MTSU International Affairs Annual Report 2021-22

IMPACT

WELCOME FROM THE VICE PROVOST

Welcome to the Middle Tennessee State University Office of International Affairs Annual Impact Report.

This is our second annual publication and as such highlights selected accomplishments and statistics from the 2021–22 academic year. While the pandemic continued to present challenges to the work that we do, the Office of International Affairs at MTSU persevered and thrived.

In the pages that follow, you will see a visual celebration of the international footprint of the campus. You will see how, in the first full year of our new strategic plan, International Affairs committed itself to a deeper, broader, and more equitable academic and student life experience. You will see the high impact practices that improve completion, retention, and transfer rates. You will see the work of the Office of International Affairs, which is a critical component of student success. The report reaffirms the significant international work that MTSU was able to accomplish.

I am extremely proud of the International Affairs team.

They have shown incredible resilience through two of the most difficult years that our field has ever endured. In the face of this adversity, they have persevered with acumen, wisdom, and grace. I am lucky to work with such dedicated and talented individuals.

We are pleased with what we have accomplished in the past academic year. On behalf of my colleagues in International Affairs, I hope that you will enjoy our annual report and the picture that it paints. We sincerely thank every member of our community—in Murfreesboro, in Tennessee, in the U.S., and throughout the world—for the work described in these pages.

We are True Blue!

ROBERT SUMMERS

Vice Provost for International Affairs

MISSION

I. WE WILL EQUIP OUR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON

II. WE WILL BE A COMMUNITY LEADER IN INTERNATIONALIZATION BY:

III. WE WILL PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE TO

STAKEHOLDERS

IV. WE WILL BE INNOVATIVE AND NIMBLE IN OUR INTERNATIONALIZATION EFFORTS

The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have hit all of us, and education abroad was no different. At the outset of the pandemic in spring 2020, MTSU International Affairs quickly facilitated the evacuation of 38 students from 10 different countries. The pandemic limited our ability to conduct education abroad programs in full capacity for the remainder of that year and throughout the 2020–21 academic year. However, even in such difficult times, the International Affairs office provided students and faculty engagement in international education through virtual and remote settings. Our global outreach and program development continued at full strength.

Entering the 2021–22 academic year, International Affairs started to prepare faculty and students for education abroad opportunities through workshops, webinars, and rigorous engagement with students through one-on-one advising. Amid the omicron variant’s spread, programs were being developed and established with the expectation that countries would be open for travel and with contingency plans in place.

Starting in spring break 2022 to the end of summer, 265 students participated in programs in 24 countries. International Affairs provided record levels of scholarships totaling almost $400,000 for students going out of their comfort zones to explore the world. On average, students received $2,000 each toward both short- and long-term programs.

HISTORY IN SENEGAL

MTSU Department of History faculty member Aliou Ly resumed his summer semester trip to Senegal, a country in West Africa. Seventy percent of the students on the last four trips have been minorities. In looking to understand this African community, students visit different locations related to important historical events and explore

FEATURED FACULTY-LED PROGRAM GRADUATE STUDENT EXPERIENCES

issues of underdevelopment, unemployment, information economy, youth, and politics—a lifechanging process by which students become open to different cultures and shift their vision of Africa and Africans (from exotic to a realistic view), as well as of themselves.

MEGAN RICHARD

2021 Alumni, MTSU in Israel

Megan is now the coordinator for international student and scholar services in the Office of International Affairs.

“I had the opportunity to be part of the study abroad to Israel last summer, and it was an experience that changed me for the better. My perspective and understanding about this complicated part of the world was given a depth that I could not have learned any other way. That experience not only broadened my education in my degree but has since become a benefit in my job at MTSU, as it connected me to different departments and people across campus, and those relationships have helped me in finding resources for our international students. Study abroad was life changing for me, and I will be forever grateful that I had the opportunity to go to Israel.”

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT EXPERIENCES

“This past Summer, I studied abroad in Peru with the Global Studies department learning about the people and culture of Peru. On the trip, I was able to study in Lima and Cusco, where I toured museums and local parks, as well as meet locals. We were able to meet Peruvian university students where my group and I made several friends who we still keep in touch with.

In Cusco, we hiked Rainbow Mountain, which was challenging but also a really cool experience. I loved my time in Peru. The trip was extremely immersive, and it taught me how to better appreciate their culture.”

Madelyn Williams Summer 2022

“The study abroad to Italy was a life-changing experience which gifted me beautiful memories, knowledge, and life experiences. I made many friends, had many laughs, and learned so much about myself and the world around me.

Study abroad is an amazing way to transform your life and open your eyes to world around you.”

