How MSU’s global reach benefits Michigan

As the premier land-grant university in the United States, Michigan State University’s mission has always been to connect with and serve communities, in Michigan and beyond. Whether helping Michigan businesses expand into new markets, supporting local farmers with cutting-edge research or bringing the world’s brightest minds to campus, MSU’s international work isn’t just about expanding knowledge, it’s also about strengthening Michigan’s economy, communities and future.

As a pioneer in global engagement, MSU has been developing lasting international connections for decades. Former MSU President John Hannah envisioned MSU as a university for Michigan, the U.S. and the world. That vision has been a key focus for the university since the creation of the Office of International Programs — now International Studies and Programs — in 1956, one of the first of its kind in the nation.

Today, MSU is one of the most internationally engaged universities in the U.S. With more than 350 partnerships in 60 countries and more than 1,600 faculty and academic staff involved in international research, teaching and outreach, MSU continues to share knowledge and improve lives around the globe and right here in Michigan.

Global reach with local benefits

MSU’s international engagement fuels significant economic growth in Michigan. The university’s more than 4,500 international students and scholars have a $223.9 million economic impact on the state and support more than 2,251 jobs, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Titus Awokuse in Bhutan. Courtesy photo

The impact in the state extends beyond international students coming to Michigan to study. Through international research and business partnerships, MSU is helping Michigan industries grow. From breeding new potato varieties that improve yields for farmers at home and abroad to assisting small and midsize Michigan businesses in expanding internationally, MSU faculty and students help drive the state’s economy forward.

“At MSU, we see global engagement as far more than an academic pursuit — it also drives innovation, strengthens economies and builds bridges between communities,” says Titus Awokuse, vice provost and dean for International Studies and Programs. “Our investments in international research, partnerships and student programs show significant returns and real-world impact by bringing new opportunities, talent and economic growth to MSU and Michigan while preparing Spartan graduates to lead in an interconnected world.”

MSU is often called Michigan’s state university for its longtime presence and partnerships across the state. Its leadership in global research, education and cultural exchange is another way the institution is adding to Michigan’s success.

Engaging students and businesses with international opportunities

Spartans don’t just study international business — they also help shape it. Through the International Business Center, or IBC, in the Broad College of Business, students gain hands-on experience helping Michigan companies expand into global markets.

Erkan Kocas (right) and the fall 2024 Michigan Export Growth Program team. Courtesy photo

“Not only are we giving students an experiential learning environment,” says Erkan Kocas, “they’re also gaining invaluable experience when it comes to international business.” Kocas is the assistant director for international trade research at the IBC. He oversees many of the center’s programs with student workers, such as the Michigan Export Growth Program, which partners with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, or MEDC.

The export growth program hires students who consult with small- and medium-sized Michigan companies to evaluate the demand potential for their products in international markets. Working like a professional consulting firm, students are assigned companies referred by MEDC and, after setting up meetings to learn about each company and its goals, perform market research to help those companies achieve their objectives. They then share results, which the companies use in their global expansion.

Nina Miller. Courtesy photo

“It was a little bit intimidating at first,” says Nina Miller, a junior studying business management and minoring in entrepreneurship and innovation. Miller is in her third year on the Michigan Export Growth Program team. She is a team leader now but remembers how nervous she felt as a first-year student conducting market research that could impact a business in Michigan. She jumped right in, however, and found that she was able to offer valuable information working with companies ranging from the auto to audio book industries. “It’s been a great experience to learn from all these different industry professionals about their business and how they’re looking to expand, and what that looks like in other countries as well.”

Miller and her team at the IBC are, according to Kocas, living out experiential learning opportunities that are going to set them up for success following graduation. They are also helping Michigan companies leverage opportunities to expand and thrive.

For Kocas, the work being done by students is invaluable to the IBC, but also to Michigan businesses. He says from October 2023 to September 2024, IBC’s programs helped 192 small- to medium-sized businesses, facilitating an estimated $399.4 million in export sales and supporting approximately 1,900 additional jobs.

IBC’s globalEDGE is another experiential learning opportunity with real-world implications. The web portal connects international business professionals to a wealth of educational resources on global business activities and serves as a space for MSU students to research and blog about international business trends and insights. The website attracts roughly 2.5 million users annually and provides free business intelligence that companies in Michigan and beyond can use to compete in the global marketplace.

Feeding Michigan and the world

MSU’s impact on Michigan agriculture has been evident since the university’s founding and, today, those benefits are strengthened by research partnerships that span the world.

David Douches, professor in MSU’s Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, is a world-renowned potato researcher who has led the potato breeding and genetics project at MSU since 1988 and has released over 30 varieties. He served as the project director of Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership for Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Kenya, which was funded by USAID until early 2025. The work he does in other countries has brought benefits home to Michigan potato growers seeking better varieties for making potato chips in the state.

Douches has worked in many countries throughout his career and is a proponent of using biotechnology to create improved potato varieties. “We help create better potatoes that are improving the livelihoods of farmers and countries by improving their agricultural processes,” he says.

By better potatoes, Douches gives examples of breeds that are drought resistant or can be stored for longer periods of time. “We’ve developed biotech potatoes to hopefully benefit our U.S. and Michigan farmers,” Douches says.

