Study abroad programs offer great potential to benefit students in an increasingly internationalized world and work place. Recently, a wide discussion among educators about the benefits of diversifying study abroad has developed, but students participating in study abroad may face many constraints, many of which are not faced by their majority student peers. The purpose of this study is to further assess, through a survey and focus groups, the constraints on multicultural student participation in study abroad. The results of the study indicate that institutional factors (academic scheduling difficulties, absence of relevant programs, lack of information, etc.), as well as other factors that can be moderated by institutional effort (providing encouragement, addressing financial issues, discussing family concerns, etc.), prevent students of color from participating in study abroad programs. The authors use the results of this study, along with those of the broader literature, to recommend strategies to increase multicultural student participation in study abroad.
Anderson, K. ( 1996, June). Expanding your horizons [Electronic version]. Black Enterprise, June 1996. Retrieved Oct 1, 2002, from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?TS
2.
Bailey, R.B., III. ( 1991). The River Falls experience: Custom-designing study abroad . In Black students and overseas programs: Broadening the base of participation (pp. 31-42). New York: Council on International Education Exchange.
3.
Booth, J. ( 1991). Introduction. In Black Students and Overseas Programs: Broadening the Base of Participation (pp. vii-ix). New York: Council on International Education Exchange. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED340323)
4.
Burkart, B., Hexter, H., & Thompson, D. ( 2001). Why TRIO students need to study abroad! Retrieved August 1, 2008, from http://www.pellinstitute.org/Clearinghouse/shared/opportunity_outlookC.pdf
5.
Brux, J., & Ngoboka, P. ( 2002, November). Underrepresented U.S. students and international study. Poster session presented at the Council on International Educational Exchange Conference, Atlanta, GA.
6.
Brux, J., Ward, T.B., Contreras, E., & Gordon, A. ( 2007, November). Race and money matters in study abroad. Session conducted at the Council on International Educational Exchange annual conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
7.
Burr, P.L. ( 2005, Fall). Building study abroad acceptance among Hispanic students: The value of talking to the Hispanic family. IIENetworker Magazine: Diversity in International Education. Retrieved June 26, 2007, from http://www.iienetwork.org/page/71528
8.
Calhoon, J.A., Wildcat, D., Annett C., Pierotti, R., & Griswold, W. ( 2003). Creating meaningful study abroad programs for American Indian postsecondary students [Electronic Version]. Journal of American Indian Education, 42(1), 46-57.
9.
Carew, J.G. ( 1993, January 6). For minority students, study abroad can be inspiring and liberating. The Chronicle of Higher Education , p. B5.
10.
Carlson, J.S. and Burn, B. ( 1989) Study Abroad: The Experience of American Undergraduates in Western Europe and the United States, cited in Lambert, Richard D., International Studies and the Undergraduate, Washington DC: American Council on Education, by CIEE, Minorities and Overseas Studies Programs: Correlates of Differential Participation, Larry Hembroff and Debra Rusz, November 1993.
11.
Carlson, J.S., Burn, B.B., Useem, J., & Yachimowicz, D. (1991), Study abroad: The experience of American undergraduates in Western Europe and the United States. New York, NY: Council on International Education Exchange. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED340332)
12.
Carlson, J.S., & Widaman, K.F. ( 1988). The effects of study abroad during college on attitudes toward other cultures. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 12(1), p. 1-17.
13.
Carter, H.M. ( 1991). Minority access to international education. In Black students and overseas programs: Broadening the base of participation (pp. 9-20). New York, NY: Council on International Education Exchange . (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED340323)
14.
Cole, J.B. ( 1991). Opening address of the 43rd International Conference on Educational Exchange. In Black students and overseas programs: Broadening the base of participation (pp. 1-8). New York, NY: Council on International Education Exchange. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED340323)
15.
Council on International Educational Exchange. ( 1991). Black students and overseas programs: Broadening the base of participation. Retrieved November 22, 2008, from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/23/70/30.pdf
16.
Craig, S. ( 1998, February). Global study: Reflecting the norms of an international society. Black Collegian, 28(2), 138.
17.
Cressy, K. ( 2005, Fall). A long-term vision for diversity in education abroad . IIENetworker Magazine: Diversity in International Education . Retrieved June 26, 2007, from http://www.iienetwork.org/page/71207
18.
Day-Vines, N., Barker, J.M., & Exum, H.A. ( 1998). Impact of diasporic travel on ethnic identity development of African American college students. College Student Journal , 32, 463.
19.
Deutsch, S. ( 1970). International education and exchange : A sociological analysis. Cleveland, OH: Press of Case Western Reserve University.