Chloe Fox Summer 2022

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON CAMPUS

TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON CAMPUS

The top three countries in terms of enrollment have remained consistent over the past five years: Saudi Arabia, China, and the Bahamas. In fall 2017, there were 307 Saudi Arabian students enrolled at MTSU. China reached 136 students in spring 2019. The Bahamas reached its highest number in spring 2020, when there were 51 Bahamian students enrolled. The fourth position has changed over the past five years. In fall 2017, India was in fourth, with 45 students enrolled. Since then, Nigeria has had the fourth-largest number of students enrolled here at MTSU. In fall 2020, there were 39 Nigerian students at MTSU.

TOP MAJORS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

In fall 2017 and spring 2018, the three top majors for international students were Engineering Technology, Finance, and Aerospace. In fall 2018, Actuarial Science took the No. 3 place. In spring 2019, Aerospace became the most popular major and continues to be No. 1. Actuarial Science and Finance were the second and third most

popular majors until fall 2020, when Economics became the third most popular major. In fall 2021, Business Administration became the No. 2 major. Currently, Aerospace and Business Administration continue to be the top two majors. Economics and Professional Science are the other two popular majors chosen at MTSU.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT POPULATION TRENDS

The number of international students has steadily declined over the past five years. The highest enrollment was in fall 2017, when there was a total of 838 students enrolled, 307 of them from Saudi Arabia. The second-largest group was from China.

As the number of students from Saudi Arabia declined, so did the total enrollment. By spring 2020, the total number of students had fallen to 567, with the number of students from Saudi Arabia at 143. The Spring 2022 semester, the last complete set of numbers, shows the total enrollment at 439, with 127 from Saudi Arabia and 57 from China.

GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS

The diagram below shows a visualization of the list of country affiliations for collaborating authors in the past five years. From Jan. 1, 2021, to Aug. 8, 2022, over 200 collaborative projects took place between MTSU faculty and international faculty and/or organizations. The top countries our

faculty worked with are China (47 projects), Poland (17 projects), South Korea (15 projects), and France (10 projects). Additionally, faculty worked with collaborators from Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, and Canada on at least nine projects per country*.

UNITED STATES

*This information was obtained with the help of MTSU library through Scopus.

Since not every MTSU faculty publication is indexed in Scopus, this list is representative, but not exhaustive.

OUTREACH

CENTER FOR CHINESE MUSIC AND CULTURE

The CCMC presented 10 concert performances, two of which were collaborative concerts with students from the Chinese music ensembles of MTSU, University of North Texas, and Western Kentucky University. These were the first such collaborations between higher educational institutions in the U.S. The MTSU Chinese Ensemble also performed for the 2022 Annual Conference for the Chinese Language Teachers Association, USA; ’Boro International Festival; Celebration of the Year of Tiger; MTSU International Day; and for special guests from the Chinese Embassy to the U.S.

The CCMC’s community continues to expand, now engaging audiences, institutions, and collaborators regionally, nationally, and internationally. The center collaborated with Canadian award-winning composer Jin Zhang and the Red Chamber Cultural Society in a project that combined ancient Chinese bronze bells and stone chime with Western classical instruments. Director Mei Han gave a music performance in the Greater Nashville Chinese Association Chinese New Year concert, lectured at Nashville Global Education Center, and was featured in Nashville Library’s Courtyard Concerts series.

CENTER FOR ASIAN STUDIES

The center continues its community programs, including no-credit language courses and cultural programs. It played a leading role in organizing the annual ’Boro International Festival, which celebrates diversity and global culture. Its outreach

helped in the establishment of a dual degree program in Computer Science with Xi’an Eurasia University in China. The first cohort of 100 students will be enrolled at the partner university, with the first matriculation to MTSU in 2024.

’BORO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

The ’Boro International Festival has become a signature culture event for the city of Murfreesboro since its inauguration five years ago. Sponsored by the Intercultural Awareness & Education Experience (IAEE), Middle Tennessee State University, and Murfreesboro City Schools,

the annual festival brings the community together to celebrate the diverse cultures of the world with music, dance, food, and games. The sixth ’Boro International Festival will be at the MTSU Student Union Commons from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. October 22, 2022.

MTSU International Affairs was well-represented at the annual NAFSA 2022 Conference and Expo held in Denver, Colorado. NAFSA is the world’s largest and most diverse nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. It works to advance policies and practices that ensure a more interconnected, peaceful world. Participants from more than 100 countries convened for the conference.

MTSU IA staff members present were Guanping Zheng, John Wilson, Cindy Habara, Megan Richard, and Joe Leestma. The five MTSU representatives participated in professional development workshops, attended sessions devoted to current topics in international education, networked with partners both domestic and international, and extended the MTSU brand to new clients and potential partners. Our participation in professional development offerings such as NAFSA highlights our dedication to being innovative and nimble in our internationalization efforts.

