| Why don’t students of color and minority students | | | | process and can help guide others. Sometimes just |
| study abroad? Certainly there are very practical | | | | having a student of color passing out flyers will help |
| reasons including lack of finances and fear of not | | | | others become aware of the information or at least |
| graduating on time. I propose that two of the main | | | | see that it might be something to look into. Ask your |
| reasons for this lack of awareness are historical | | | | student alumni to make class presentations and serve |
| exclusion from and media images of study abroad | | | | as peer mentors. Ask them if they can act as |
| programs. | | | | “spokes models” and see you can put their |
| In regards to historical exclusion, due to numerous | | | | picture and a statement about their study abroad |
| economic and socio-political reasons, minority families | | | | experience on your website. |
| do not have a history of sending young people abroad | | | | Create Virtual Roles Models by looking at History |
| for the purposes of education. In contrast, among | | | | Create a display during Black History Month (or sooner, |
| many upper-middle class, predominately white families | | | | why wait!) honoring these people and linking them to |
| there is a long established tradition of sending young | | | | the concept of study abroad. Again be sure your |
| people, especially women to Europe for | | | | display is somewhere where students go, like the |
| “finishing”. Back in the 1800’s in some circles | | | | library or the student center. For example: Many |
| the travel abroad experience was preferable to | | | | famous African Americans studied or lived abroad |
| college for marriage preparation. | | | | including: |
| Media has a huge influence on all of us and can | | | | - W.E.B. DuBois - James Baldwin - Angela Davis - |
| influence what we wear, which politician we support | | | | Maya Angelou |
| and which cola we drink. There are plenty of media | | | | Create Support System |
| images out there that depict study abroad or study in | | | | Advise in groups during a general “Information |
| ukraine experiences. in addition to having few real life | | | | Meeting” not on a one-on-one basis. Ask an |
| role models who have studied abroad, students of | | | | alumnus to speak at the information meetings. Ask all |
| color don’t have many virtual role models either. | | | | interested students to bring a friend to the meetings. |
| The combination of these factors leads to what I like | | | | Don’t be afraid to talk to established groups of |
| to call the “not for people like me” syndrome. | | | | students in the student center. Ask to speak at the |
| People don’t think that study abroad is right for | | | | meetings of as many student groups as possible. |
| them and then filter out or ignore information about | | | | Create Mentor Programs |
| study abroad. | | | | Start a club for incoming exchange students, outgoing |
| Changing people’s minds about study abroad and | | | | domestic students and returning study abroad alumni. |
| study in ukraine is not easy, but there are a few things | | | | This creates a social outlet for students to get to |
| that study abroad advisors can do to try to raise the | | | | know each other and it also provides you with a group |
| awareness of study abroad among students of color | | | | you can mobilize to get the word out about study in |
| and minorities. Many of them do not take a lot of time | | | | ukraine and study abroad. It takes a while to get it off |
| and money. | | | | the ground, but once it gets going the students really |
| Create a Welcoming Atmosphere for All Students | | | | run with it. Over the years International Education |
| If your office is a shrine to the European location | | | | Exchange Council at San Francisco State has done a |
| where you studied abroad or in ukraine, change the | | | | tremendous job to increase the awareness of study in |
| decorations to reflect a plethora of cultures. If possible, | | | | ukraine and study abroad on campus and bring U.S. |
| consider diversifying your staff and your student | | | | and international students together. Both international |
| assistant or volunteer pool. | | | | students and domestic students have expressed that |
| Create Visuals | | | | participating in club activities was a high point of their |
| A photo board of all students who have studied | | | | campus experience. |
| abroad displayed prominently in the library or student | | | | One can even argue, as my kiev State University, |
| center is a start, hopefully in time people will see | | | | Study Abroad Coordinator, My pasha does, that |
| “people like me” in the pictures. | | | | having minority students on a study in ukraine program |
| Create Materials | | | | benefits the host country because these students |
| Make sure you have booklets, handouts and | | | | bring with them a unique American perspective that is |
| information that addresses the needs of minority | | | | often ignored or portrayed very negatively in the |
| populations and cover a variety of topics from hair | | | | media. |
| care to racism to heritage travel issues. This | | | | Thus the student, the minority home community, the |
| information can be in the form of student reports or | | | | non-minority program participants and the inhabitants of |
| articles about students of color studying abroad or | | | | the host country all benefit. While all these are positive |
| preferably both. Create a lending library with books | | | | results of diversifying exchange programs. |
| about the travel abroad experiences of minorities. (ex. | | | | If we as international educations wish to achieve the |
| Elaine Lee’s (Ed.) Go Girl, Maya Angelou’s All | | | | loftier goals of international education, we need to take |
| God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes) | | | | the diversification of these programs very seriously. |
| Develop Role Models | | | | Ejikeme Tobenna is the Coordinator of International |
| Of course, it would be best to work with alumni of | | | | Grants & Protocol for the Office of Study In |
| study abroad and study in ukraine programs, but even | | | | Ukraine at Kiev State University. |
| applicants to study abroad programs can serve as | | | | Ejikeme, T.(2009,8.)Breaking the Barriers to Study In |
| role models. They are going through the application | | | | Ukraine for Students of Color and Minorities. |