Welcome International Students!

OIE is pleased to welcome 125 new students from 33 countries to the Marquette Community. As Provost Kimo Ay Yun stated in his welcoming remarks:

“International students bring diverse perspectives to the campus; be it in the classroom, in laboratories, residence halls, clubs and organizations and your interactions with other members of the Marquette and Milwaukee community. These diverse perspectives are critical for academia and the world. Without diverse perspectives we cannot accomplish the mission of this university: the form women and men for – and with – others. We cannot “Be the Difference”.

I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the additional challenges that you, as international students, have faced to become Marquette students. In addition to the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, you have needed to overcome border closures, visa delays, outrageously expensive plane tickets, long wait times and great uncertainties. We recognize that this has been an incredibly stressful experience for you and your families, and we are grateful that you have chosen to join us at Marquette.”

OIE joins the Provost in welcoming these students to campus!

Meet the Office of International Education

The entire team at the Office of International Education welcomes returning and new students to Marquette! There are a few changes beginning this fall. Please visit our OIE Staff Directory webpage to learn more.

Mark Your Calendar: Hybrid Study Abroad Fair

Wednesday, September 8 | 10am-2pm | Ray & Kay Eckstein Common
Thursday, September 9 | 8am-6pm Central | Virtual

We have invited our partners and exchange students to staff a table to represent as well as host live sessions for students throughout the hybrid study abroad fair. The in-person fair will be located on the Ray & Kay Eckstein Commons (right outside Schroeder Hall) from 10am-2pm. The virtual fair will take place from 8am – 6pm CST with live sessions hosted through Teams Meeting. Check out our virtual fair website and live sessions schedule to get a peek of virtual partner sessions! Please contact OIE at studyabroad@marquette.edu for any questions.

Study abroad in J Session or Spring 2022

If you are planning to study abroad in J Session, Spring or Spring Break 2022, you must submit an application for the study abroad program through the MUGlobal Portal by October 1, 2021*.

We also encourage you to renew or apply for your passport NOW! U.S. passport processing times are currently delayed and can take up to 18 weeks. Start now by visiting the U.S. State Department website.

*Deadlines may vary by program. Confirm your program’s application deadline by visiting studyabroad.marquette.edu.

Study Abroad: Sibanye Cape Town

Are you passionate about community engagement and service to others? Interested in an internship with a community based NGO? Looking for an experience to set yourself apart from others?  The Sibanye Cape Town program (formerly South Africa Service Learning) offers that and more! Located in cosmopolitan Cape Town, South Africa, the Sibanye Cape Town program offers opportunities for you to take courses at the University of Western Cape as well as working with local communities and organizations in areas focused on refugees, youth education, community development, women empowerment, race, socioeconomic or gender inequities, sustainable living and more.

How can students get more information?

·         Join us during the virtual fair (September 9) at 1pm or 4pm Central via Teams for an overview – link on our virtual fair website

·         View a prerecording of the Sibanye Cape Town info session – available starting September 15; visit studyabroad.marquette.edu for link.

·         Attend a weekly Sibanye Cape Town info session during fall 2021 starting September 15 at 12pm Central – visit studyabroad.marquette.edu for meeting link.

For more information on the Sibanye Cape Town study abroad program, visit the program brochure. Contact OIE at studyabroad@marquette.edu for any questions.

Matteo Ricci Minor in Global Studies

If you are looking to integrate study abroad into your academic studies at Marquette, consider pursuing the Matteo Ricci Minor in Global Studies. This minor encourages Marquette students to gain academic and experiential knowledge of countries and cultures beyond the United States.

Inspired by Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest who lived from 1552 to 1610 and was one of the first Europeans to travel to China. Ricci encultured himself into Chinese society by learning Chinese; writing the first Chinese-Portuguese dictionary; adapting the dress of a Chinese scholar and he was invited to join the Court of the Wanli Emperor.

The minor is for students who want to join in this authentic enculturation journey by demonstrating to future employers the range of intercultural competence skills to succeed in today’s world.

For an overview of the requirements for the Matteo Ricci minor, visit the College of Arts & Science interdisciplinary majors and minors webpage.

The Office of International Education (OIE) is a recipient of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Project Global Officer (PGO) award supporting Arabic training for ROTC students abroad.  The grant is part of a national effort sponsored by the Defense Language Office and National Security Education (DLNSEO) Program and administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), to promote critical language education, study abroad experiences, and intercultural communication skills for ROTC cadets and midshipmen. Since 2007, Project GO institutions have provided more than 5,600 domestic and overseas summer scholarships to ROTC students for critical language study.

