Proposal For BSC Plaque Program

I plan on submitting this piece to probably the International Office or an office that would recognize it as a need.
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Bridgewater State College has various relationships with other colleges abroad. Recently more students are traveling abroad through study tours. The study tours are often excellent opportunities to extend friendships and associations with other colleges. I feel however that the college only affiliates itself to study tours from a distance. I believe if a program is established that formally travels alongside our students and faculty during study tours and exchange programs it would increase opportunities and friendships with other schools.
Recently I've arrived back from the Summer 2008 study tour to China. I've traveled with the school before with the Japan study tour program and I am on my second term as president of the International Culture Club at BSC that promotes different cultures through events during the year. At Wuyi University we were shown a building that housed trophies and plaques presented by other schools in various countries and other schools in the United States. There was also a list that basically demonstrated how involved the schools were with Wuyi. Bridgewater State was not even listed yet. During my studies, specifically at Wuyi University in China, I noticed that the school treated us as ambassadors. I personally felt unsupported in this role by BSC. During the closing event at the program, Wuyi University presented BSC with a large trophy, gave us various presentations and free shirts and cds. Much less equipped, luckily one of the students of the study tour donated their own money the days prior to develop a simple plaque that showed our appreciation. In summary of this, I wondered why the students should have to spend their money on a plague for our college. Shouldn't the college have given us something to present to Wuyi before our departure?
Many study tours visit schools globally and I think Bridgewater State College is missing on potential relationship building, simple gestures of good will. I think there should be a development of a program that gives study tours simple plaques and perhaps gift funding for schools to be visited. Also it might be a good idea to include funds to bring the items (via extra carry on) to not put the weight of these items on the professors baggage.
I am not familiar with how the college establishes relationships with schools behind the scenes but first hand I can say that some simple gifts can go a long way in honoring education between schools. With a record high number of students on study tours I think there is no better time than to implement this program. Students represent the college abroad very well and very rarely there are stories of disgrace upon the school. It would only be right to provide the groups with an equally warm welcome package from the college.
I think every school visited, no matter how long the stay should be given a plaque by Bridgewater State College. This is gesture may very well open doors for future International Programs and makes a mark on the school visited. Though it may seem trivial to some, I think this would go a long way in respecting schools and creating new relationships.