For Immediate Release

Date: April 9, 2009

For More Information: Brenda J. Rayner, (901) 333-4247

Southwest Students Prepare to Study Abroad in Nine Countries

The International Education (IE) Department at Southwest has chosen 22 students to receive study-abroad scholarships in nine countries for the summer of 2009. Southwest is in its second year of membership with the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TnCIS), comprising colleges and universities devoted to making international education and cultural understanding a central goal of higher education throughout the state. This summer’s group of scholarship recipients is almost twice as large as the first group of 12 who studied in South Africa and Mexico during the summer of 2008. Interest in the IE program grew considerably in 2009 to 48 applicants.

Dr. Yvonne Jones, professor of English and director of the IE program, accompanied the students to an orientation at Middle Tennessee State University’s Ned McWherter Learning Resource Center on March 28. Dr. Milton Grimes, director of TnCIS, gave the welcome address to approximately 270 students from Tennessee Board of Regents institutions across the state. After the greeting from Dr. Grimes, participants had breakout sessions for their particular countries and programs. Southwest students were excited about attending the gathering and taking pictures for their international ID cards. They enjoyed meeting fellow students who will be enrolled in their particular study-abroad program. During the sessions, students viewed visuals of their destinations and their accommodations.

Others attending the meeting were Dr. Steve Haley, professor of history, who will be the academic liaison in Scotland; and Dr. LaDonna Young, associate professor of education, who will be teaching in South Africa in the summer of 2009. The following instructors will be participating in programs for 2010: Professors Levi Frazier, Evelyn Little, Annette Fournet, Dr. Haley and Dr. Tamara McColgan. The study-abroad students selected for the 2009 summer programs are: