Hi, and thanks for your interest in global initiatives. I'm Karla Guinigundo, and I'm excited to tell you about the services that Global Initiatives offers to Miami University students, faculty, staff, and our surrounding communities. Let's get started.
Global Initiatives was formed in 2013 to provide a central location at Miami University for global academic support. Our mission is to promote the dynamic, comprehensive, internationalization of the university through the infusion of multicultural and comparative perspectives in scholarship, teaching, and service. What does this mean? It means the services and support we provide connect all realms of global activity at Miami. There are four offices within global initiatives, including Education Abroad, which also houses the John E. Bolibois European Center in Luxembourg, International Student and Scholar Services, the Center for American and World Cultures and Continuing Education. I'll tell you more about each of these areas. But first, a little trivia.
Miami University is regularly ranked among the top institutions in the country for study abroad. What is the current ranking? Any guesses? Number three, Miami is currently ranked third among public doctoral institutions for the percent of undergraduates who study abroad before graduation, as reported by the Institute for International Education's 2019 Open Doors report. About 47% of Miami undergraduates study abroad.
Our education abroad advisors help you through every step of the study abroad process from initial research on program options through the completion of your program. We offer more than 100 Miami faculty-led programs abroad and numerous study away experiences within the United States. You can spend a semester or even a full year earning Miami credit at our campus in Luxembourg. The fall Study Abroad Fair is an annual event that is not to be missed. You can talk with faculty about their programs and meet representatives from third party program providers. Do you need scholarships to be able to go abroad? We also provide application assistance for national study abroad scholarships such as the Gilman and Boren awards.
Another trivia question for you. Miami's Oxford and regional campuses are home to more than 2,800 international students. How many countries do our international students represent? Any guesses? 82. We love having so many nationalities represented at Miami. The largest population is Chinese, followed by Vietnamese, Indian, and South Korean students. We value the global perspectives international students bring to our classrooms and our community.
International Student Advisors are engaged with students from the moment they are accepted at Miami until they walk across the graduation stage. Providing assistance with immigration, orientation, acculturation to campus and much more. Friendship programs like Global Buddies and Global Neighbors help facilitate interaction between American and international students and between international students and the local community. The International Leadership Council brings together representatives from a variety of student organizations for student-led programming and collaboration.
The Center for American and World Cultures will be your hub for on campus global learning. You can take a variety of courses and engage in on-campus events to earn a global perspective certificate, or be trained to participate in and facilitate intergroup dialogue. Annual programming highlights include the fall Latin American and Caribbean UniDiversity Festival, an annual lecture celebrating the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, and activities focused on social justice and human rights organized by the Stripppel Memorial Committee. Interdisciplinary courses are also offered through the center on topics such as strength through cultural diversity and an introduction to the Miami tribe of Oklahoma.
Global Initiatives also houses multiple continuing education programs, including the Institute for Learning in Retirement, the Global PartnerSummer School, and Ed2go online professional development training programs. Our office is a US passport acceptance agency, so you're able to apply for your US passport without needing to leave campus. We host an annual celebration for International Education Week in November and serve as the connecting point between Miami and our 75 Global Partner institutions. Students and faculty interested in applying for grants through the Fulbright US Student and Scholar programs also have access to advising and support through Global Initiatives.
If there's one thing you take away from this presentation, let it be this. We love what we do. The staff in Global Initiatives are committed to helping every student take full advantage of the global resources and opportunities offered at Miami. We are located in McMillan Hall on the Oxford campus. Please stop by call or email with any questions you might have. You can also follow us on social media and subscribe to our email newsletter. Thanks for your attention. We hope to see you soon.
