The Baurle family was among many MSU families that participated in the 2004 Crow Fair in August in Crow Agency. From left, Ally and Kaleigh Bauerle of Bozeman, and their aunt Phenocia Bauerle, '03 Engl, rode on the Bauerle float in the Crow Fair parade. Phenocia Bauerle, who collaborated with her grandfather Barney Old Coyote, '68 HonDoc, founder of MSU's Native American Studies program, on the book Way of the Warrior (university of Nebraska Press) is currently a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley. It's a Brand New World for MSU International Students by Carol Schmidt As the school year begins, students from across the globe make a pilgrimage to the fourth-floor of Culbertson Hall and the Montana State University Office of International Programs, which has the flavor of a United Nations-- particularly during the first days of school. MSU has always been a popular choice for international students, according to Norm Peterson, vice provost of inter-national education and director of the office. Peterson points out that the presence of international students also enriches the education of MSU students, many of them Montana natives. However, in the post-9 /11 world, recruiting and arranging for international students to study in the U.S. has become more challenging. "We are cautiously optimistic that our number of international students here this year will be more than the 350 students we had last year, and that thrills us," Peterson said. "But, each one of the students is the result of working 10 times harder to get them here." Beginning this year, each international student petitioning to study in the U.S. was required to obtain a personal interview at a U.S. consulate prior to obtaining a visa to the U.S. Peterson said that the consular interviews often constitute an additional roadblock requiring extra travel and money for students, and are often the deal-breaker for students who wish to study in the U.S. In addition, students applying for science and technology majors must have their application reviewed in Washington, D.C. "The big winners, as a result of the requirement, are other countries who are actively recruiting international students, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia," Peterson says. This has also meant a shift in the makeup of MSU's international student population. While MSU continues to maintain strong cross-cultural programs with Japan, students from India are becoming more prevalent at MSU. "This is a national trend," Peterson said. "India is becoming more affluent and is sending more of its students to the U.S." MSU employs at least two recruiters who travel throughout the world recruiting students to MSU. Another staff member spends much of her time recruiting online for MSU. Despite the difficulties, Peterson is optimistic about the quality of international students who are attending MSU. He said one of the most exciting new international programs this year is the recent arrival of 10 Middle Eastern students here as part of the Partnership for Learning Undergraduate Studies Program, also called PLUS. Peterson said the program gives 70 scholarships to high-achieving students from the Middle East, and 10 of the 70 students are studying at MSU. "These are extraordinary young people," Peterson said. "I think they will add a lot to our campus."