By MORGAN TARPLEY

mlt017@latech.edu

 

All across America, students are seeking higher education and new cultural experiences through the National Student Exchange program.

Tech has been in partnership with the NSE program for two years.

The program is responsible for four students exchanged to Alaska, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Missouri for the 2005-06 academic year.

“For students who either cannot afford to study abroad or do not want to leave the country, the [NSE] can offer a lot of the same cultural and diverse experiences [of] study abroad,” Donald Kaczvinsky, the NSE campus coordinator, director of the honors program and a professor of English, said.

“The [NSE] program has over 175 universities available for student exchange across the U.S., including parts of Canada and Puerto Rico.”

Bert Bratton, a student at the University of Alaska-Anchorage and a senior history major, said he wanted to leave home and gain new experiences with culture and education.

“When I heard about the NSE, I thought it would be a great way for me to go somewhere else and get away from all the distractions and troubles at home,” Bratton said.

“I really was looking for somewhere much different from Louisiana or anywhere near Southwest America.

“I wanted to see the mountains, see snow and have a chance to do activities that would normally be impossible in Louisiana, such as snowboarding and ice climbing.”

Bratton said he wonders why so few students apply to do an exchange with the NSE.

“The NSE is an incredible organization and offers students experiences of a lifetime for really little to no extra cost for themselves,” Bratton said.

“Going to live and learn in a new place far from home and family and friends, I think, intimidates some people who are comfortable and happy with their current situation.

“I think those people are really missing out,” Bratton said.

Michael Nugent, an exchange student at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis and a senior finance major, said the reason he was so interested in this program was because he has always wanted to pursue a degree in international business in graduate school.

“Knowing that my prospects for studying abroad were dim, I thought the next best thing was to travel somewhere in the United States,” Nugent said.

 “I wanted to go somewhere far away, where I could meet different people and experience a different culture and different way of living.”

Nugent said his overall experience with the exchange program and living in Minnesota has been good.

“All my dealings with students and staff members associated with the NSE, both at Tech and in Minnesota, have been very welcoming and easy going,” Nugent said.

“The students from other NSE schools who are attending the University of Minnesota are all really great, and the staff members have always been very helpful and readily available, which has been a huge help.”

Jennifer Bailey, an exchange student at Oklahoma State University-Stillwater and a senior English major, said participating in the National Student Exchange program has been one of the best decisions she has ever made.

“Oklahoma is definitely one of the more interesting places I have been, but the one thing that stands out the most is the people.

“I have made some of the greatest friends of my life,” Bailey said.

“Since I’ve been in [Oklahoma], I’ve learned how to two-step, and I’ve gained an appreciation for country music.”

Bratton said it may be hard for students to leave everything that is familiar behind them, but the rewards make the journey worth it.

“You’ll make friends with people and learn from teachers you would have otherwise never met and see landscapes and scenery you may have never seen,” Bratton said.

“Ruston is just a tiny pocket in a huge world, and you’ll never know anything about the rest of our planet if you don’t have the courage to see what’s beyond Tech Drive.”