Students flocked to the Global Festival and Study Abroad Fair on Gullen Mall to learn about international study opportunities while snagging delicious ethnic foods prepared by student orgs. Hosted by the Office of International Programs, Global Fest is celebrating its 49^th anniversary.

"I think having a visual representation of both shows students the options they have," says Margaret Ogg (bottom), associate director of study abroad. "For the Global Festival, it's important for the domestic students to see the representation of international students on campus, where they're from and what they contribute. With the Study Abroad Fair, we're reaching a population of students that wouldn't necessarily know about study abroad. We're out in the open in a relaxed environment where students can ask questions without having to physically come into an office."

Global Fest featured booths where attendees could get a taste of the cuisines from some of Wayne State's cultural student groups, such as Saudi-style coffee and Vietnamese noodles. While food was the primary draw, other cultural elements - such as Albanian dance - were featured.

The Study Abroad Fair featured faculty and participants from 15 different study abroad programs. Attendees were able to meet with program experts while learning about what each offered.

Italian minor Lydia Virze (top), a study abroad alum, answered questions about Wayne in Abruzzo, a popular Italian language and culture program. "You don't get this kind of experience on a tour," Virze says. "Not to be dramatic but you really do feel like a different person when you return home. I think the students really appreciate learning about new cultures."

Business major Jasmine Payne (middle)

hopes to go to Puerto Rico and study business. "I've been working on my Spanish," Payne says "I want to be able to use it in a practical setting. I would love to be able to learn about the culture while also getting practical learning experience."

Ogg says that studying abroad is really about increasing student's confidence. "It's a huge attribute going into the professional world," she says. "It also increases people's cultural skills and makes them more empathetic and worldly citizens."

Learn more about Study Abroad programs at studyabroad.wayne.edu, and more about the cultural organizations featured and Global Festival and others at getinvolved.wayne.edu.

By Jacob Stocking, OIP communications associate

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 @WayneOIP. Check out our photos on Flickr.