Talking to girls about STEM programs at Wayne State is one of the most interesting - and fun - aspects of a five-city recruiting visit to Colombia for Jaclyn Assarian, associate director of the Office of International Programs (right).

While a visit to South America in the middle of a Michigan winter blast may sound like spring break heaven, it's real work and serious business. Assarian is representing WSU in the EducationUSA Colombia STEM Tour, meeting students in five cities: Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cali, Manizales and Bogotá.

Travel between towns can be a nine-hour bus ride or a quick flight on a propeller plane. During the day, Assarian and staff from other American institutions participate in mini-fairs at select high schools and meet with directors of international programs at local universities. The evening fairs run from 5-8 p.m. and draw hundreds of students from around the region. Assarian speaks Spanish, but works with interpreters on-site as well.

The tour is sponsored by EducationUSA, a U.S. Department of State network of over 425 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries. The network promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering accurate, comprehensive and current information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the U.S.

Although the fairs highlight STEM fields, all students interested in an international education are encouraged to attend and ask questions.

The Office of International Programs leads Wayne State's global engagement by creating opportunities that foster international education and research, facilitate the exchange of individuals and ideas that promote global competencies and citizenship, and provide resources that support the expansion of the university's global agenda. Follow us on Twitter @WayneOIP