MTSU met with more than 30 partners from around the world. Special virtual programming provided extended learning and networking opportunities. NAFSA is important to the MTSU international mission because it provides workshops and opportunities to learn from one another and build lasting partnerships with peers and experts dedicated to “Building Our Sustainable Future,” the theme of this year’s conference. These opportunities allow MTSU to operate effectively in an increasingly competitive international market, expand our international outreach, and receive the most current and updated information to meet our strategic goals to internationalize our campus community.

MTSU AT NAFSA BUILDING OUR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

STUDENT SUCCESS

STUDENT SUPPORT ACTIVITIES

Our activities have been a great way of connecting international students to the campus and the community at large. We hosted activities designed to give students an opportunity to meet and mingle, including a pancake breakfast, a chili day, and Valentine cookie decorating. These activities gave students a chance to meet other students and get to know the staff of International Affairs.

Other activities have been designed to help connect the students to the larger MTSU community. Most notable were international days held at different sporting events. Because we

have so many international athletes, we arranged specific days to go and show our support to the teams. We brought the flags of the countries of all the athletes, which really highlighted just how international our University is.

Finally, we have had a few events that helped connect students to the community outside of MTSU. A tour of Murfreesboro and a tour of Nashville gave new insights into the state and what makes it such a great place to be. The students got to see historical sights and cultural icons and feel part of the larger population of Tennessee.

RECENT ALUMNI: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

MD TANZIL HOQUE CHOWDHURY, Ph.D

Company: InfoBeyond Technology LLC • Position: Research Scientist

This job is related to my degree and qualified me for the OPT, as my degree is also related to computer science, security, information technology, machine learning, and deep learning. I will gain hands-on work experience in these fields through my job and will apply the knowledge to real life projects which I have gained through my degree.

Originally from Bangladesh | Currently in Louisville, KY

LEE BARNARD

Company: Spring Automation • Position: Commissioning Engineer I

Having graduated with this B.S Mechatronics Engineering degree, with a minor in Mathematics, taught me how to problem solve and think of technical solutions that will be required at Spring Automation.

Middle Tennessee State University’s Mechatronics program involved working on automated systems with programmable logic controls networks, which I will work on at Spring Automation as well, with regards to my entry-level engineering position.

Originally from South Africa | Currently in Nashville, TN

ZANI BARNARD

Company: Spring Automation • Position: Commissioning Engineer I

This entry-level engineering position will require lots of experience that I have gained during my studies at Middle Tennessee State University.

The Mechatronics program has enabled me to gain skills in automation that will assist me while working on PLC and HMI controllers at Spring Automation, as well as all the electrical circuits classes (Electrical Circuits I and II, Digital Circuits, Electronics and Instrumentation, Power of Machinery) that will assist me when installing the automated systems across the different states in America.

Originally from South Africa | Currently in Nashville, TN

PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLARSHIPS

We are very proud that 20 students were awarded $87,000 in Gilman International Scholarships, with each receiving an amount between $4,000 and $5,000. These awards speak to the strength of our students and the international mindedness of the MTSU campus.

In addition, 16 students received scholarships to study or conduct research abroad through the Fulbright Foundation, Boren Scholarship, the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program (JET), the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) Scholarship, Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Scholarship, and the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS).

PRESTIGIOUS SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED 23 3 4 4 20

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

KIM SOKOYA

Professor of Management, Associate Dean for Graduate and Executive Education Jones College of Business

Professor Sokoya was born in London to Nigerian parents. He completed high school in Nigeria and speaks Yoruba. His pursuit of higher education took him to the U.S., where he completed a bachelor’s degree in Business, a master’s in Economics, an M.B.A., and a doctorate in Business with an emphasis on Strategic Management and International Business. After his doctoral work, he began searching for a teaching position at a progressive university in a college town close to a big city. One of his classmates informed him about MTSU.

“My international educational experience, my educational training, and the fact that I have lived in a number of countries allow me to bring a diverse perspective to topics and issues discussed in my classes,” Sokoya said. “It also helps that my major area of teaching is International Business. I think bringing that global perspective to the classroom has been helpful. It has been a great pleasure to expose U.S. domestic students to what is going on in other parts of the world by leading study abroad programs for many years.”

Sokoya added, “In an increasingly globalized world, it is imperative that my students are prepared to work in a borderless global environment. In addition to having the requisite technical skills, employees will be expected to work in an environment that is constantly changing. They must be ready to collaborate with their counterparts from diverse backgrounds. Exposure to different aspects of internationalization and the ability to adapt to changing environment will be of an advantage to our domestic students. Competition for talent is not only local, but very global.”

