Study Overseas

The state of Michigan, with a population of over 10 million people, is located in the Northern part of the continental U.S. Easily identified by a lower peninsula in the shape of a mitten, and an upper peninsula crossing over from the state of Wisconsin, Michigan is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes – Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior. The great number of rivers, lakes, and large state and national parks, plus the easy access to beautiful sandy beaches, makes Michigan a unique region, perfect for outdoor sports and leisure activities.

Welcoming International Communities

Many people living in the state have roots somewhere else. Many different cultures are present in Michigan and have undeniably influenced the lives of its residents, which can be noticed in the names of cities and streets, as well as in the looks of whole neighborhoods.

Michigan’s population exploded following the opening of the Erie Canal and the creation of roadways into the Northwest Territory in the early-to-mid 1800s. Michigan’s great white pine forests fueled a lumber industry that directly led to new towns being established. Logging camps along rivers became lumber towns with huge sawmills, and inland villages and port cities were soon connected by roads and later growing railways, which carried lumber, agricultural goods, and industrial supplies.

Many towns throughout Central Michigan were first lumber towns, such as Big Rapids, with many of its workers coming from the east, away from their New England roots. Joining them were European immigrants that quickly found work in the new lumber camps, and they tended to concentrate in those areas. Hence, Scottish workers concentrated in Alma (the home of Alma Highland Festival), German’s in Frankenmuth (home of Frankenmuth Oktoberfest), Irish in Clare (where they celebrate the Clare Irish Festival), and countless other groups clustered into towns and cities throughout the state.
Throughout Michigan’s history, Native American populations maintained cultural roots. In the 1800s, many African-Americans escaped northward or later relocated and contributed to the state’s industrial growth. Many groups of Scandinavians also moved into the western Upper Peninsula as mining for iron ore and copper led to the growth of other new towns. More recently, immigrants from Asia, the Middle East, and Central and South America have imported cultural traditions that are enriching diversity in many areas of the state.

Michigan eventually became an industrial powerhouse, built upon the backs of auto workers and support industries. Michigan later brought the gift of Motown to the music world. Through it all, the people of Michigan have remained hard working and kind hearted.

With so many ethnicities represented in the state, Michigan’s cuisine, festivals and cultural events continue to reflect these traditions. Michigan truly welcomes the international community with open arms.

Quality in Higher Education

The state’s reputation in education, with many world class universities, has attracted a large international student population. In Michigan, students from all over the world know they can get first-class education in the most varied settings: metropolitan, rural areas and small-town environments. They can choose from a multitude of programs and types of institutions of higher education: from private colleges to state universities, from institutions that provide the highest levels of academic programs to career-oriented programs and two-year degrees, as well as from schools with strong technical training to universities with excellent research opportunities.

Michigan is a reference for quality in higher education. But the state is also the home of many different cultures and traditions. You will be pleasantly surprised by the warm hearts and welcoming faces of its inhabitants.

Article by:
Luzia Tartari - Ferris State University
With help and thanks to: R. Hassen - Central Michigan University