Sue Lorenz will become Kansas University’s permanent director of its Office of Study Abroad.

Lorenz, who had previously worked in KU’s Honors Program, was named as the office’s interim director in January. She replaces Susan Gronbeck-Tedesco, who became KU’s associate vice provost for international programs.

Lorenz said she would work to ensure that students are informed of study abroad opportunities early in their academic careers and during recruitment — all in an effort to bring more students into the many study abroad programs offered at KU.

“We know that the students who plan for it are more likely to do it,” she said.

She said that international opportunities were a high priority for Chancellor Robert Hemenway, and that she expected incoming Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little to have similar goals.

KU saw a slight drop-off in the number of students studying abroad this summer compared with last summer, dropping from 648 students in 2008 to 619 in 2009.

Lorenz said she wasn’t disappointed with the numbers, particularly because other schools had reported much bigger drops, citing the sagging economy.

At KU, she said, some of the reduction came from a study abroad program in Mexico that was canceled after the outbreak of swine flu, which caused about 10 students to drop out. Other programs were canceled because not enough students signed up to go, she said.