Who is Not Studying Abroad?

An examination of three institutional perspectives on expanding study abroad

opportunities

?

Your Presenters:

Wagaye Johannes, Chair, Institute of International Education

Scott Manning, Dean of Global Programs and Associate Professor of French at Susquehanna University.

Uttiyo Raychaudhuri, Director for Study Abroad at Clemson University Michelle Tolan, Field Director for Diversity Access and Research

Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University

What Do We Know?

4

U.S. Study Abroad Trends

• More students than ever – nearly 300,000 • More non-credit opportunities • More short term programs

Diversity & U.S. Study Abroad Targeted outreach, recruitment and funding can substantially increase

minority participation in study abroad.

U.S. Study Abroad 2012/13 Total Minorities: 24%

African American Asian/Pacific Islander Hispanic Other White

*U.S. Department of Education, Digest of Education Statistics, 2013

Gilman Program 2012/13 Total Minorities 59%

U.S. Higher Education* Total Minorities: 39%

Three “GameChangers”

Expanding Study Abroad Opportunities

Institute For Study Abroad, Butler University’s

First Generation College Student Program

• What is our responsibility as a non-profit study abroad organization? Who are we trying to educate?

• Often have research and internship opportunities not available at the undergraduate level in the U.S.

• Global citizenry

Curriculum Challenges Critical FGCS Characteristics: • More practical, focused on vocation; more likely

to be non-humanities majors • Less likely to achieve high scores on college

entrance examinations and enter college without AP credits

• Academic (not financial) restrictions cited as largest contributor to attrition for study abroad (University of Texas)

Cost

Critical FGCS Characteristics: Less likely to take out loans, are financially and academically risk averse More likely to come from a low socioeconomic background Less likely to participate in “optional” activities: perception of investment IFSA-Butler First Generation College Student Scholarship

– Where/when do they need funds? – For what programs and student status is it eligible? – How do we decide?

Results: Fall 2012 participants: 2% first gen; Spring 2014 participants: 17% first gen

Changing Institutional Culture Deficits vs Assets

– Cultural deficit model: stems from (often negative) assumptions about students’ “cultural deprivation.” • Absolves us from the responsibility to educate all students

appropriately?

– Rethinking forms of capital • Aspirational, social, and navigational (Yosso, 2005)

Results: WORK IN PROGRESS.

Lessons Learned • Money isn’t the only barrier, or even the primary barrier.

• Be prepared to provide additional mentoring and support through the entire process.

• Where a critical-mass of students exists, identify allies serving them. They are the trusted advisors who will advocate for study abroad if they believe in it, and you.

• Try to meet them halfway (e.g. summer programs, center-based programs). They might not all be ready for an immersive, semester long experience.

• Career Focus messaging

• Avoid further marginalizing students in an attempt to support them.

Susquehanna University:

The SU Global Opportunities (GO) Program

What did it take to double (triple) study abroad at Susquehanna

University?

Identified the Obstacles

• 70% of incoming students said they planned to study abroad

• 30% actually studied abroad • What were the challenges?

Curriculum Challenges • Students: Perceived difficulty of semester away (despite generous financial aid and course transfer policies)

• Institution: Creating pathways for shorter but equally substantive experiences

Students

–Large first-generation population

–Lack of travel experience

–Close-knit campus community

–Large percentage of student athletes

Institution

–Shift emphasis from academic study abroad to experiential learning

–Broaden study abroad to study away

– Increased co-curricular support before & after study away

Cost Challenges

• Students: Between high-need and no-need

• Institution: Budget for significant need-based grant aid commitment

Clemson University:

The Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries Haiti

Clemson University:

The Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries Haiti

7 Civil Engineering students in 2009 90 across 30 majors in 2014

Overview

Creative Inquiry

Curriculum

Cost

Culture

Lessons Learned

u

What actions/ideas will you pursue to break barriers?