During the 2012 NAFSA Conference and Expo, the GoAbroad Team was pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 Innovation Awards. As part of a continued effort to recognize the hard work and dedication this year’s nominees, GoAbroad will be sharing individual features of the 2012 GoAbroad Innovation Awards finalists over the coming weeks. This week, we are thrilled to bring you the Innovation in Access & Equity finalists!
Please join us in congratulating the following Finalist of the Innovation in Access & Equity Award:
Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University
“First Generation Scholar Program”
First generation college students have some of the lowest study abroad participation rates among U.S. college students, and the Institute for Study Abroad Butler University (IFSA-Butler) wants to change that. The First Generation Scholar Program, an achievement-based scholarship program that offers first generation college students significant financial, academic and pre-professional support for study abroad on a semester or year IFSA-Butler program. The proposition of study abroad—with its associated procedures, cost, documentation, visas, academic planning and inevitable geographic separation—is often daunting and discouraging. For this reason, the First Generation Scholar Program includes reimbursements and funds for items such as room and board, flight transportation, student visa fee reimbursement (where applicable), and passport fee reimbursement.
In order to facilitate articulating their experiences and help future students understand the value of study abroad, the First Generation Scholars will be required to chronicle their story before, during and after their time abroad in blog form. These blogs will also be a powerful resume builder.