acastro@mavs.coloradomesa.edu

Each year, CMU gives students the opportunity to study at other schools with its National Student Exchange and International Student Exchange Program.

“In NSE, students can exchange for one or two semesters on plan A or plan B,” NSE Student Coordinator Sarah Fuller said. “Plan A is where you pay in state tuition to your host school and plan B is where you keep paying your home school’s tuition.”

With the NSE program, students can enroll in any participating school in the U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and The U.S. Virgin Islands. Nearly 200 schools participate in the NSE program and can be found at www.nse.org. In order to participate, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Fuller has worked with the program for three years and has even participated in the exchange.

“I love it,” Fuller said. “I will be needing someone to take my place helping with the program because I’m graduating in May.”

Last semester, senior Analisa Watkins participated in the NSE program by traveling to Queens College in New York.

“I loved the exchange,” she said. “[Queens College] had many resources on campus that aren’t available at CMU. They are culturally aware and made it a priority that their student body is nationally and globally aware as well. For example, every year they host a country on their campus. The semester I was there they hosted ‘The Year of Turkey.’ They brought in professors from that country as well as sponsored events inspired by the country.”

If you’re interested in the NSE program, Watkins and Fuller recommend speaking with your advisor beforehand.

“The advice I would give for students interested in the exchange would be to plan ahead,” Watkins said. “The best time to do the exchange is in your sophomore or junior year. Make sure your academic advisor is aware that you plan to do the exchange and talk with them about your program sheet before you leave. Ask specifically what courses must be done at CMU and what classes you can take on the exchange without affecting your timeline to graduation.”

For more information on the NSE program and the student coordinator position, contact Fuller at sfuller@mavs.coloradomesa.edu.

CMU also offers students the ability to travel abroad through its ISEP program. There are three different ways to participate in the ISEP program.

The first is to participate in a Reciprocal Exchange Program. The program allows CMU students to trade places with an international student for one or two semesters. Students pay CMU tuition and fees, housing and meal costs. This program requires a $375 application fee.

The next option is the Direct Program. Students enroll directly in their chosen university and pay a program fee to ISEP. This fee covers the cost of tuition, orientation and student services. This program requires a $60 application fee. The last way to study abroad is through ISEP’s summer programs. For a complete list of summer programs visit www.isep.org.