ABSTRACT
Study abroad has been identified as a high-impact practice (Kuh, 2008), and barriers to studying abroad disproportionately impact first-generation students in higher education. This chapter focuses on ways individual faculty and staff or higher education programs and units can implement custom study abroad programs for first-generation students. Using custom programs developed by Purdue Promise and Horizons TRIO Student Support Services at Purdue University as examples, the chapter teaches prospective study abroad program leaders how to implement custom programs with specific intentionality for program design and decisions in order to reduce barriers for first-generation students. The chapter further highlights outcomes from the sample programs, and reviews lessons learned from previous study abroad experiences, including planning in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Readers can engage with the chapter to build a framework for proposing or implementing custom study abroad programs for first-generation students at their respective campuses.
