SF State showed its international spirit with everything from Japanese song and dance to grilled German sausages and Australian Vegemite sandwiches and surfboards during the Study Abroad Fair On Malcolm X Plaza on Wednesday.

International exchange students and study abroad alumni from more than 20 countries gathered at tables to pass out flyers, offer native food and encourage passing SF State students to pursue a study program across the world.

The event was sponsored by the International Exchange Education Council, a student club that works to promote the Office of International Programs and connect foreign exchange students and alumni to SF State students applying to go abroad. Since its recognition by the Associated Students in Fall 2004, the club’s membership has grown to 1,100—a considerable jump from the 350 members counted six months ago, according to SF State student co-chair Courtney Oxsen.

“Students’ interest in studying abroad is growing,” said Oxsen, 21, who spent all last year in Spain studying the language, culture and economics of the country.

SF State has become a multicultural campus with more than 200 international exchange students enrolled and the the IEEC plays a big role in the promotion of their education. All 23 of the campuses in the CSU system offer study abroad and exchange programs, but SF State students make up a quarter of all the students that go abroad every year, according to the IEEC’s staff advisor Noah Kuchins.

In fact, SF State ranks second in the United States “for sending the most students on year-long programs,” according to Kutchins, a 2004 SF State graduate who spent two years studying in France.

“The year-long programs give students a more authentic experience” compared to the shorter summer programs offered at other universities, Kuchins said.

At SF State, there are two study abroad programs available depending on students’ majors: the 21-country, year-long CSU option and the SF State’s Bilateral exchange with campuses in 14 different countries. Through both programs, SF State students pay regular tuition at their international university.

In turn, SF State is one of the top study abroad destinations, according to several international students.

These students “internationalize [SF State’s] campus and give students a taste of their experience,” Kuchins said.

For students studying abroad here, the IEEC offers a way to network with native students and other international students trying to acclimate to American culture. Social events such as the spring Yosemite camping trip, Golden Gate Bridge walk, weekly pint nights and international movies in the Coppola Theatre help students build friendships they can continue abroad.

Obiamaka Eke, the IEEC finance supervisor and SF State student hoping to double major in business accounting and French when she goes abroad, said she has already met and learned from several students from France through these events.

“I love learning about [the different] cultures,” Eke, 20, said, calling the organization a big international family.

While the IEEC is exclusively an SF State organization, French roommates Floriane Glupie and Ariane Chouraki said there is a similar program on their campus at Poitiers, part of the ESCEM University.

“They help you open a bank account and find accommodations,” said Glupie, 21, “but there are less [scheduled] activities.”

Chouraki, 22, an IEEC financial officer, said a percentage of the revenue collected from these activities helps fund scholarships for American students looking to go abroad.

Tim Ryan, a sophomore international business major at SF State, didn’t know about the IEEC until he started looking into potential study abroad programs.

“I knew [even in high school] that I wanted to go abroad,” said Ryan, who found out about the student organization at his first OIP meeting. Having been raised with a lot of British culture, Ryan plans to apply to western London’s Kingston University for the year-long program.

According to Ryan, one of the most helpful aspects of the IEEC has been the buddy program, where an international student is paired with a study abroad applicant.

Ryan’s “buddy” is Lars Saetren, a journalism major from Oslo University College in Norway. Together, they have helped each other learn about their different cultures and offer advice on living abroad and dealing with potential problems, from switching your cell phone to finding a place to live.

“Witnessing that stress gives you insight,” Ryan said, adding that talking to Saetren helped him figure out what questions to ask the OIP before he goes abroad.

“The IEEC’s mission is to gear students in the right direction,” Oxsen said.

Initially, some “students are hesitant about studying abroad,” Kuchins said, “but when they hear the stories from other students, they tend to change their minds” and seriously consider applying for a program.

“This experience opens up your entire world,” Oxsen said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

For more information about the IEEC and study abroad meetings, please visit their Web site at http://user.www.sfsu.edu Additional study abroad information can be found in the OIP office in Admin. 458A.