Business View Caribbean | June 2019

8 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN JUNE 2019 Vincent, and Grenada, produced eight students in the fall of 1993 and an additional six in the spring of 1994. The Caribbean Students Organization (CSO) was formed in January 1994 by 18 students enrolled at that time. The program was predicated on the simple proposition that these excellent students would be allowed to pay in-state tuition provided they maintained a pre-determined academic level. This was accomplished by the provision of competitive waivers and partial tuition scholarships. Also, the current students agreed to provide essential adjustment services and assistance to students who arrived in the ensuing semesters. With the combination of these factors, the stage was set for the growth of the program. In the late spring of 1995, a change in state law threatened to derail the entire competitive waiver option and almost put an end to the program. In response, Dr. Glean established partnerships with various organizations and governments, and secured funding and a structured platform that allowed the program to continue. As of January 2009, almost 1,000 students have been recruited and almost 250 Caribbean students are currently registered through this program. This has led to a stellar enhancement of the university’s reputation as an international entity and over 40 countries are currently represented among its student population. CSO has been instrumental in creating an international housing program at Colony Park and in leading the charge for the internationalization of the campus. Students from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal have all benefited from the CSO initiative and many other universities have begun to emulate the MSU model for developing a first-rate international program. After 15 years of growth, Caribbean students continue to graduate at an unprecedented 95 percent rate on time, with more than 60 percent achieving honors and over 70 percent going on to earn advanced degrees. The main attraction of the evening was the moving speeches delivered by each graduate