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Dismantling Non-Financial Barriers to Study Abroad Experienced by Underrepresented Students

Consider Seating Yourselves by School Type (See Room Map at the Front) Welcome to:

Dismantling Non-Financial Barriers to Study Abroad Experienced by Underrepresented Students

NAFSA Annual Conference and Expo May 24-29, 2015, Boston, Massachusetts

Presenters:

Erin Hillis

Associate Director of International Programs, Rhodes College

Amber Joy Routh

Career and Academic Planning Center Program Manager Hull College of Business, Georgia Regents University

Theresa Frey

Associate Director of International Programs, Pace University

Matthew Pucciarelli

Associate Vice President, Office of Global Studies, St. John’s University

Today’s Agenda

• Barriers Research: African American

Students

• Creating a safe space for LGBTQ

students

• Exploring case studies in awareness

building, resources, and marketing: ○ Georgia Regents University ○ St. John’s University

• Group discussion about your campuses

Barriers Research: African American Students

About Rhodes College

• Enrollment slightly over 2000
• Mostly undergraduate
• 65% and 80% study abroad
• Small minority population
• Over $350,000 in scholarships
• Urban, service-oriented school

Barriers Research: African American Students

Jessica

• Female African-American student
• 9 day “multicultural excursion” to Belize
• 11 other minority students, several friends
• Full study abroad scholarship
• Completed all logistical steps to attend
• She didn’t show up at the airport
• Notification: program leader vs. friend
• Reason: Family objections to study abroad

Barriers Research: African American Students

Study:

• “Breaking Barriers: Investigating

Study Abroad Obstacles for African-American Students”

• Small, private liberal arts college
• Qualitative, grounded theory,

utilized semi-structured interviews with participants

Barriers Research: African American Students

Themes suggest that students:

• Fought hard to secure their place at

College and prove they belonged; doing this again in a new place, then again upon return, was a significant barrier

• Faced lack of encouragement/support
• Feared racism or criticism of race abroad

Barriers Research: African American Students

Themes suggest that students:

• Had lack of interest and/or little

knowledge of potential academic, personal, and career gains associated with going abroad

• Encountered unfamiliar logistical

barriers that almost prevented their participation - #1 Largest Barrier

Barriers Research: African American Students

Study Results: Students reported great benefits, citing:

• Gaining insight and understanding of other cultures
• Gaining self-understanding through personal growth
• Becoming an advocate for students of color studying

abroad

• Experiencing a more open line of communication to the

individuals in their support system(s) who had apprehensions about the student studying abroad

Barriers Research: African American Students

So What?

• Hold logistic-specific meetings (groups or one-on-one)

to cover the unfamiliar tasks and lend support

• Does your institution have an office for “multicultural

affairs” - recruit them!

• Invest in personal recruitment for these populations
• Have dedicated time to contact these parents over the

phone to discuss the benefits of study abroad

Daisy

2009 - 2013 : 0/1 Trip 2014 - Cuba 2015 - Cuba 2015 - London/Paris 2014 - Chile 2015 - Chile

Photos by Nicolas Raymond - Creative Commons

Growth & Diversification

• f Study

Abroad Participants

How:

• Study Abroad Liaison - Advisor Involvement
• Targeted Classrooms
• Marketing to Majors
• Direct Reach

Most Persuasive Factor Awareness Factors

Change in Emphasis

• All value Location & Credit
• Value Differences
• White: Scholarships & Fun
• Minority: Convenience
• Only 15% felt guaranteed

scholarships were a factor

Factors Contributing to Decision to Study Abroad

So What?

• Relational motivation essential

○ Advisor/Faculty involvement ○ Classroom presentations by known presenter

• Explain academic credit clearly
• Short-term/Convenient trips are key
• Stress resume benefit
• Motivation matters more than money

○ Scholarships aren’t the golden bullet

Results

GRU Business Study Abroad Chile 2014 GRU Business Study Abroad Chile 2014

Creating a safe space for LGBTQ students.

Pace University

• Since 1906, Pace University has produced thinking

professionals by providing high-quality education for the professions with a firm base in liberal learning amid the advantages of the New York Metropolitan Area.

