Education Abroad Leaders Join Forces to Increase Access to Study Abroad
The Fund for Education Abroad adds new organizations to its Access Partners Program for scholarships and strategy.
Read the full press release here.
Washington, D.C., December 17, 2018—Leaders in higher education, business, and nonprofits committed to international education joined forces this month with The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) to provide scholarships to high-achieving U.S. undergraduates who are underrepresented in the study abroad population.
FEA’s Access Partner program is a collaborative venture that was developed to bring together study abroad providers and international education leaders to create scholarship opportunities for students with financial need seeking to participate in international education academic programs.
A leader representing each of the new Access Partners will participate on the Access Advisory Board (AAB) to offer guidance and feedback on the program. The new Access Partners and their respective Access Advisory Board members are:
- The School for Field Studies (SFS) – Devin Foxall, Director of Institutional Relations;
- CET Academic Programs – Mark Lenhart, Executive Director;
- University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) – Moriah Mock, Scholarship/Alumni Coordinator;
- GoAbroad.com – Kayla Patterson, Chief Operating Officer; and,
- FIE: Foundation for International Education – John Pearson, Senior Vice President of Operations.
They join existing members AIFS Study Abroad, CAPA The Global Education Network, CIEE, SIT Study Abroad, The Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA-Butler), Terra Dotta, The Intern Group, and The University of Auckland.
“It’s my pleasure to introduce the members of the Access Advisory Board (AAB) joining us in year two,” said Jennifer Calvert, Executive Director for FEA. “Our Access Partner program perfectly encapsulates FEA’s mission to marshal resources across international education—even amongst industry competitors—to advance our shared values and goals of increasing access to study abroad.”
Access Partners have pledged support of up to $5,000 per academic semester to FEA scholarship applicants who are planning to participate on one of their study abroad programs. Qualified applicants studying on programs hosted by providers in FEA’s Access Partner program may receive additional dedicated scholarship funds. Detailed information is available at https://fundforeducationabroad.org/access-partners-scholarships .
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About the Fund for Education Abroad
The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is a 501(c)(3) whose mission 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 Access Partners participate on the FEA Access Advisory Board (AAB), established to share best practices in international education and actively engage in FEA’s mission to increase the number of Americans studying abroad. FEA is a Guidestar Gold participant, and won the 2015 Diversity Abroad Excellence in Diversifying International Education Award and GoAbroad.com’s 2015 Innovation in Philanthropy Award. Follow FEA at www.fundforeducationabroad.org, and on Facebook, LinkedIn, Tumblr and on Twitter: @FEAScholarships.
About FEA’s New Access Partners
School for Field Studies (SFS). Since 1980, SFS has offered programs that are based in locations and ecosystems grappling with critical environmental issues such as climate change. Their programs are hands-on learning reimagined. Students step out of the classroom and actively engage in the ecosystems they study.
CET Academic Programs. CET Academic Programs is a study abroad organization that has been developing and delivering innovative educational programs abroad since 1982. Originally “China Educational Tours,” CET began operations in Beijing, later expanding to other locations around the world.
University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC). For more than 35 years, USAC has provided university students with affordable, valuable study abroad programs and contributed to the internationalization of universities in the US and abroad. They currently have program locations in 28 countries with many locations unique for study abroad.
GoAbroad.com. Launched and conceptualized in 1997, GoAbroad first set out to fill the information gap between students with a desire to travel abroad and companies offering international programs. As the travel industry has evolved and access to opportunities to see the world has grown, they’ve developed and evolved over the past two decades to meet the ever-changing needs of travelers, positioning ourselves as the resource for meaningful travel around the world.
FIE: Foundation for International Education. FIE: Foundation for International Education is a London-based non-profit educational organization, providing customized partnership programs and individual student enrollment programs in London, Dublin, and Amman for undergraduate students.