Forty FSU students attended their pre-departure meeting this past week in preparation to embark on immersive international experiences in 15 different countries next spring semester. FSU Global Exchanges, which has 45+ partner universities in 20 countries, received the highest number ever of spring applications this year. There was much interest in new partners such as IE University in Madrid, MICEFA in Paris, and Meiji University in Tokyo.
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Participating in a Global Exchange was ‘the best decision I made in my life,” said Ava De Gaetano (Undergraduate, Management Information Systems). She studied at Mahidol University in Thailand during the Spring 2025 semester. When deciding to go on an exchange to Thailand, she said she wanted an independent experience, wanted to travel, and believed a Global Exchange would bring about personal growth – plus she always had an interest in Thailand. “It could be daunting, but there is a network of support with the FSU exchange advisors and the people at your exchange university.
International Coffee Hour: Graduate Lounge, a new initiative co-sponsored by CGE and COGS, was a big success for the first event held Friday, September 26th, from 5-6:30 p.m. This event was planned in response to feedback from the Graduate Student Life Taskforce, in which many FSU graduate students from different colleges across campus reported that there was a lack of networking and social opportunities provided to graduate students.
International Coffee Hour has not only served the FSU community in providing a welcoming environment for students to make new friends --- but it also was the place where FSU alum Savannah Wendt met her future husband, FSU alum Travis James, in 2012.
The Center for Global Engagement’s (CGE) International Coffee Hour (ICH) is one of longest running and most successful weekly events held at FSU. In the last 25 years, ICH has grown from a small gathering of a few international students into an extremely popular social and cultural program with an average of 400 students, staff and faculty in attendance weekly. Approximately 65% of the attendees are US students, 30% are international students and about 5% are faculty and staff.
The new students bring inspiring stories, academic ambitions, and a shared excitement to be part of the FSU community.
Florence Antwi, a doctoral student from Ghana, spoke about how she previously studied in Wyoming but wanted the experience of a larger university. Her academic advisor helped guide her to FSU’s Geography program, where she looks forward to taking advantage of everything the university has to offer.
Leona Rindle, a junior majoring in Psychology and Human Rights & Social Justice, spent the Fall 2024 semester studying at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, through Florida State University’s Global Exchanges program. Her experience abroad proved to be transformative both personally and academically, offering her invaluable lessons and memories that will stay with her for years to come.
Abbigail Sproul, a double major in anthropology and history at Florida State University, recently embarked on an unforgettable semester abroad at Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea through FSU’s Global Exchange program. Immersing herself in a new community and environment, Abbigail’s experience was filled with challenges, triumphs, and personal growth as she is the first FSU student to attend SNU on a Global Exchange.
When S M Mushfiqul Hoque journeyed from Bangladesh to Tallahassee in pursuit of a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Florida State University, he knew he wanted more than just academic knowledge; he wanted to make an impact on sustainable urban solutions. Intrigued by the resources and research expertise at the Rider Lab in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Mushfiqul found FSU to be the ideal place to realize his vision.
For Dan He, who recently earned her Ph.D. in Instructional Technologies from FSU in May 2024, the doctoral journey has been marked by resilience, growth, and appreciation for FSU’s academic environment and community. Originally from China, her decision to study at FSU was driven by its academic excellence, affordability, and a welcoming atmosphere.