Are you a student who has always wanted to study abroad but have just not had the money or know-how?
If so, the University of Memphis' National Student Exchange could be the answer.
The NSE is a national university exchange program that allows students with a 2.5 GPA or higher to travel and study at different colleges across the US for up to one year.
Even better, U of M students attending one of the 170 colleges through the program pay the same amount as they would to go to The U of M.
The National Student Exchange program started in the early '90s so students could study in other parts of the US without the worry of out-of-state tuition, which can become very expensive.
Patrick Perry, NSE director and assistant director of The University's honors program, encourages all students to find out about the NSE.
"It is a great opportunity to look at graduate schools and a great opportunity to travel and experience different cultures," Perry said.
Students in the program now are planning to attend schools such as California State University at Hayward, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and the University of Northern Colorado.
Nathan Crossett, a sophomore at The U of M, plans to attend the University of Hawaii at Honolulu in the Fall of 2001.
"Many people at Memphis want to experience other parts of the country, but don't have the money," Crossett said. "Through NSE, a student can pay in-state tuition and visit almost any state school in the country."
Students who've participated in NSE also praised its benefits.
"It gave me the opportunity to take courses in my major, while also getting to see a new city," said senior sociology major Gizelle Alverio, who went to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst her junior year.
"It's an eye-opening experience," said Vince Perryman, who graduated from The University of Memphis in May 2000 and transferred to North Arizona University to go through a park ranger program.
"I not only benefited from the education, but I also got an opportunity to broaden my horizons, see another part of the country and see what another college is doing," Perryman said.
Perryman said his exchange to North Arizona University allowed him to become a seasonal employee at King's Canyon National Park in California.
To help students obtain more information about NSE, Perry will be holding meetings throughout February for students who missed the information in freshman orientation. The first meeting will take place Feb 2 at 1 p.m. in Jones Hall, room 407.
The deadline for applications for Fall 2001 is March 2. For an application, students can go to room 404 in Jones Hall.
