISP), heads the University's international alumni initiative.

U.S. Secretary of State speaks at CLA commencement; Institute for Global Studies established

Madeleine Albright, U.S. Secretary of State, gave the keynote address at commencement for Twi Cities graduates of the College of Liberal Arts at Williams Arena on June 14.

CLA took the occasion to announce the establishment of the new Institute for Global Studies (IGS), which aims to draw upon research capabilities in the humanities as well as in the social sciences, and upon language learning and study abroad opportunities, to focus on complex global interactions and relationships.

IGS will replace the Institute of International Studies (IIS). Gloria Goodwin Raheja, associate professor of anthropology, has been named director.

For more information contact IGS, 214 Social Sciences Building, 612-624-9007.

Faculty lead study group to Belarus, Czech and Kyrgyz Republics

Thirteen Minnesota faculty members, teachers, and students will explore "integration and disintegration in the former Soviet bloc" for six weeks this summer.

An intensive study tour from Belarus in eastern Europe, to the Kyrgyz Republic in central Asia, and back to the Czech Republic in central Europe will include lectures by significant scholars in each country, briefings by local press, field trips, interviews, and seminars.

All participants will be encouraged to establish contacts with colleagues in each country, which will allow them to continue professional relationships after the tour.

"How do we explain people who are different? How do we explain ourselves to them? This study tour is designed to help us work on these questions," said Josef Mestenhauser, professor in educational policy and administration, College of Education and Human Development, who organized the project.

He focused on countries with ties to the University of Minnesota and whose cultures and educational systems are in periods of great transition.

In return, tour participants may be asked to speak to groups in the host countries.

"We will offer anything they want us to do in terms of presentations about our work or disciplines," Mestenhauser said, "but we're not imposing ourselves upon them."

The tour will correct a possible bias in favor of capital cities by visiting regional cities--the ancient city of Grodno in Belarus, the two-thousand-year-old Silk Road city of Osh in the Kyrgyz Republic, and Carlsband and Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic. The group will travel on a modest budget, Mestenhauser emphasized, living on the economy of the countries and what is available to local citizens.

The tour is made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education under the authority of the Fulbright Program. The Group Project Abroad grant is designed to aid teachers and faculty integrating international content, perspectives, and issues into curricula in international studies, area studies, social studies, and foreign languages.

Study group members, July 17-Aug. 28, 1998

University faculty team leaders
Participants include applied economics professor Claudia Parliament, two graduate students in the Comparative and International Development Education (CIDE) program in the College of Education and Human Development, and several K-12 teachers.

Vet Medicine's international coordinator Stan Diesch retires

Professor emeritus Stan Diesch, DVM, MPH, retired June 30 as director of international programs and chair of the international programs committee for the College of Veterinary Medicine. He will actively continue with programs in Uruguay through Partners of the Americas, and other activities.

Diesch served 13 years as director or acting director of international programs for the college. He has been a mainstay of the Partners of the Americas program, which links Minnesota and Uruguay in many areas of concern, and has served as honorary consul for Uruguay. He has been a tireless university advocate of international activities across the colleges and in the community.

He can be reached by e-mail at his home office at diesc001@tc.umn.edu.

ISP director left Minnesota June 30, established study abroad scholarship fund

The Croft Institute in Mississippi was founded with a trust equivalent to a $60-million endowment received last year from the Joseph C. Bancroft Charitable and Educational Fund. It will endow 40 scholarships annually for students in international studies and add some 16 Croft Professors to the faculty, with the goal of making the institute the preeminent program of its kind in the southeastern United States.

"The opportunity presented by the Croft Institute's annual funding of some $3 million," Metcalf commented, "presents an exciting challenge that is matched by the expectations Chancellor Robert Khayat has for the internationalization of the University of Mississippi. I look forward both to these challenges and to having the sizeable budget with which to meet them."

--Gayla Marty

For information about the scholarship fund for undergraduate study abroad, contact Tom Yuzer at the University of Minnesota Foundation, 612-624-3333

Related information:
University of Mississippi.

Students

International graduates honored May 15

By Gayla Marty and Kristin Zibell

A truly global celebration took place as more than two hundred people from the University and around the world honored graduating international students. International graduates' families, friends, and advisers attended the 1998 International Graduation Celebration on May 15 at Coffman Memorial Union.

Shouts of joy, congratulations, and laughter were heard throughout the bustling Campus Club as guests gathered for a ceremony which recognized the graduate's achievements. Goldie Gopher posed for Polaroid photos with the graduates and their children as they assembled on the fourth floor.

Shortly after four o'clock several University leaders addressed the assembly in the Campus Club, including Margaret Carlson, executive director of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA), Michael Metcalf, assistant vice president and director, Institute of International Studies and Programs (ISP), and Kay Thomas, associate director of ISP and director of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). They spoke about the international graduates representing the proud accomplishments of the six thousand international students and scholars who attend the University each year.

