Diversity and inclusion are clear priorities for universities across the country. Yet many campuses continue to struggle with increasing the participation of historically underrepresented students in study-abroad programs. Here are seven ways to help engage and support students before, during, and after their study-abroad experiences.
1. Consider the short-term “appetizer.” Typically, students who study abroad have been introduced to international travel and learning through family vacations or school trips earlier in life. They already have passports with multiple stamps, so they have had plenty of opportunities to overcome fears associated with international travel and to benefit from broadened horizons, which resonate throughout their college life and beyond. Teachers, mentors, friends, or family members have served as catalysts, planting seeds of international possibilities that most likely will bear fruit throughout those students’ lives.
We sometimes forget the realities of those who have not traveled that same path. They have not had the same exposure to international travel, nor have they necessarily had people in their lives to serve as catalysts. Short-term study abroad can be a rich introduction for students with minimal international exposure. If the appetizer is rewarding, it is likely that those same students will consider a main course. Simply presenting the option of short-term study abroad may lead to subsequent travel before and after graduation. And study abroad can stimulate all sorts of curricular interests that might not have been piqued without it.
2. Team up with existing diverse groups. The perception of safety in numbers is a reality for many students from diverse backgrounds. Partnerships with existing campus communities when creating study-abroad programs are worth exploring. Connect with groups of diverse students who have common interests. Perhaps they are in the same organization or club. They already trust one another, and meet regularly. They probably facilitate events, travel to conferences, do community service, and take field trips together. Connecting with their advisers or executive-board members to create a group study-abroad program might help make such an experience more attractive for students without international experience.
Build trust so students will feel comfortable disclosing their fears about going overseas.
3. Establish trust and credibility. Both play key roles in motivating underrepresented students to go abroad. Find creative ways to build trust. Do you meet with students in spaces where they are already comfortable? Are you willing to step into their world before you ask them to step into yours? Build enough trust so students feel comfortable disclosing their true fears and concerns about study abroad. Develop a diverse team to help students overcome those fears. Students gravitate toward faculty members and mentors who show that they are committed to students’ success.
Reaching out to underrepresented students is more than creating a flier with the smiling faces of ethnic-minority students holding backpacks and passports. Understanding that group will help shape the administrative decisions we make as international educators. If the goal is to expand the number of low-income students who study abroad, it may not be a good idea to establish programs in countries where the cost of living and airfares are high. And how are people with disabilities treated around the globe? When you say to a student, “You will be OK,” how do you know? Being credible and trustworthy means paying attention to those kinds of details.
4. Dispel financial myths and eliminate sticker shock. Research shows that in many cases, studying abroad is more affordable than studying domestically. Scholarships that help underwrite study abroad are becoming more available at universities across the country, and crowdsourcing websites like ProjectTravel.com have recently emerged to help students raise funds through social media.
However, in many low-income communities, study abroad will be interpreted as a luxury, not an investment. The price of a plane ticket, for example, could buy a lot of essentials in some neighborhoods, where the ethos of cross-cultural discovery is not exactly prevalent. But when roughly 46 percent of Americans own a valid passport, international travel is a reality that cannot be avoided. It’s essential to explain to students (and their families, if possible) the value of study abroad; and providing financial-aid information early may be critical.
5. Develop inclusive, culturally responsive curricula. Create course material that reflects a broad range of perspectives to which all students can relate, and material that engages students through the lens of their own identities. Promote respect for and exploration of individual differences.
Students may be amazed to learn of the influence of the Moors on Spanish architecture and design; exploring the history of gay rights in South Africa may lead to provocative questions about human rights at home. Culturally responsive topics should be woven throughout the study-abroad coursework and not presented as add-ons or afterthoughts.
6. Encourage faculty responsiveness. Faculty members need to create “safe spaces” for dialogue and reflection, where students can openly discuss and write about what they are experiencing abroad. Guided and independent reflection through the lens of one’s identity (race, gender, sexual orientation, class, religion, and ability) and how different identities intersect fosters a richer, more thoughtful study-abroad experience. Facilitators should make the identities of participants the focus. After all, gaining a better understanding of the world requires a better understanding of ourselves.
7. Provide re-entry support. Re-entry for underrepresented students may be very different from the experience of students who typically study abroad. Perhaps none of their friends or family has traveled or studied abroad, so they might have a hard time finding people to share their journey with. Who can help them make sense of their experience through the lens of their identity, empathize with the obstacles they encountered, and celebrate what they learned?
Campuses need to find ways to connect those students to a network of like-minded people. Consider creating special sessions and activities that appeal to the needs of specific populations. For example, women of color or first-generation students who have studied abroad might have very different sets of concerns upon returning. Collaborate with colleagues across the campus and in the community to develop group-specific support networks. Invite faculty members and administrators from departments that have a record of trust and credibility with those communities to help facilitate guided discussions.
It is the responsibility of our entire campus to ensure the healthy development of our students before, during, and after studying abroad.
Aaron Bruce is chief diversity officer at San Diego State University, where he has helped lead study-abroad programs in the Dominican Republic. He has also led programs in Mexico City for historically underrepresented groups from various American universities.
