This dissertation seeks to understand the internationalization of public higher education in the United States through the investigation of an international programs office at a large land-grant university. The study identifies internationalization trends in higher education after World War II and focuses on the internationalization of The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), a large, public, land-grant research institution in the northeastern region of the United States. This dissertation contributes to the literature by building upon research about organizational culture at the institutional level. I used qualitative case study methodology to provide an in-depth historical analysis and understanding of the organizational culture of the office within the specific context of the university. Through a review of the literature, I used organizational theory to inform the theoretical framework and methods, including the interview protocol (through semi-structured interviews) and document analysis. Using purposeful and targeted sampling strategies, I interviewed twenty administrators, faculty, and staff who have had affiliations with the Global Programs office at Penn State over the last seventy years. While the internationalization of Penn State began long before the existence of the University Office of Global Programs, the formal establishment and emergence of the office marks a historical shift from the original land-grant mission of the university to a global institution. I found that the centralization, unique position, and organizational culture of the office in the administrative structure of Penn State contributed to the internationalization of the university as it exists in the 21st century: one of the leading institutions in study abroad enrollment and one of the top destinations for international student enrollment in the U.S. While findings from Penn State might not be generalizable per se, future research can extend findings from this study to inform internationalization strategies and practices at other U.S. higher education institutions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]