Expanding access and impact of study abroad

Study abroad has long been a privilege that higher income students could afford. The U.S. Department of State Gilman International Scholarship program opened the doors to students who by Pell Grant qualification standards qualified for financial assistance. A survey of 2002-3 and 2009-10 recipients of international study/internship aid recipients indicated substantial impact. Outcomes for Gilman International Scholarship students include follow-up experiences such as additional study abroad or international research and change in major and career choices to include more international focus. One of the most impressive findings was that Gilman scholarship recipients use their grants to study in broader geographic areas than other U.S. students who study abroad and these experiences served as a catalyst for Gilman scholarship recipients to consider working abroad (73%) or becoming involved in a cross-cultural or international field (67%).

A complementary article about Generation Study Abroad described what is happening at the university and college level to increase the number and broaden the socioeconomic representation of students who travel and study abroad. The focus on expanding study abroad impact is important for a variety of political and economic reasons. Politically, the breadth of culture represented in U.S. institutions should be reflected in the "ambassadors" who go abroad to study. Economically, employers want graduates to be aware of and skilled in their interactions with people from other cultures and nations.