When students consider the options for studying abroad, it’s usually based around which country they could travel to. However, effective as of Friday, Baker University won’t only have its own students studying overseas but will also have a program set up to host several of its own study abroad students from China.

The recent agreement with the Possibilities Unlimited agency in Hong Kong has set up a program for Chinese students to study at Baker. As of now the BU administration is in the process of putting a packet together to communicate with prospective students about the possibilities Baker has to offer.

“Fundamentally we’d love to see a few this year and a dozen or so the next year,” Director of Enrollment Management Kevin Kropf said. “(A lot) of colleges are looking for partnerships to promote themselves to the Chinese population. This is one area for potential growth for Baker University.”

Martha Harris, assistant dean for academic affairs, is in charge of the study abroad program on campus. After years of working with the program, Harris has seen the benefits studying in a different country have brought to Baker students.

“They learn an awful lot about themselves,” Harris said. “To take off and leave where they absolutely know no one leads them to find out a lot about themselves.”

Currently, 10 students are studying abroad and seven of them are on a group trip to Harlaxton College in England. With the new program in effect, the Chinese students could potentially gain the same positive experiences Harris has seen Baker students attain.

“I think (the Baker study abroad students) find a lot about what it’s like to live in a different culture and more about what it means to be an American. They have a chance to look from the outside in,” Harris said. “I love to hear them say it was a life-changing experience. That’s all I have to hear to make me happy.”

In the past two weeks, Kropf met with two prospective clients, Simon Law, the leader of YMCA College of Careers in Hong Kong, and Norman Ngai from Possibilities Unlimited. Kropf believes gaining this contract with Chinese students will help with recruitment because demographically, Kansas and surrounding states’ high school graduates’ graduation rates will decrease in upcoming years.

“Meeting (the study abroad students) would be a cool experience,” freshman Jose Reyes said. “It’ll put Baker on the map and make it more diverse.”