The Facts about Diversity in Study Abroad
What nations don’t know can hurt them. The stakes involved in study abroad are that simple, that straightforward, and that important. For their own future and that of the nation, college graduates today must be internationally competent. - Lincoln Study Abroad Commission, US Congress Nov. 2005
Study abroad has not been considered an integral part of higher education in minority communities. As such, minority students are far less likely to be aware of opportunities and have negative assumptions about their study abroad possibilities. A report completed by the Institute of International Education reveals that minority students continue to be under-represented in study and travel abroad programs. Whereas minority students represent close to 34 percent of students enrolled in colleges and universities, they represent less than 17 percent of all students who pursue study abroad. Study and travel abroad brings immense benefits and opportunities to students as individuals; to the United States of America; and to the host nations. There is a need for specific outreach programs to ensure that minority students, like their classmates, are aware of the opportunities and benefits study abroad brings.
Our Mission
Diversity Abroad was founded to ensure that all students are aware and have equal access to study and travel abroad opportunities. The mission of Diversity Abroad is to increase minority students’ participation in study and travel abroad programs. By educating students and promoting the benefits of study and travel abroad programs, Diversity Abroad increases student’s awareness and interest in pursuing such programs.
Our Vision
Our vision is for the cultural and ethnic diversity seen on U.S. campuses to be reflected in the demographics of study and travel abroad participants.
Our History
Diversity Abroad was started in 2006 with the vision of a former study abroad student, Andrew Gordon. The concept was simple; to boost the number of minority and low-income students who participate in study abroad. With the assistance of other former study abroad students who were passionate about the vision, he developed the comprehensive study abroad resource center Diversityabroad.com with the purpose making minority and low income students aware of the benefits and opportunities education abroad will bring them.
In early 2007, Diversity Abroad launched the Diversity Abroad Initiative. The Diversity Abroad Initiative (DAI) is a member-based alliance between Diversity Abroad, colleges, universities, education abroad program providers and public and private organizations interested in education abroad. In conjunction with the DAI, Diversity Abroad provides scholarships to students going abroad, and participates in on-campus outreach to make students, parents and faculty more aware of the benefits and opportunities of education abroad. Together members of the DAI contribute to and support the goals of Diversity Abroad.
Founder
Andrew Gordon is the founder of Diversity Abroad. As an undergraduate at the University of San Francisco, he had the opportunity to study in Cuernavaca, Mexico and Seville, Spain. While studying abroad, he noticed that there were few other minority students participating in the study abroad programs. He researched the issue of under-representation in the study abroad arena and learned that lack of awareness and cost constraints were the two main reasons why more minority students didn’t take advantage of study and travel abroad programs. He started Diversity Abroad to address the issues that prevent these students from experiencing international-based education.
He earned a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco. He is a member of NAFSA: Association of International Educators (www.nafsa.org), where he serves on the Committee on Underrepresentation and member of Net Impact (www.netimpact.org). He is also an alumnus of INROADS (www.inroads.org) and AIESEC (www.aiesec.org).
Prior to starting Diversity Abroad, Andrew worked as an associate at Deloitte and Touche in San Francisco, California. He also worked for Equifax as a credit analyst in Madrid, Spain.
Advisory Board
Andrés Jaime, Program Coordinator, Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities - HACU
Bill Clabby, Director of Research, International Studies Abroad
Christa Sander, Associate Director, New York University
Eduardo Contreras, C-GEO Program Coordinator, UT Austin
Julie Leitman, Regional Director, Academic Programs International
LaNitra Berger, Senior Manager, NAFEO
Matthew Pucciarelli, Executive Director of Global Studies, St. John’s University
