Letter to the Star Tribune

This letter ran in the September 1 edition of the Star Tribune.

August 27, 2008

Letters Editor
Star Tribune
425 Portland Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55488

To the Editor:

Giving more American college students the opportunity to participate in high-quality, substantive study abroad programs in diverse destinations is critical to our nation’s global leadership and economic competitiveness (U.S. colleges should help graduates be more worldly, August 24). This is the vision of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act, which sets out the goal that in ten years’ time, one million American college students, fully representative of the college demographic, will study abroad annually on quality programs in locations across the globe, with particular emphasis on destinations in the developing world. Unfortunately, the Simon bill, which has been admirably championed by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and Minnesota’s own Senator Norm Coleman, is caught up in election-year politics and languishing in the Senate, despite enjoying broad bipartisan support and the strong endorsement of the international education community. We urge Congress to pass this historic legislation. It would be a crucial step forward in ensuring that our graduates are prepared for life and leadership in the global age.

Marlene M. Johnson
Executive Director & CEO
NAFSA: Association of International Educators