Fund for Education Abroad Doubles Commitment to Increasing Access
to Study Abroad with 100 Scholarships Totaling $335,000
First-generation college, minority and community college students comprise 2018 FEA Scholars
Download the full Press Release here.
WASHINGTON, DC, April 9, 2018 – The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) has increased access to international education by granting a record-breaking 100 scholarships totaling $335,000 to US students consistently underrepresented in study abroad. These figures represent a doubling of the number of scholarships and a $110,000 (49%) increase over funds granted last year.
The students come from a variety of racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and represent higher education institutions across the country. FEA funds scholarships of up to $10,000 for study abroad, enabling students to study across the globe for a minimum of four weeks to a full academic year.
Including this year’s recipients, a total of 268 scholars, including minority, first-generation college and community college students, have benefited from over $1.3 million in scholarships granted since FEA’s inception in 2010. This year, 93% of the students are of minority backgrounds, and 91% are first-generation college students. Additionally, 32% of all the FEA scholars have a community college background.
“Access to education should be a right, never a privilege,” said CAPA The Global Education Network President John Christian, a member of the FEA Access Advisory Board and FEA Access Partner. “As a community working together to brighten the future for all our students, every day we must remain focused on advancing diversity and inclusive excellence in global education.” Access Partners provide vital funding to ensure more American students have the opportunity to study abroad on partner programs.
“Today, students are the key to forging enduring links to citizens of other cultures as classmates, neighbors, roommates and friends,” said FEA Executive Director Jennifer Calvert. “It’s vital these students represent the U.S. in all its diversity and that they have the encouragement and financial support of donors, companies, and foundations who value U.S. representation in the world.”
The 2018 FEA scholarship winners were selected from a pool of over 2,300 applicants representing approximately 517 colleges and universities across the country. A team of 138 volunteer reviewers individually read and reviewed each application.
FEA offers general and dedicated scholarships. Dedicated scholarships include numerous regional scholarships, Access Partner Scholarships, the Hiliary Echo Douglas Memorial scholarship, which is dedicated to those who wish to travel to Vietnam, the Jane Gluckmann & Carol Rausch Go Global scholarship, for students studying abroad in Mexico, Central America, South America, France, or Germany, and a Rainbow scholarship for students nationwide who self-identify as LGBTQI.
The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population, making life-changing, international experiences accessible to all by supporting minority and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs. FEA aims to make the demographics of U.S. undergraduates studying abroad reflect the rich diversity of the U.S. population. FEA won the 2015 Diversity Abroad Excellence in Diversifying International Education Award and GoAbroad.com’s 2015 Innovation in Philanthropy Award.