Welcome to International Affairs at South Dakota State University!

South Dakota State University has a long and distinguished history of international activity and engagement.  Starting at the beginning of the 20th century, when Professor N. E. Hansen, a frequent traveler to Siberia and East Asia, brought back plant specimens he thought would do well in South Dakota's climate, SDSU has been engaged with the world.  Hansen's international experiences informed the university's land-grant mission in the early days and he is aptly remembered as SDSU's first internationalist.

Today, we continue the internationalist tradition started by Professor Hansen in everything we do.  International education is an important part of the university's curriculum, and our students have many chances to learn about the world, whether on campus, or through one of our many exciting study abroad programs.

Chiefly responsible for coordinating SDSU's international efforts is the Office of International Affairs.  Our office is responsible for administering all of the university's study abroad activities, as well as student and faculty exchange programs. We are excited about the many opportunities our students and faculty have to study, live, and travel abroad.  With access to more than 150 programs in 50 countries, SDSU is South Dakota's leader in study abroad and exchange.

As I have witnessed many times first-hand, study abroad can have an amazingly transformative effect on university students.  And what they learn isn’t strictly limited to new courses and another culture.  They also learn new things about themselves, about their own worldviews, and about their comfort levels.  If they’re open to the possibilities study abroad offers in terms of personal development, students come back from the international experience as changed people with new perspectives on life.

Although we live in a state in the middle of North America, seemingly isolated from the wider world around us, international experiences are a vital part of our present and our future.  South Dakota is a significant international exporter of agricultural and manufactured goods.  Although our two biggest trading partners are still Canada and Mexico, the rest of the top ten list includes three European countries (the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands) and five Asian countries or trade zones (Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore).  The state has more than 300 companies who export their diverse products globally, ranging from aeronautical equipment to woodworking machinery.  International connections are all around us.

Whether you are a student or faculty member, I cordially invite you to visit with us about your international interests.  Perhaps you, too, will soon find yourself in another culture.