University of Michigan. International Center.

The University of Michigan was a pioneer in the development of guidance and counseling programs for its many foreign students. Instrumental in the early efforts of helping these students adjust to their new condition was J. Raleigh Nelson. In 1908, Nelson had come to the University of Michigan to head up a program of English language instruction for engineering students; in 1911, he was named Counselor to Foreign Students in the College of Engineering.

For many years, the counseling of foreign students was largely limited to the College of Engineering. In 1933, President Ruthven, aware of the need in other schools, asked Nelson to serve as University Counselor to Foreign Students. In this broader role, Nelson looked about for a centralized meeting place where the university's foreign students could gather, discuss common problems, and enjoy each other's company. Space at the Michigan Union was suggested, and in August 1938, Nelson (now Director of the International Center) moved into his new quarters. Within this one office, Nelson consolidated the responsibilities relating to foreign students which had formerly been spread throughout the University: English instruction, liaison with the government over immigration and naturalization problems, and coordinating programs of social and intellectual enrichment.

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