Profiles of the 10 students included in the Study Abroad is for Me campaign.
Profiles of the 10 students included in the Study Abroad is for Me campaign. Photo: Global Initiatives
Share:

Global Initiatives unveils campaign to increase study abroad for underrepresented students

by Shavon Anderson, university news and communications

Study abroad can be a life-changing experience. That’s how Miami University junior Brian Velasquez described his recent trip to Italy where he participated in a computer science program and gained insight into his family’s history.

“To see myself grow as a person, it’s sure to have an impact in my career and for the rest of my life,” he said.

Velasquez is one of about 43% of students who study abroad during their time at Miami. The vision is to expand access to education abroad, according to Kristin Magyari, assistant director for communications and marketing with Global Initiatives.

A Miami University student sits in front of a video recorder for an interview.

A behind-the-scenes look during the Study Abroad is for Me interview day (photo by Kristin Magyari).

Last fall, study abroad staff approached Magyari, looking for ways to not only increase program participation, but increase underrepresented applicants like students of color, those with financial need, males and international students.

“Students have different factors in mind when they hear study abroad,” Magyari said. “They may think they can’t afford it or that it won’t fit into their major.”

During the fall, Magyari’s team created Study Abroad is for Me (SAIFM), a campaign concept that aims to resonate with students and give them the knowledge and confidence to apply for programs. 

For SAIFM, the team interviewed 10 students from Oxford and the Regionals, including students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The interviews captured students’ personal stories and study abroad experiences. Many in the group shared similar misconceptions about their ability to match with a program before realizing they could make the goal happen.

The interviews turned into a digital storytelling campaign and promotional video developed by Jake Jones, a senior finance major and two-time study abroad participant.

“The whole point of this is a sort of myth-busters,” Jones said. “It proves that if you think you can’t study abroad for whatever reason, you can go and you can have support.”

Miami remains one of the leading study abroad institutions in the country, but Ryan Dye, director of education abroad, remains eager to elevate the program.

“If you look at our study abroad enrollment, we send a lot of students abroad,” Dye said. “But there's room to grow the number of underrepresented students we send abroad.”

Jingjing Luo, an undecided first-year student and student employee in Global Initiatives, said her friends never talked about joining an overseas program.

“Some people don’t know that international students can study abroad,” Luo said. “A lot of my friends think they can’t go because they’re already studying abroad here in the United States.”

Luo hopes her involvement in creating SAIFM encourages international students to join the experience.

A Miami University student sits in front of a video recorder for an interview.

A behind-the-scenes look during the Study Abroad is for Me interview day (photo by Kristin Magyari).

Public campaign launch

Study Abroad is for Me officially launches on April 24. That day, Global Initiatives plans to host a mini fair in the Armstrong Student Center to showcase popular programs, followed by a reception in MacMillan Hall where the public can see the promotional videos for the first time.

The digital campaign, complete with the 10 student interviews, also goes live on a newly created website.

Magyari estimates that it will take two to three years before the office knows whether the campaign is making an impact.

Part of making study abroad more accessible includes increasing the study abroad scholarship fund.

You can donate year-round to the study abroad scholarship fund through the university advancement office.