All the graduates received a gift from ISP and UMAA, hearty congratulations from Professor Metcalf, Dr. Carlson, and Dr. Thomas, and applause from everyone. Several of the graduates made additional remarks, thanking their sponsors, advisers, and the staff at ISSS. One doctoral graduate, who finished several months ago, returned to the University for the week just to attend commencement.

As the last graduate stood up to say her name, and the camera flashed for the last group photo, storm sirens went off! Rain blasted against the south windows; one window blew loose--several people held it in place, and another bolted it down. The entire group evacuated to the basement of Coffman, where they watched weather reports until the TV signal was lost.

As the sirens stopped and the rain passed, a number of graduates and friends drifted back to the Campus Club to linger and talk over the last of the food and punch, joined by some late arrivals. By six o'clock, rays of sunlight and a cool breeze filled the room. A Minnesota send-off! Congratulations, international graduates!

If you are a graduate or a past student, scholar, or friend of the University of Minnesota but were not able to attend this celebration, or a celebration in past years, please register to stay in touch with the U! You will receive the Connections newsletter and more. We also invite you to become a member of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.

The International Graduation Celebration is sponsored by the Institute of International Studies and Programs and its constituent offices as part of the University of Minnesota's international alumni initiative.

Tips for your career search from alumni & staff

by Gayla Marty

As the end of spring quarter approaches, so does the job hunt. We asked some University alumni for their advice on finding a career position, whether short-term or long-term, in the United States or abroad.

Leonardo Koesmanto, Carlson School of Management '96, now a consultant with Andersen Consulting in Jakarta, Indonesia, advises international students to find a company that will give them the opportunity to work or get training overseas before returning to their home countries.

"The work environment is not the same as the school environment," he says. "An opportunity to work overseas will enrich your experience."

Peter Emelue of Nigeria, Carlson School of Management '88, now teaching in the business technology division at a college in Tennessee, advises students to take advantage of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS).

"You have a huge resource right at the U--ISSS," Emelue says. "Take advantage of that, don't be shy, talk about issues!

"The career workshops exposed me to some of the elements of speaking with people" he says. "They help you look for areas where your opportunities will be better." ISSS career services staff recommend

If you're not graduating yet...

If you are a continuing international student, there are several things Peter Emelue recommends to make your career search easier when the time comes:

Emelue says organizations "enhanced my ability to deal with people and network--I got to know the dean, my advisers, and other students--and they helped me learn how to organize my time."

An internship with a local hospital assessing its urgent care clinic in an inner city neighborhood gave Emelue good insights on how businesses work. To Emelue, the importance of planning, keeping busy, and staying in contact with other people are intertwined.

Preparing for economic chage

When Emelue came to the University in the early '80s, the economy in his home country was good. But that changed dramatically.

"One of the basic elements of beinghuman is entertaining fears," says Emelue. "It's very easy to feel alone at the U. You are not alone."

Emelue says that being active in organizations and getting an internship were useful distractions from hardships (like winter!) and also helped him learn how things work in the world outside school. They helped him learn how to take calculated risks and overcome his fears.

Emelue got his first position at a local food products company--an internship in sales--before taking a job with a firm in Memphis, Tennessee. Later he earned his MBA, worked in management for Federal Express, and became an educator.

Leonardo Koesmanto graduated when the economy was booming. He interviewed with many firms through attending job fairs and initially took a position with an international bank. But after two months he contacted Andersen, which had also impressed him, and their position was still available.

"This is the kind of job that I dreamed of," he says. "I like to interact with people from all over the world. I want a job that gives me an opportunity to work anywhere in the world."

Students who are U.S. educated have the advantage of being familiar with U.S. companies and how they operate in the U.S. market, Koesmanto says.The combination of their knowledge of markets both inside and outside the United States gives them an advantage in tailoring a business to a local market abroad. Companies see an advantage to placing a student educated abroad in his or her home country.

Koesmanto says students who have studied outside their home countries are so valuable to global companies because they bring an ability to adjust to new places and sensitivity about cultural barriers. Ability to speak another language, and knowledge of the country where the language is spoken, are also an advantage.

And for U.S. students:

Koesmanto also has advice for U.S. students: "Have more interaction with international students to study the differences they have," he recommends. "This will make you aware of different perspectives."

Career workshops & resource room

Job Search Strategies (April 21)

An introduction to the process of finding a practical training or career position in the United States: how to find job openings, what employers look for, cultural differences in the job search, and campus resources.

Resumes & Cover Letters (April 28)

Learn about resume and cover letter format and content. Examples will be available.

Job Interviews: How to Prepare, What to Expect (May 5)

Learn about interview format, questions, dress, and effective communication.

Visa Options After Graduation (May 12)

An overview of post-graduation visa options will be given, including F-1 Optional Practical Training, J-1 Academic Training, H-1 Temporary Worker visas, and permanent residency.

The workshops this quarter are cosponsored by International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and the College of Human Ecology Career Services Center.

