ABSTRACT
In an increasingly globalized world, study abroad rates are on the rise, with student participation growing to more than three times what it was two decades ago—from roughly 100,000 to over 300,000 study abroad students (Institute of International Education, 2015). With a global education, students benefit in many ways—from enhanced motivation and achievement, to a developed sense of self, to improved cultural competence. The proportion of minority students studying abroad has increased from 16 percent in 2003–2004 to 26 percent in 2013–2014. However, students of color still fall behind their peers in pursuing such opportunities (Institute of International Education, 2015). Out of all students who went abroad in 2014–2015, only 5 percent were Black students and 8 percent were Hispanic students (Schmelzer, 2015). According to Esmieu et al. (2016), out of the 289,408 U.S. students that studied abroad, only 10,573 attended a Minority Serving Institution (MSI). This chapter explores these disparities and poses two core questions: (i) why do students of color study abroad at lower rates than their White counterparts? and (ii) how might HBCUs and HSIs increase access and participation in global academic programs?
