International Program Earns National Ranking

It’s International Education Week at Saint Mary’s College. 

Celebrated this year from November 15-19, International Education Week (IEW) highlights the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. A week-long series of events have been coordinated across campus, including guest speakers, a festival on global cultures, and a daily international menu at Noble Family Dining Hall, prepared by Campus Dining.

International Education Week 2021 events are sponsored by the Center For Women's Intercultural Leadership (CWIL), Multicultural and International Student Services, and the departments of Modern Languages and Cultures, and Music.

Promoted through a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, IEW is part of a national effort to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences. 

This week, the campus hosted presentations from study abroad returnees and exchange students, from women and hijab in the Arab world, an international cultural festival, and an event for the Saint Mary’s community to get a free passport photo. In the future, 10 lucky students will receive their passport fees waived, thanks to a newly created grant created through CWIL.

International programs have long been an integral part of the academic experience at Saint Mary’s. The College first began offering study abroad programs in 1970. Today, slightly more than 50% of all Saint Mary’s students participate in a study abroad program. U.S. News & World Report, in its 2022 “Best Colleges: Most Students Studying Abroad” list, ranked the College #35 in the nation. Currently, the College offers 39 study abroad programs in 18 countries. 

“We are excited to be part of this globally engaged group of colleges and universities who place tremendous importance on their study abroad programs,” said Alice S. Yang, director of international education. “A solid global education is a valuable part of what makes our alumnae so successful upon graduation. Whether or not a student participates in an international program, our global studies programs and internationalized curriculums develop global awareness in the classroom, including through international languages and culture studies.”