Study abroad 2019 opening doors to increase diversity in study abroad

The numbers tell the story. More than 325,000 U.S. students studying abroad each year, but fewer than 30% are from underrepresented groups. And yet evidence shows, more and more employers rate “international experience” an important factor in hiring.

Top-down approaches to address underrepresentation in study abroad have included marketing campaigns designed to reframe study abroad and scholarships pools designated to underrepresented students. But these efforts alone haven’t opened enough doors.

How can we dramatically increase diversity in study abroad including racial, ethnic, gender, religious, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability, and age, so that it accurately reflects the diversity in today’s student population?