Morgan State President David Wilson led a group of 27 MSU international students on a trip to Philadelphia this week, the first of several trips to U.S. cities in an effort to build awareness and appreciation for American culture and history among the group. The students represented nations from around the world, including Brazil, China, South Africa and the Caribbean.
The students took in a play about the founding of the United States and toured famous American landmarks like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Dr. Ian Jacobs, director of the Office of International Relations in the MSU Center for Global Studies and International Education, said the trip is part of the president’s vision to broaden the university’s international student base and to focus students on their roles as scholars living and learning in the United States.
“It gives them an understanding of the American system and how things function in the U.S.,” said Jacobs. “It’s the president’s plan to reach out to international students, and this is just the start.”
According to Dr. Jacobs, future trips to New York, Washington D.C., and the Alabama Civil Rights Trail are also in development.