• A private university, Pace has campuses in New

York City and Westchester County.

• Enrolling almost 13,000 students in bachelor’s,

master’s, and doctoral programs in its College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences(Actors inside the Studio), Lubin School of Business(dual accreditation from AACSB International), School of Education, School of Law (3rd in the country Environmental Law), and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

Lorenda (Lore)

ACT LIKE AN ALLY.

April 20, 2010

Listen and ASK Questions.

Talk with and learn from LGBT friends classmates, and colleagues.

What are the issues?

Take the initiative to

• btain accurate

information.

Language matters.

Use inclusive language in conversation and also in written materials, policies, forms, etc.

Create a Safe Space within You.

Do not assume that everyone you meet is heterosexual.

Be Present.

• Attend events, meetings,
• r programs sponsored

by or for people who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual.

• Create your own

programs around LGBTQ topics.

Know your own limits.

• Rainbow SIG;
• Travel Resources;
• Country Policies; and,
• Handout.

So what?

• Ally.
• Listen and ask; laugh, cry, and

think.

• Know the issues on a global

and local level.

• Be Present. Know your limits.
• Identify how you can support.

About St. John’s

• Founded 1870 by the Vincentian Priests
• 4 NYC Campuses + Rome & Paris (&

Seville)

• Roughly 20,000 students
• 97% of students receive aid

○ 40% must be Pell-eligible (BOT)

• Tied for 2nd place as most diverse

college in U.S.

• More than 50% commuters
• SJU awards ~$500k in additional study

abroad grants toward semester programs abroad

SJU’s Study Abroad Outreach

• Successful “general” campaign

○ “Three Cs” ■ Cost, Culture, Curriculum

• Targeted / differentiated outreach to

each constituency / influencer ○ Students ○ Parents ○ Faculty / Advising Deans

• “Take the study abroad office to the

students” approach

The Role of Parents: Mitch (Culture)

• Parents receive “get to know us”

letter.

• Parents attend study abroad info

session.

• Parents convince Mitch to go.
• Mitch studies abroad as an

undergrad… twice.

• Mitch serves as our G.A. while he

earns an M.S. in International Communication.

Spread the Word--Parents (Cost & Culture)

• Parents

○ Often encourage reluctant students ○ Critical influencers, especially among conservative religious families

• Direct Parent Outreach

○ Letters, Emails, and Sessions (in-person and online)

• Financial Aid Grant & “Comparison”

Letters ○ Information can be as important as extra financial aid

Spread the Word--Students (Culture)

Spread the Word--Faculty & Advising Deans (Culture & Curriculum)

• Shifts the “self-selection

problem” ○ Changes the “default”

• Ensures that interested

students hold classes

• Dispels myths about study

abroad

• Motivates creation of

major-specific programs

SJU Study Abroad: Enrollment

SJU Students Abroad, 2013-14: 928; Up nearly 350% since 2005-06 Projected

1000 500

SJU Study Abroad: Demographics

AY 05-06 (SJU) AY 13-14 (SJU) AY 12-13 (National)

SJU Study Abroad: Demographics

AY 05-06 AY 13-14

VHN=”Very High Need,” a.k.a., Pell-eligible

So What?

• Think about central constituencies:

○ What messages motivate each and/or address their concerns or misperceptions? ○ What low-cost ways can you get the word out to them?

• Consider that money may not be

enough--students need to understand how to access it, and be certainty that they’ll get it “automatically” (if true)

• Make study abroad the “default” in

conversations.

• Don’t be overly concerned about the

quality of a single outreach—quantity and presence matter.

“Open Doors,” indeed.

Now It’s Your Turn to “So What?”

• What groups are you trying to reach?
• Who currently is most effective at reaching those

groups?

• Who are your on-campus allies?
• What kind of additional support can you give your

target audience? (Logistics, planning, cultural adjustment)

• What can you do to get parental support for study

abroad?

?

Questions?

Get our Resources - simply email barriersnafsa@gmail.com Thank you for attending

• ur session today!