One potato variety allows potatoes to be stored in a colder environment for longer, so potatoes grown in Michigan have a longer shelf life.

The other potato, Douches says, is drought tolerant, but also raises the starch content. Not only can the potatoes grow in less ideal conditions, but the extra starch also makes them better for making potato chips, especially when it comes to the economic return. With more starch in a potato, less oil is needed to make the potato chips, and each potato makes more chips.

“The industry is quite excited that we have these opportunities to help them become more sustainable in their potato production,” says Douches.  

Douches is far from the only Spartan whose work has been both international and local. Many bean growers in Michigan also have benefited from disease-resistant crops MSU has helped breed with the assistance of global partners.

Collaborations around the world between MSU faculty and researchers lead to a greater exchange of ideas, fostering innovation and excellence in research and preparing future leaders in these fields.

Worldly ideas working locally

When Leps Malete, an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, came to MSU in 2016, he brought research that he had been working on in his home country of Botswana.

Leps Malete (left), an associate professor of kinesiology at MSU, and Jon Horford, founder of the Lansing Youth Development Program. Photo by Patricia Mish

Malete, a former national-level volleyball player in Botswana who earned his master’s and doctorate from MSU, is also the coordinator of global initiatives in the Department of Kinesiology and director of the International Research on Youth Sport, Physical Activity and Health lab. Since joining MSU, Malete has expanded his work to Michigan communities, including Flint and Lansing, using physical activity-based programs to support mental health and well-being in underserved youth.

Through the research project, “Youth activity and well-being: The impact of a community-based life skills development program,” Malete brought programs to local communities that explore the mental health of participants.

“We study how physical activity-based interventions can be used to enhance the health and well-being of young people,” Malete says. “You might call it community-engaged scholarship, and I’m very intentional about that. I want my work to have some impact on communities in a positive way.”

To Malete, MSU’s land-grant mission is paramount. “I think it is important for the university to continue forging strong community partnerships,” he says. “And I’m proud that MSU wants to help the many young people in schools and communities that are in great need.”

From Botswana to Lansing, Malete has brought sports and health benefits to youth who might not otherwise have opportunities.

Robert Lurie (left), and a group of students from Waverly High School. Courtesy photo

MSU’s international impact is evident throughout Lansing in other ways, too. Robert Lurie, a teacher at Waverly High School, has partnered with MSU through International Studies and Programs and the College of Education to help bring global topics into the high school classroom. From bringing in Peace Corps volunteers to chat with students to having Fellows from Africa visit the school to have real conversations about food and food security in Africa and the U.S., Lurie understands the importance of teaching students how to be global citizens.

The proximity to MSU makes it easy for Lurie to work with the university to bring new perspectives to students at Waverly and provide students opportunities to be more engaged in global conversations and concerns. “Many of our Waverly students will not attend MSU, but the reach of the university — coming to our school — is a huge thing for us,” says Lurie. “It is opening the imaginations and the possibilities for students for the future.”

Preparing Spartans to change the world

Since admitting its first international students in 1873, MSU has welcomed tens of thousands of international students and scholars to East Lansing. Not only do international students contribute to the academic and intercultural environment, they also have a tremendous positive economic impact on the Greater Lansing area — and many international students accept careers in the state after graduating.

Ishwari Kapale. Courtesy photo

Recent graduate Ishwari Kapale just began her career working at FANUC America, a robotics company in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Kapale graduated in 2024 with a degree in electrical engineering from the College of Engineering. She grew up in the Maharashtra city of Kolhapur, India, and, once at MSU, served as vice president of the International Students Association and the Senior Class Council at MSU. “I was proud to be able to represent my college community and my international community at the student government level,” Kapale says.

She chose to come to MSU from India after discovering its highly ranked programs online. She finished her first year during the pandemic taking online classes, then came to East Lansing for her second year and, three days after landing, spoke in front of 18,000 attendees as a class of 2024 representative during convocation in the Breslin Student Events Center.

Thanks in part to the experience she garnered at a research internship on campus, a couple of engineering internships at Michigan-based companies, and the lab work she participated in during her time at MSU, Kapale was able to land what she calls a dream job at FANUC America — and she was thrilled to stay in Michigan.

“MSU attracts top talent from around the world,” Kapale says, “and that develops a culture of innovation that directly benefits Michigan’s industries. As an international student, I feel like MSU gave me the platform to contribute to Michigan’s manufacturing sector. And I know many MSU graduates like me enter companies like FANUC and other automation companies. We drive innovation, which helps Michigan and Michigan State University stay competitive globally.”

Global Spartans, Michigan partners

As the world becomes more interconnected, the demand for globally competent, career-ready graduates will increase, and MSU continues to prepare them to succeed and lead. The top public university for education abroad, MSU’s robust international programming is a transformative experience for countless students.

MSU’s strong education abroad programming spans more than 350 programs in 60 countries and on all continents, plus offers opportunities to students even before they begin their first semester.  

Wherever Spartans go, they bring ideas and partnerships back to Michigan — helping to grow businesses, strengthen industries and create opportunities that make a lasting difference at home.

“By equipping students with global competencies, fostering international research collaborations and strengthening Michigan’s industries through global partnerships and trade, we are ensuring that our state remains a leader in the global economy,” says Awokuse. “MSU cannot be a university for Michigan if it is not also a university for the world.”