Study Abroad for Everyone!

I often joke with students that I was the stereotypical example of a study abroad student - a Midwestern white girl, studying literature at a private liberal arts college, going back to her family's European roots. I say it in the context of explaining why organizations like the Fund for Education Abroad have committed to supporting the "not-me's" of the world.

I have benefited greatly from the interactions with people from different backgrounds or cultures. My first venture outside the US borders happened earlier than I can even remember, and every single international excursion since then has made me a better-informed world citizen. And while I wouldn't change anything about my cookie-cutter study abroad self, I recognize that several aspects meant I had un-earned advantages that aren't available to everyone.

I enjoy advising students on their study abroad scholarship essays; working with them to find what makes them stand out. Too often I still feel like it is not enough; there are some amazing students who do not get the chance to go abroad because the funding just isn't there. There are a lot of ways to address this, but I can't do it alone.

I am not doing this as part of my job, but I *am* doing this because I believe in the work that I do. I have seen the impact studying abroad has on students and then seen the impact those students have on the world.

We see every day the need for more cognitive and compassionate empathy, and studying abroad is a great way to grow those capabilities. But the US will continue to fall short of our potential if everyone is not represented or does not have equitable access to these types of experiences.

Please consider donating - for greater equity, for social justice, to share the opportunity you were gifted, to provide a chance that you didn't get, or just to make my day-to-day job a little easier. :-P