▁Academy ▁The ▁International ▁Studies ▁Academy ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁International ▁Studies ▁Program ) ▁is ▁an ▁inter dis cipl inary ▁hon ors ▁program ▁which ▁aff ords ▁students ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁choose ▁a ▁curr icul um ▁offering ▁a ▁focus ▁in ▁global ▁education ▁and ▁technology . ▁I SP ▁students ▁are ▁encourag ed ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁international ▁travel . ▁This ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁I SP ▁greatly ▁enh ances ▁particip ating ▁students ’ ▁understanding ▁of ▁their ▁world ▁and ▁en rich es ▁their ▁ability ▁to ▁interact ▁successfully ▁with ▁a ▁broad ▁range ▁of ▁pe op les ▁and ▁regions . ▁Similarly , ▁the ▁experiences ▁offered ▁within ▁I SP ▁rein force ▁students ’ ▁capacity ▁for ▁view ing ▁career ▁paths ▁in ▁technology - related ▁prof essions , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁foreign ▁policy , ▁international ▁affairs , ▁and ▁foreign ▁exchange . ▁ ▁The ▁Jim ▁H enson ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁Visual ▁and ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁Academy ▁The ▁Jim ▁H enson ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁Visual ▁and ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁Academy ▁is ▁a ▁select ive ▁special ized ▁program , ▁and ▁students ▁are ▁only ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁program ▁through ▁a ▁compet itive ▁aud ition ▁process . ▁The ▁school ▁was ▁granted ▁the ▁exclusive ▁rights ▁to ▁use ▁Jim ▁H enson ' s ▁name , ▁by ▁H enson ' s ▁family .   This ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁sub - school ▁at ▁North western , ▁and ▁is ▁an ▁extension ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁Academy ▁of ▁Arts , ▁Media , ▁and ▁Communic ations . ▁ ▁The ▁CV PA ▁is ▁a ▁rig orous ▁four - year ▁arts ▁program ▁that ▁offers ▁artist ically