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, DLNSEO and IIE PGO suspended all overseas programming to all locations except for programming in South Korea for summer 2021. Marquette was committed to providing an on-line study opportunity for the students who were selected for the summer 2021 program. The Marquette PGO executive team worked to establish an online program that academically delivered the same face-to-face content, required amount of work as 8-10 academic credits of Arabic in-person instruction, and included all Arabic language levels.  It was also exceedingly important to ensure that the program would enhance the students’ worldview and give some of the same cultural content as the originally envisioned Omani program.  The program took place online on June 7 to July 29, 2021, in partnership with AMIDEAST.  The program had 18 ROTC cadet participants from all over the United States. 

Upon the completion of the program, the Marquette PGO team provided students with a program evaluation.  The feedback from the participants demonstrated that Marquette’s PGO team, in partnership with AMIDEAST, was able to provide students an academically robust, culturally rich, and unique on-line program.  All students that responded to the survey indicated that they were “Extremely Satisfied” or “Satisfied” with the program and that they would “Yes” recommend this program to fellow ROTC students.  Additionally, all the students took an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPIc) examination.  This is a standardized, global assessment of functional speaking ability that is required by PGO. Marquette saw six of its eleven beginner program participants reach IRL level 1 (54.5%).  The ideal test score upon the completion of the beginner course is an IRL level L0+, of which the remaining five beginner students obtained.  The 7 students with some past Arabic instruction tested exceptionally in the OPIc as well.  All 7 students reached IRL level 1 and 57% of them increased their OPIc score, which is more difficult achieving L1.  Overall, 15 of the 18 students, 83%, demonstrated increased Arabic abilities via the OPIc assessment at the end of the program.  These OPIc scores illustrated that the online academic portion of the program was created with academic rigor and adhered to the expectations of Marquette University and PGO.  Marquette University’s PGO team had an online program that transformed the student’s Arabic language proficiency, executed PGO outcomes, and created an enjoyable program for the students. 

Lastly, OIE was awarded a $350,000 grant for the coming year, with funding for the subsequent two years contingent upon favorable review of grant performance. Proving a successful program performance since 2013, OIE in conjunction with the Arabic department, have demonstrated a unique ability to recruit high achieving students from prestigious universities across the country with considerable representation from all branches of ROTC, as well as representing students from a wide variety of backgrounds and majors, including STEM fields.

The Marquette PGO executive team will be led by Karlin Webster and Enaya Othman, Co-Principal Investigators, and Tia Langnes, program coordinator.  While Project GO is administered through OIE as an integrated part of Marquette’s global engagement, the Project GO Advisory Committee includes various units on campus that collaborate effectively and efficiently to ensure the program’s success at all stages. This committee consists of key leadership from ROTC; the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; and OIE. Up to 18 cadets/midshipmen will study in Oman for an intensive eight-week program. The program provides a full scholarship for participants to learn Arabic and explore Oman. Students will earn 8 to 10 Arabic credits during the summer.  Accepted applicants will receive a fully funded scholarship that will cover tuition, room and board, travel to/from Oman, books, insurance, and visa. Learn more about this study abroad opportunity at rotcprojectgo.org/programs/marquette-university-arabic-study-abroad-0.

Marquette Scholarships: The OIE is able to offer a few funding opportunities for semester study abroad students. These include: the O’Malley & Steyaert Travel Abroad Grant, the Eufemia Sanchez de la Calle Scholarship, and the Wings Scholarship. You may be eligible!

External Scholarships: Many scholarship opportunities exist through external organizations and/or government agencies! You may be surprised by the funding you could be eligible for and just how many opportunities are available! The Gilman International Scholarship is one such example.

Host Institution Scholarships: Several of our host institutions offer their own scholarships to incoming study abroad students. These may be advertised on the program’s brochure page or website, but students can also ask their host institutions if scholarships are available!

Inspired by the “roundtable discussions” of Peter Maurin and the Catholic Worker Movement, Soup with Substance is a noontime presentation on an issue related to social justice. Soup with Substance takes place from noon until 1 p.m. (CST) on Wednesdays unless otherwise indicated.

Along with Marquette University Campus Ministry, Soup with Substance is co-sponsored by the Office of Engagement & Inclusion, the Office of International Education, the Center for Peacemaking, and the Center for Urban Research, Teaching and Outreach.

At this time, Soup with Substance is meeting in person! Stay up to date with each week's location by following along on the Soup with Substance Instagram and Facebook pages.

Soup with Substance will continue to have a live virtual option each week as well. In order to receive an email with the correlating Microsoft Teams link, please sign up here for the Soup with Substance event/s you'd like to attend.

For questions or more information about Soup with Substance, contact Michael Werning.