20.
Doan, T.M. ( 2002, January). Asian American students: Study abroad participation, perspectives and Experiences. Unpublished masters thesis, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
21.
Fels, M. ( 1993). Assumptions of African-American students about international educational exchange. Paper presented at the Speech Communication Association Convention. Miami, FL. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED368315)
22.
Gleason, M., Chieffo, L., & Griffiths, L. ( 2005, Fall). Study abroad and McNair Scholars: A partnership for success!IIENetworker Magazine: Diversity in International Education. Retrieved July 5, 2007, from http://www.iienetwork.org/page/71205
23.
Hembroff, L.A., & Rusz, D.L. ( 1993). Minorities and overseas studies programs: Correlates of differential participation. New York, NY: Council on International Education Exchange. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED368283)
24.
Institute of International Education (2008 , November 12). Open doors 2007: Report on international educational exchange. Retrieved November 22, 2008, from http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/page/131530
25.
Institute of International Education (2008 , November 17). Open doors 2008: Report on international educational exchange. Retrieved November 22, 2008, from http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/page/131530
26.
Jackson, M.J. ( 2005, Fall). Breaking the barriers to overseas study for students of color and minorities. IIENetworker Magazine: Diversity in International Education. Retrieved June 6, 2007, from http://www.iienetwork.org/page/71532
27.
Jenkins, K. ( 2002, May 9). Off the beaten path: Studying abroad in "nontraditional" locations. Black Issues in Higher Education, 19(6), 50.
28.
Lambert, R.D. ( 1989). International studies and the undergraduate, Washington, DC: American Council on Education.
29.
Leonard, E. ( 1959). Selected general education outcomes, foreign travel and study. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Adelphi University , Garden City, NY.
30.
Mattai, P.R., &Ohiwerei, B. ( 1989). Some mitigating factors against African-Americans in the rural American south opting to study abroad. Paper presented at the 42nd Annual Conference on the International Educational Exchange, Washington, DC. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED315474)
31.
Matz, C. ( 1997). Study abroad in higher education today. In L. B. Welch, B. J. Cleckley , & M. McClure (Eds.), Strategies for promoting pluralism in education and the workplace (pp. 115-124). Westport, CT: Praeger.
32.
Morgan, R.M., Mwegelo, D.T., & Thuner, L.N. ( 2002). Black women in the African diaspora seeking their cultural heritage through studying abroad. NASPA Journal, 39, 333-353.
33.
Neff, A.R. ( 2001, August 2). Discovering heritage and more by studying abroad . Black Issues in Higher Education, 18(2), 38.
34.
Perdreau, C. ( 2002). Study abroad: A 21st century perspective: Building diversity into education abroad programs. Retrieved December, 14, 2003 , from http://www.aifsfoundation.org/perdreau.htm
35.
Pickard, M.D., & Ganz, M.A. ( 2005, Fall). Increasing national diversity in education abroad using the Gilman international scholarship and others. IIENetworker Magazine: Diversity in International Education. Retrieved June 6, 2007, from http://www.iienetwork.org/page/71531
36.
Raby, R. ( 2005, Fall). Community college study abroad: Making study abroad accessible to all students. IIENetworker Magazine: Diversity in International Education. Retrieved July 5, 2007 from http://www.iienetwork.org/page/91081
37.
Rhodes, G., & Hong, H. ( 2005, Fall). Project for learning abroad, training and outreach (PLATO): An integrated study abroad, training, certification, and diversity outreach program. IIENetworker Magazine: Diversity in International Education. Retrieved July 5, 2007, from www.iienetwork.org/file_depot/0-10000000/0-10000/1710/folder/10528
38.
Rose, S., & Bylander, J. ( 2007). Border crossings: Engaging students in diversity work and intergroup relations. Innovative Higher Education, 31, 251-264.
39.
Sell, D.K., & R.B. Craig ( 1983). The use of Q methodology to investigate attitude change in American students who participate in foreign study programs: A review of literature. Operant Subjectivity, 7(1), 14-29.
40.
Talburt, S., & Stewart, M.A. ( 1999). What’s the subject of study abroad? Race, gender, and "living culture."The Modern Language Journal, 83, 163-175.
41.
Tsantir, S.B. ( 2005, Fall). Heritage seeking and education abroad: A case study . IIENetworker Magazine: Diversity in International Education . Retrieved July 5, 2007, from http://www.iienetwork.org/page/97399
42.
Washington, D.D. ( 1998). African-American undergraduate students’ perceptions of and attitudes toward study abroad programs. Unpublished doctoral dissertation , George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
