A Look at Diversity in Study Abroad

I just read an article from The Chronicle of Higher Education entitled “Colleges Are Urged to Try New Approaches to Diversify Study Abroad” by Karin Fischer, It was interesting to read the perspectives of those who work and attended the Association of International Education Administrators Conference in February. The following two sentences really struck a cord with me. “While the number of students going on academic programs overseas has tripled in the past two decades, that upward trajectory masks the lack of progress in getting a broader cross section of students to have an international experience. Racial and ethnic minorities, men, working adults, lower-income and first-generation college students, and those with disabilities—all are underrepresented abroad.” I am a part of this group of those who are underrepresented in studying abroad. Did that let that statistic stop me? No, but I can definitely relate in the fact that I was sometimes the only person that looked like me in my classes when I did not go with other students from my undergraduate university.

During my undergraduate studies I went on a 2 week study abroad trip with my Spanish Art History Class. About 20 students including myself went on a tour of Spanish cities including Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla, Salamanca, Barcelona, etc. We were all students of color. One of our professors was from Spain and grew up there. The other professor was Caucasian. I can remember we were going to a restaurant one day and a Spanish woman with her child gawked and stared at our entire group from across the street as we passed by. Could she have been staring because of our color and the size of the group probably but we did not let that detract from our entire trip. Were we the only study abroad group of color that we came across during our trip yes. Do I wish I saw other people of color who were studying abroad? Of course, for me it would not have been because I would have felt more comfortable but because I would have seen other students of color who had and took advantage of an opportunity to study abroad, to step out of their comfort zone and go somewhere totally different from anything they may have ever known.

As a graduate student I was the only person in my program that came from my racial and ethnic background. Instead of focusing on being the only one, I focused on taking in the culture of the place I was in, the people I was around, and I shared my own culture with others rather than focusing on the fact that I may have been the “only one” like me there.

The article also talked about some of the barriers such as cost, duration of the study abroad experience versus the other responsibilities and needs of one’s life, and the lack of the type of marketing that directly speak to underrepresented students. One thing that I thought was missing from the discussion is the lack of diversity of the study abroad and/or international programs offices themselves, especially if the school is not a Historically Black College or University. Is there any representation of minorities in the study abroad and/or international programs offices of predominately White Colleges and Universities? Do minorities hold a variety of positions and represent different levels within those offices? This can make a huge difference in the marketing efforts and level of visibility of these types of programs to minority students. I know this is one of the reasons my career goal is to become a Director of a Study Abroad/ International Programs Office. I want minority students to know that these opportunities are not just for other students. I want them to know that if I was able to study abroad so can they. I can share advice and give support to all of my students regardless of race/ethnicity, creed, household income level, but I do know the comforting feeling when a student see someone they can relate to and I can definitely relate to those in which this article refers to as the underrepresented.

KoMiSa’s Take Away Thought: I agree that more students from what the article refers to as the underrepresented should have the opportunities to study abroad. This is one of my passions and reasons for this blog and my personal career choice. Keep reading this blog to find out more about studying abroad and to meet students and professionals through  KoMiSa’s World’s Career Corner and Student Corner who could be considered in the “underrepresented” group defying the odds.