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<DOCID>international_studies.doc.txt</DOCID>
<AUTHOR>LSSU International Education </AUTHOR>
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According to Open Doors 2005, more than 190,000 American undergraduates study abroad every year.Right now is the application season for scholarships to study abroad in spring 2007 and 2007-2008. 

To promote studying abroad, Congress and the President appointed the 17-member bipartisan Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program. The Lincoln Commission recommended ways to expand and enhance opportunities for American undergraduates to study abroad. Specifically, the Commission issued a report on November 14, 2005 calling for one million American undergraduates to study abroad by the year 2016  2017. One million students represent about half the number of students graduating annually (The Lincoln Commissions Report). 

Senate Resolution 308 designates 2006 as the "Year of Study Abroad. Why should you study abroad? The following are the reasons offered by the Lincoln Commission:

It is important to prepare our undergraduates to live and work in a global society and study abroad is one of the ways in which this can be accomplished.

Recent federal reports cite a language and cultural skill shortage in more than 70 agencies critical to national security, public diplomacy and economic competitiveness.

Studying abroad accelerates skill building and strengthens strategic relationships.

Studying abroad improves foreign language skills.

Studying abroad opens the door to new career options.

Living in a foreign country helps students better understand the world at large as well as their own culture. 

In a word, studying abroad for credit not only will open your eyes and broaden your perspectives, the experience will also help shape the rest of your life - personally and professionally. Here at Lake State, the International Education Office is committed to opening more global opportunities for students and faculty. The available Study Abroad programs are Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Spanish language related, and beyond. It is hoped that students at LSSU will actively participate in Study Abroad programs in diverse places. 



Studying abroad is more accessible today thanks to the availability of scholarships, grants, and fellowships specially designated for U.S. college students. Each type of scholarship assists students by reducing to a large extent the financial burden of studying overseas. For example, the Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 for an academic year's study abroad. Please note grants and scholarships have application deadlines. Now is the time to apply for scholarships to study abroad in spring 2007 and academic year 2007-2008. Information and online applications for the scholarships and fellowships are available on the Institute of International Education's website: www.iie.org/nsep.



If you are planning to study abroad in the near future, please look for sources of funds now. You are also welcome to stop by the International Education Office in Room 114 Arts Center to discuss program opportunities. You may also call at: (906) 635-2181, or E-mail at: internationaled@lssu.edu



Useful web sites:

www.lincolncommission.org

www.yearofstudyabroad.org

www.iie.org

www.nafsa.org



"What nations don't know can hurt them. The stakes involved in study abroad are that simple, that straightforward, and that important. For their own future and that of the nation, college graduates today must be internationally competent."

					          --The Report by the Lincoln Commission

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