The world is definitely not as big as it use to be. With technology advancing each day, those living across the world are getting closer and easier to communicate with.

We live in our tight-knit home of Cache Valley which seems to center around USU. Members of our small community tend to keep in touch most with the news happening under the “A” on the hill. However, Utah State is doing more than just reaching out to Cache Valley. They have extended to individuals across the globe.

The invention of Skype, for example, has not only allowed us to see individuals in other countries and cultures, but has enabled students to speak and learn from students in other countries. A group of USU students who have all lived in Ukraine or Russia for two years use Skype to communicate with students studying Ukrainian business and economics at Priasovski University in Mariupol, Ukraine. Aggie students discuss with these international students topics such as the economic crisis, education, government and even topics on a more personal level.

And that’s just the beginning. More than 800 students are working toward a degree from USU in economics without stepping foot on campus, actually not even stepping foot in the U.S. These students are studying in Hong Kong and China and are part of USU’s International Cooperative Education and Initiatives which began in 2000. These Aggies take the same general education as those students studying economics on campus and the Chinese instructors are led by professors here, using the same textbooks, course context and exams.

We may live here in tiny Cache Valley, but we are doing all we can to branch out. Thank you to those individuals who are working to bring culture and using technology to bring a little bit more to our great school.