The National Student Exchange:
Change Your Perspective. Transform Your Life.

Students often hear about opportunities to expand their horizons abroad, but few students realize they can gain a different cultural perspective without leaving the United States or going too far from home.  Founded in 1968, the National Student Exchange offers students the opportunity to study among nearly 200 institutions of higher education within the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada.  Students who take advantage of the National Student Exchange do so for a variety of reasons including but not limited to getting out of their comfort zone, testing the waters before going abroad, taking classes not offered at USC, gaining new perspectives, developing language skills (French in Canada and Spanish in Puerto Rico), and meeting new people from different walks of life.

Learning Outcomes

This presentation supports the following University 101 Learning Outcomes:

1. Foster Academic Success
   f) Identify relevant academic polices, processes, and procedures related to advising, course planning, and major exploration.
   
   
2. Help Students Discover and Connect with The University of South Carolina
   a) Identify appropriate campus resources and opportunities that contribute to their educational experience, goals, and campus engagement.
   
   
3. Prepare Students for Responsible Lives in a Diverse, Interconnected, and Changing World
   a) Describe concepts of diversity and recognize diverse perspectives.

As a result of the National Student Exchange presentation, students will:

• Connect their career and/or personal goals to the benefits of exchange
• Identify the steps to take to plan for an exchange
• Identify the timeline for exchanges
• Identify possible sites for exchange
• Identify who to talk to about going on a national exchange

Program Description:
This presentation takes place in your classroom and facilitators are generally staff (graduate or full time) from the Office of Student Engagement and/or current/former national exchange students who provide a power point presentation on the National Student Exchange experience.  The 20-30 minute presentation utilizes clicker technology and is designed to be interactive.  Students will be given information about the benefits of exchange, reasons for going on a national exchange, how to plan their exchange, the periods for exchange, cost of exchange, how to locate a list of the schools available for exchange, special exchange opportunities, and real life stories from current/former national exchange students.  Students will receive a handout at the end of the program that contains contact and other important information about embarking on a national exchange.

To set up a NSE presentation, please contact:
Office of Student Engagement
NSE Coordinator, April Brohawn at 777-6731