Marketing tactics, administrative support and low prices have helped MSU's study abroad program travel to the top as the largest in the United States, according to a study released Monday.
The Institute of International Education reported in the 2000-01 year that MSU had 1,835 students travel to foreign countries as part of academic programs. The university hasn't been in first place in two years, after Brigham Young University claimed the top spot, said Kathleen Fairfax, director of the Office of Study Abroad.
"It's always good to be No. 1," she said. "It's a good reflection to a lot of people."
Fairfax said there has been a push during the past six years to get students to participate. She said the Office of Study Abroad spent about $60,000 to send booklets and buy ads for programs.
"We want to make it as accessible to students as possible," she said. "We start early before students are even here as freshmen. We want it to be a normal and expected part of what students do at MSU."
Fairfax said one of the reasons study abroad has been so successful is the push of administrators to get everyone involved in the 183 programs in 52 countries. She said all 14 colleges at MSU have study abroad programs.
MSU President M. Peter McPherson said the hard work has paid off, but a big reason for the success of the program has been keeping prices down.
"We are the role model for study abroad for much of the country in the way we have gone about this," he said. "We keep our cost at or near the campus cost. Keeping the cost down has been emphasized here more than at any other school. That has kept the program accessible."
In 2000-01, 19.2 percent of MSU students studied abroad. McPherson wants 40 percent of all MSU students to study abroad by 2006.
Allan Goodman, president of the Institute of International Education, said participation has increased 7.4 percent in the United States. Goodman said he remembers MSU having strong study aboard programs when he was at Harvard "a million years ago."
"Michigan State has a long-standing tradition," he said. "President McPherson really embodies international education."
Sarah Kwiatkowski, a political theory and constitutional democracy junior, was in the Office of Study Abroad applying for her second trip on Monday.
"I probably would have not gone if I was at a different school," Kwiatkowski said. "My professors tell me about it. It's everywhere you go around campus."
But Fairfax said since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, some programs have been hindered by discontinued programs.
She said last year, MSU experienced a drop in students participating with 1,819, 16 students less than 2000-01.
"Some programs have experienced a high sticker shock in terms of airfare," she said.
Chelita Pate, coordinator for the international studies program at Brigham Young University, said its program started losing participation approaching Sept. 11 and lost about 200 students after an Islamic Center closed in Israel.
"Although we are not in the same market area, we check MSU's Web site to see what they are doing," she said. "They are very experienced, and we respect that."
Brian Charlton can be reached at charlt10@msu.edu.
