After serving for 13 years as the director of the Office for International Students and Scholars at MSU, Peter Briggs will spend his last day in office Oct. 3.

According to a personal statement issued through the OISS blog, Briggs and his wife are planning to return to their home in the Pacific Northwest in order to be closer to their children and family . Briggs said he will settle in Eugene, Oregon where he received his master’s degree in education policy and management from the University of Oregon.

Briggs lists his time at MSU as the highlight of his professional career.

Under Briggs’ tenure at MSU, the university underwent an explosion of international student enrollment, primarily from China, whose undergraduate population grew from 44 students in 2004 to almost 3,500 last year.

The changes facilitated by Briggs included making a more open and welcoming on-campus community and organizing a driven and friendly office staff.

Although he will not be holding any official position or desk, Briggs said in the post he will “remain involved in connecting people around the globe.”

“I am on the boards of several NGO’s and plan to continue to make contributions to this profession. I will also be doing some writing for professional journals,” Briggs said. “I am more idealistic now about the possibilities of what can be achieved with the right vision, the right leadership and the willingness to take action.”

MSU officials have not named a replacement for Briggs’ position as of Sunday afternoon.