The University of Memphis is one of more than 180 colleges inthe United States to offer a National Student Exchange program.
Although the domestic exchange program focuses on sendingstudents to institutions within the United States, it also reachesoutside the country to Puerto Rico, Canada, Florida Internationaland Guam.
Patrick Perry, associate director of financial aid forscholarships and domestic exchange programs, said there are manybenefits to exchanging schools nationally.
"It is a stepping stone for students to go into internationalexchange programs if they want," Perry said. "It's much easier torun home from North Carolina than it is to run home fromGermany."
The program originated in 1967 and came to The U of M in 1990,Perry said. The U of M has had more than 100 students participatein the exchange program.
"It all began with a few schools in one state, and after awhile,it expanded to about 10 or so schools, especially in the 80s,"Perry said.
Once the exchange program spread and other states becameinvolved, students had more options, and the appeal to exchange inthe United States grew, Perry said.
"Out of the students I have had go through the exchange program,few of them have traveled. This is one they get to do and completetheir degrees," Perry said.
One of the greatest benefits of the National Student Exchangeprogram is the experience of other cultures and environments gainedby the exchange student, program officials said.
"I had one student who came here from California, and he didn'treally eat barbecue, and he hadn't really known about the CivilRights Movement," Perry said.
Karen Thurmond, U of M degree audit system coordinator, said shehas a file on each exchange student and knows the curriculum at theexchange schools. She also has a connection with a source at eachschool, enabling her to communicate with students as well asfaculty members.
Perry accepts the students into the program through anapplication process, Thurmond said. However, after being accepted,the student must meet with their academic adviser.
"After the student picks the classes they want to take, we runit through admissions for transfer equivalency to match courses,"Thurmond said.
However, there are qualifications students must meet toparticipate in the program.
"Student needs to generally be in good standing or better andhave enough credit hours that proves (they) are able to handleacademics," Thurmond said.
As for paying for the exchange program, financial aid usuallycovers the general expenses, Perry said, but there are severalstipulations.
"The students place all of the potential schools on their (FreeApplication for Federal Student Aid), and it really depends ontheir aid packages," Perry said.
If the student has a scholarship, it will pay for the tuition atThe U of M because scholarships are strictly state funding, Perrysaid. The financial aid and whether the funding goes to thestudent's host school or The U of M is decided in a case-by-casesituation.
Even students who have a bad experience in the program getsomething out of it they can learn to love The U of M more, Perrysaid.
"A lot of the students appreciate this school more after they goaway," he said.
The next National Student Exchange informational meeting is 1p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Jones Hall, Room 407. For informationabout the National Student Exchange program, visit www.nse.org.
