Each campus has it own perception of how NSE fits into its mission and meets its needs. Many of the campuses view NSE as having more than 170 branch campuses with all the program resources those campuses provide. We essentially share resources for a modest membership fee. It is adding courses not offered on your campus or offering the courses you have but with different perspectives. It means access to study abroad programs without the time, cost and headache of development. It means internships and field experiences where they are most meaningful to the students. NSE gives instant access to ethnically different campuses including a significant number of Historically Black and Hispanic serving colleges and universities.

Campuses are finding that NSE may give them a competitive edge in recruiting and strengthen the retention efforts of the campus. Students in your region who have not been able to attend campuses out of state can now afford to do so for an academic year. Those students living at home can now go away and experience different cultural settings and have the opportunity to live on a campus. Students considering going away to school can now enroll on your campus and still have up to one full year somewhere else while remaining enrolled in your programs.

Many campuses are faced with budgetary constraints causing them to cut courses and programs. NSE offers students almost unlimited course access through exchange. Increasing numbers of students are being encouraged by faculty and advisors to go on exchange, to seek out graduate and professional schools, actively look for employment, or try living in a particular area of the country to see if that is where the student might ultimately settle down.

"Participating in the National Student exchange has proven to be of invaluable benefit to me academically. The exchange afforded me access to classes and programs that were unavailable at my home campus, and it has provided me with a different and unique approach to my course of study."

William D. Shelnutt, III
SUNY College at Buffalo to Louisiana State University