SOCIAL MEDIA

We have put a lot of effort into our social media strategy, and we have increased our engagement and followers. We have reached close to 10,000 people, and we now have 1,301 Instagram followers. We have updated our profile, featured more current highlights, and provided an information section with important details for the students. These efforts have greatly increased our engagement and have helped connect students to others on and off campus. We are creating a community through our social media. Our video about the trip to Fall Creek Falls State Park had 3,178 views within four hours of being posted.

Our greatest reach has come from a series of videos that we created with our international students saying their names, where they are from, what they are studying, and what they love about MTSU. If they speak multiple languages, then they would first say this in their native language and then again in English. These posts have consistently been the best-performing posts that we have shared and have been viewed on average 2,000 times for each video.

STUDENTS TOUCHED

MTSU International Affairs has managed to capture the attention of over 85,000 students through multiple recruitment strategies. These strategies include inperson student fairs and counselor fairs, partner universities and high schools, online recruitment fairs, working with over 150 agents all over the world, and managing 13 online recruitment platforms. With these efforts, we have seen a 28% increase in applications from 2021 to 2022 and a 29% increase in applications over the last five years. Of these applications, we have managed to admit 48% of applicants and continue to improve our yield rate of enrollment with a 118% increase from 2021 to 2022 and 91% increase over the last five years.

29%

INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS IN LAST 5 YEARS

91% INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT IN LAST 5 YEARS

85,000+ STUDENTS REACHED

MTSU IA’s recruitment efforts extend beyond increasing applications, admits, and enrollment, for we also are focusing on diversity in our international student population. We have attended more than 72 in-person events and over 73 virtual events in over 50 countries. We are receiving applications from all over the world, with our top five being Nigeria, India, the Bahamas, Ghana, and Saudi Arabia.

NIGERIA

INDIA

GHANA

SAUDI ALUMNI EVENT

MTSU was invited to participate in the International Conference and Exhibition for Education (ICEE) May 8–11, 2022, at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Organized by the Ministry of Education, ICEE provided international higher education institutions an opportunity to interact with Saudi students, parents, and working executives interested in education at all levels. The event offered opportunities to facilitate academic agreements between local and international institutions and to acquaint local universities with international education standards

and expertise. The International Conference and Exhibition for Education is a key player in bringing together in one place educators, students, speakers, and leading universities from around the world and providing them with an excellent networking venue for exchanging knowledge and forging solid alliances, creating an environment for individuals seeking overseas higher education under one roof. Over 30 MTSU alumni visited the MTSU booth. One alumnus, Nawaf Alogaily, and one current student, Norah Almutairi, assisted in the booth. MTSU also hosted an alumni dinner, which over 30 MTSU alumni attended.

CONTINUED CHALLENGES

As numbers increase, there are several factors beyond our control that affect our yield rates. Because of COVID-19, many countries are still closed for travel, forcing students to defer their intake dates since March 2020. U.S. embassies also have longer wait times throughout the world

due to sudden closures, requiring the students to make new appointments, putting them to the back of the line. In some of the countries providing MTSU with the most applicants, visa wait times are ranging from 40 to 150 calendar days.

ACE INTERNATIONALIZATION LAB

Supporting MTSU’s strategic plan to serve as an emerging center for international study, understanding, and exchange, the Office of International Affairs in 2021 applied for and was selected to join the American Council on Education (ACE) Internationalization Laboratory. The ACE Lab is a learning community of selected higher education institutions engaged in a guided, interactive process of self-assessment designed to analyze, examine, and promote a comprehensive internationalization strategic plan of the campus.

Vice Provost Robert Summers, with support from Provost Mark Byrnes, President Sydney McPhee, and members of the MTSU community, embarked on a two-year rigorous but exciting journey to examine and assess current as well as potential international programming. Adopting the ACE Internationalization Lab model, MTSU’s IA utilizes a broadened definition of comprehensive internationalization through examining six core, interrelated target areas.

These target areas provide the foundation work for six subcommittees led by key MTSU faculty and staff members as follows:

1. INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT AND POLICY co-chaired by Tony Johnston and Ben Jones

2. LEADERSHIP AND STRUCTURE co-chaired by Rehab Ghazal and Leah Lyons

3. CURRICULUM AND CO-CURRICULUM co-chaired by Dawn McCormack and Kim Sokoya

4. FACULTY AND STAFF SUPPORT co-chaired by Zeny Panol and Cheryl Torsney

5. PARTNERSHIPS co-chaired by Mary Hoffschwelle and Guanping Zheng

6. MOBILITY co-chaired by Amy Aldridge-Sanford and Sam Zaza