Near West Side Partners will host the first-ever Near West Side Week from Sept. 13-18. The seven-day celebration will honor the people and places that make our neighborhood a great place to live, work and play. The week will feature a variety of events highlighting new developments, restaurants and hidden gems throughout the community. 

Events include:  

·         Cooking Demonstration at the Vliet Street Oasis Market: NWS Executive Director Keith Stanley and Caroline Carter, owner of Caroline’s Raw Creations, will demonstrate how to prepare fresh, seasonal vegetables in healthy and delicious ways. Sunday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

·         Near West Side Scavenger Hunt: Groups of 1 to 5 complete for prizes. Friday, Sept. 17, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  

·         Near West Side Movie Night: Friday, Sept. 17, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 

A full list of events can be found online.

Milwaukee Global Health Scholars

The Milwaukee Global Health Scholars program is offered by an interinstitutional group of academicians for both undergraduate and graduate students in the Greater Milwaukee Area who share an interest in local and global health equity. 

·         This program offers valuable opportunities to connect with MKE area faculty and students with a variety of backgrounds and expertise to learn and gain experience in global health equity. 

·         The program consists of students networking and participating in various student-led global health activities and completing a meaningful project over 1 academic year. 

·         Students who complete the program will earn a certificate, a LinkedIn badge, and make valuable connections with individuals working in local and global health.

If you are interested you can apply here.

You are invited to attend a virtual informational session below (registration required).

·         Thursday, Sept 9^th at 5pm, register here: mcw-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register

·         Friday, Sept 10^th at 12pm, register here: mcw-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/

The Office of International Education is a comprehensive university-wide unit created to facilitate and promote the internationalization of Marquette University. OIE supports international programs involving students throughout the process of development, planning, pre-departure orientation, implementation, evaluation, and re-entry services. Our programs are governed by consistent guidelines, policies and procedures that ensure academic rigor, fiduciary responsibility, and judicious risk management.

OIE, in conjunction with the Office of the Registrar (OTR) and Provost’s office, has developed a new online proposal process, to replace the paper form approval process, that is more streamlined and aligns with the Standards of Good Practice set by the Forum on Education Abroad. The new online proposal process for new programs or repeat programs will be very similar process as it was with the paper form, which is a process requiring the involvement of OIE, relevant department administration/staff, the Dean(s) of the appropriate college(s), OTR and the provost.

The proposal provides the approvers with information about the program structure, academic content and courses, on-site logistics, and finances. Submitting a proposal is required for new and recurring programs for both credit and non-credit programming. All international programs must go through this process for review, selection, and approval, regardless of the home department or school. We are confident that this process will bring transparency and equity to program development and ensure that Marquette students continue to have high-quality international programs to choose from for years to come.

All international program proposals will include a summary of the program, program leader(s) for the program, syllabus and credits to be offered (if credit bearing), itinerary, budget, and travel advisory check. The review process should include a review of the academic, financial, and risk management components of the proposal.

For additional information on how to use the online portal for the approval process, please consult OIE’s website for short-term international program development. Please note that due to reduced staffing in OIE, we will need to be more strict about program proposal deadlines in the future, as late proposals interfere with our regular timelines and collaborations with other offices on campus.

OIE thanks you for your support for international programming and hopes the new online approval process is beneficial for all. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to OIE with any questions, suggestions, or concerns you may have.

U.S. Government Commitment to International Education

The US government stated “international academic ties, through the exchange of students and collaborative teaching and research, are crucial for American security, prosperity, and innovation.” In the joint statement by the Departments of State and Education on July 26 they affirmed “The federal government has a part to play in strengthening and promoting international education, including the internationalization of American classrooms and campuses.” The joint statement outlined a number of policies and approaches that federal agencies can pursue to support international education, but did not propose any specific steps or commit any federal funds to international education.  Sources: The Chronicle of Higher Education (7/26) and Inside Higher Ed (7/27, Redden)

Mark Your Calendars:
Upcoming Education Abroad Info Sessions!

Nursing Students An info session focused on nursing-specific study abroad programming will take place Tuesday, September 14^th from 5PM – 6PM via Microsoft Teams.  A formal invitation and link will be sent out to students soon. Freshman and Sophomore nursing students are highly encouraged to attend!

Engineering Students

On Thursday, September 16^th from 4:30PM – 5:30PM, engineering students are invited to an in-person info session, to review the study abroad process and information specific to Marquette engineering students. A formal invitation will be sent out to students next week. This information will be especially important for freshman and sophomore engineering students who wish to start planning their study abroad experience!

More informational sessions for all students may be offered throughout the fall semester, therefore, continue to monitory your MU email for updates and events!