MSU held a reception Tuesday to show appreciation to all the sponsored international students that chose to study at MSU this year.

Sponsored international students include those supported by their government, an independent company or grant that come to the United States to develop skills that can be applied in their home country.

We come here so we can go back and improve our countries, and have a link to the U.S., said Patrick Ogutu, doctoral student in crop and soil sciences from Kenya.

The classes and level of coursework are also better than other places Ogutu has visited in his academic career, he said, but the best part has been interacting with fellow internationals and colleagues in such a welcoming environment.

MSU is home; it is very comfortable here, Ogutu said.

By coming to MSU, these students allow locals to share in the benefits of diversity and collaboration.

International Studies and Programs Associate Dean Dawn Pysarchik said, As a very special group on campus, sponsored international students increase not only the diversity of the student body, but also the diversity of individual academic fields.

With nearly 5,000 international students on campus this year, a record high for the third year in a row, the enrichment of both personal and professional lives of students, faculty and staff is obvious to many.

Everyone here at MSU knows how important international students are, Pysarchik said at the reception, and we look forward to welcoming you all back next year.

Mikhail Assafov, a political science junior from Kazakhstan, said his time at MSU has been like visiting all of the countries in the world without leaving town.

It really has been the best experience ever, with the greatest opportunities, Assafov said, because of diversity.

More than 50 sponsored international students attended the event organized by the Office for International Students and Scholars, including two who will be graduating this spring and returning to their home countries to continue their careers.

For more information on sponsored international students, see the section on the OISS Web site at www.oiss.msu.edu/students_sponsored.php.