The Career Resource Room is also available to help you write a resume and prepare for a job search. Come to ISSS on a Thursday, April 23 or 30, May 7 or 14, when the ISSS lounge on the 6th floor of Mayo will be turned into a job seeker's paradise!

Optional Practical Training

Apply up to 90 days before you graduate! Apply for "optional practical training" as early as you can, because applications are taking 8-12 weeks for the INS to approve! You do not have to have a job offer to apply. Contact ISSS in the Mayo Building, 6th floor, B wing. ISSS's Web site has complete information about Optional Practical Training.

New guidelines for J visa extensions and transfers

If you are extending your stay or transfering to another J program, you must do so before the expiration date on your IAP-66! There is no longer a 30-day grace period for the purpose of extension or transfer. If you go past the ending date on the IAP-66, you will be required to file a request to the U.S. Information Agency for reinstatement. See the ISSS web site for more important information on J-1 extensions.

Be a Friendship Group leader for new students this fall

Each year Friendship Group leaders work with groups of new international students at the U of M for fall quarter. These leaders organize activities and provide information about the U and life in the United States. Leaders receive training in leadership and intercultural communication and, upon completion of the program, a certificate citing your training and service. Contact Barbara Kappler for more information. Get an application at ISTC, 48 Coffman, or ISSS, Mayo 6th floor, B wing.

Funding information

Grad students, search here for funds for research outside the U.S.

If you are a graduate student seeking to conduct research or study outside the United States, contact ISP! Rita Snider can help you conduct a search for sources of funding to support your project and advise you of deadlines for major grant competitions. Contact her at 626-9585 or by email. New funding opportunities for graduate students are on ISP's Web site!

Paulo Freire Grant winners will serve in three countries

Beginning this summer, four U of M students will conduct community service abroad.

Amy Bergholz, a junior in German and English,will volunteer in the development education program of Dakshinayan, a nonprofit, nonreligious organization in New Delhi, India.

Esther Connor, a senior working toward a degree and certification for teaching social studies and Engish as a second language, and Brian Reichert, a history major, will volunteer in Guatemala--Connor with orphans at Casa Guatemala, and Reichert with women and children at the Nuevos Horizantes center.

Starr Sage, a junior in biology, will volunteer in a prenatal care clinic in Ghana and also conduct research for a SPAN project.

All four are recipients of the first Paulo Freire International Community Service grants. This spring they are participating together in the Diversity Connections program, and after they return they will volunteer in local schools through the Office for Special Learning Opportunities (OSLO).

"The applications were great," said Bill Baldus, director of the International Study and Travel Center (ISTC), which initiated the program in cooperation with the Diversity Institute and OSLO. "It was a privilege to talk to so many students committed to great projects around the world. This is clearly answering a need in the student body."

For more information contact Baldus at 626-4782 or email.

Moroccon student participates in U of M Undergraduate Research Project

Merwane Berrada, a international student from Morocco, is participating in the University of Minnesota Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) during the 1997-98 school year. UROP is a competitive program offering financial assistance to undergraduates for research, scholarships or creative projects performed under the mentorship of a faculty member. Students selected receive a $1,200 research grant.

"In the industry, there are two types of flow measurement devices," explains Berrada. a recipient of an Institute of Technology Mechanical Engineering Scholarship. "Regular volumetric flow rates quantify a volume whereas mass flow rates measure mass. Coriolis flow meter are devices that belong to the former group. The operation of this device relies on the principle of Coriolis Forces similar to the one that makes the clouds move around the Earth."

In the involved project, Berrada tries to model and simulate the action of these forces on a straight tube oscillating at a certain frequency. The rotational and translational motions engedders the Coriolis forces on the fluid and therefore changes the amplitude of the vibration. The researchers can thus correlate this change to the amount of fluid or the mass of the fluid flowing through the tube.

"The objective of this project is to understand the physics behind this device as well as try to make a simulation model as close as possible from the reality," Berrada says. "Simulation modeling has a great power in engineering because of the relative short time at which we can obtain results. Simulation requires an extensive knowledge about the theory, to actually create an accurate model, along with an understanding of the software used. This is the most challenging part of the whole project."

"Through UROP, I am able to work on such projects closely with Professors Strykowski and Erdman," he says. "UROP grant encourages professors to take on more students who are eager to further their undergraduate knowledge. At least for me, it is a good opportunity to work with professors more on an individual basis, assimilate and absorb more knowledge in my field, and finally achieve an outcome of my research."

Grad students can get an international minor

Students enrolled in any graduate or professional degree program across the entire University of Minnesota system can earn a minor in international education. The interdisciplinary international education minor for a master's or doctorate may include core courses in comparative education, critical issues in education, applied international development education, and area specific coursework--there are more than 20 courses to choose from.

You develop your own minor program in consultation with your major adviser, home department director of graduate studies (DGS), and the director of grad study for international education in the College of Education and Human Development. For more information contact Michael Paige, 626-7456.