Lauren Gilhuly

Class of 2021

Increasing Equitable Access to Study Abroad Opportunities

How can I address the lack of racial and socioeconomic diversity in U.S. study abroad through my
trimester one project?

Issue overview:

In the United States, approximately 350,000 students studied abroad in the 2017-18 academic year.
Of these students, 70% were white (while white students represented 56% of total student
enrollment in higher education institutes) (“Trends in U.S. Study Abroad”). These numbers spell a
clear problem: students of color are underrepresented when it comes to study abroad. In my own
experience working at many different high schools, I have found this to be true as well. Additionally,
access to study abroad opportunities in both high school and higher education is predictably affected
by socioeconomic status. The result of all this is that students already coming from advantaged
backgrounds are much more likely to experience the additional advantage of participating in study
abroad, thus increasing inequity in our already very inequitable society.

Why it matters and why I chose it:

This matters to me for many reasons. First of all, I feel very personally connected to this issue
because I have had firsthand experience of study abroad and believe that it was the most valuable
component of my education. I would like to expand the definition of study abroad for my project to
mean any experience where high school or college students are participating in experiential,
meaningful learning in a foreign environment (so this can include service learning spring break trips,
summer language programs, work abroad experiences, etc.). There is also growing evidence that
study abroad and similar experiences are exceptionally beneficial in many ways. Students are more
likely to get a job they want and salaries are higher for students who have had a study abroad
experience. Students who participate in these programs develop agency and a sense of purpose that
formal education often does not give them. Students are exposed to many different perspectives and
become more empathetic and open-minded. These students hone their initiative-taking skills and
many return home with increased motivation to pursue education and careers (Dwyer & Peters).

I believe strongly in the benefits of study abroad and want to make it more accessible for all students,
particularly students who may otherwise not have access. I feel frustrated that it is yet another space
that perpetuates existing inequities, but also believe that it can be leveraged to address those
inequities. Because I currently work at a high school, I am well positioned to execute a project
addressing this. I plan to further investigate barriers to study abroad experiences, specifically for high
school students, and figure out what I can do about it in my trimester one project.

Works Cited

Dwyer, Mary & Peters, Courtney. The Benefits of Study Abroad. Clark University,
www2.clarku.edu/offices/studyabroad/pdfs/IES%20Study.pdf. Accessed: 22 Sept., 2020.

“Trends in U.S. Study Abroad.” NAFSA,

www.nafsa.org/policy-and-advocacy/policy-resources/trends-us-study-abroad​. Accessed: 22
Sept., 2020.