Nearly 400 international and study-abroad students expected at annual event
Hundreds of international college students and Missouri students who have studied abroad will gather in Jefferson City for International Education Day at the Capitol Tuesday, April 12. Nearly 400 students and their advisers from colleges and universities throughout Missouri are expected to attend the annual event.
International Education Day is hosted by the Study Missouri Consortium, a group of about 40 Missouri colleges and universities working together to promote international education and highlight the importance of a global worldview and cultural exchange.
Students from 80 countries – who attend 26 Missouri colleges and universities – have registered for this year’s event. The students will witness Missouri’s legislative process in the House and Senate chambers, tour the Capitol, meet with state lawmakers and share their experiences with other international students.
“International Education Day gives students the opportunity to see our legislative process up close and meet other students from around the world who chose to study in our state,” said Karla McCollum, chair of the Study Missouri Consortium.
Missouri ranks 12th in the nation in the number of international students enrolled in the state’s colleges and universities. During the 2014-2015 academic year, 21,703 international students attended college in Missouri, according to the Institute of International Education. Nearly 5,000 Missouri students studied abroad.
The Study Missouri Consortium sponsors a photo contest each year as part of International Education Day. About 200 students submitted more than 350 photos to be judged. The winning photos taken by international students and Missouri students who have studied abroad will be on display in the third-floor Capitol rotunda during International Education Day.
For more information about the Study Missouri Consortium, visit www.studymissouri.net/