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Buckeye Nation is starting to look more like Buckeye International, as scarlet and gray influence is set to spread south of the equator.

Ohio State is set to launch its next Global Gateway office in São Paulo, Brazil on Sept. 13. It’s slated to cost the university $375,000 over the next two years, with funding coming from the OSU Office of Academic Affairs, said Christopher Carey, director of Global Gateways.

The Global Gateway program aims to give OSU a presence in selected countries by providing students, alumni and faculty opportunities for networking, studying abroad and conducting research, according to its website. There are currently offices in Shanghai, China, and Mumbai, India.

A main goal of the Brazil gateway is to resemble an embassy for students, said William Brustein, vice provost for global strategies and international affairs. And one way to do that, he said, is through awareness.

“We want to increase interest in Brazil on student recruitment to Ohio State,” he said.

Carey said it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring a little bit of Brazil to Columbus, either.

“Brazilian students are very engaging, energetic and excited about life,” he said. “To be able to bring some of that here to campus is very exciting.”

Brustein said he is happy to see the project finally come to fruition because of the dedication it took to make it a reality.

“I’m just delighted to see this and I’ve invested so much time and energy into helping build this,” he said.

One student who lived in Brazil said he felt that excitement as well.

Ben Howard, a graduate student in public administration, said he lived in Brazil between 2009 and 2010.

Howard said one of the most helpful tips he could give to students interested in studying abroad is not to fear sharing a little bit of home with those in other countries.

“I was a terrible cook when I first went to Brazil, but knowing how to share something from your culture can really communicate a lot of warmth,” he said. “I made buffalo chicken dip.”

Howard said his experience helped refine his communication skills as well.

“I think study abroad put me in a situation where I had to make even more of an effort to make friends when I came back to classes here in Columbus,” he said.

Brustein will be going to Brazil at the beginning of September along with Provost and Executive Vice President Joseph Steinmetz, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and other members of OSU’s global initiatives team to officially launch the gateway, Carey said.