A new fund is designed to bring the enrichment that comes with study abroad within reach for students.
“For most college students from historically underserved populations, the idea of studying abroad might seem as attainable as studying on the moon,” said Dr. Tina Williams, chair of the Department of Management and Quantitative Methods (MQM). Williams and fellow MQM faculty member Dr. Joe Goodman started the Management Study Abroad Program fund to help keep costs down.
“Joe and I are both first-generation students, so the financial infrastructure was not there for us to consider study abroad when we were undergraduate students,” said Williams, who leads a program during Spring Break to Barbados with Dr. Keith Pluymers where students study how businesses and the environment engage in equity and inclusion. “We wanted students to know they could travel and have these experiences.”
Goodman takes students to Romania each summer where they spend two weeks discovering the economic and social resiliency of the nation. Goodman shared William’s belief in the empowering nature of study abroad.
“How often have students heard, ‘The world is your oyster’ and were encouraged to seek opportunities?” asked Goodman. “Shakespeare’s initial use of the oyster metaphor implies the inherent difficulties for a pearl’s retrieval. Financially supporting first-gen students provides them the necessary tool to seize the opportunity.”
It costs around $3,500 per student to participate in the Barbados or Romania trip. This includes meeting with local leaders in business, the arts, and culture.
“Going to Barbados was a life-changing experience and I learned so much not only about business and the rich history and culture of Barbados, but also about myself,” said Faith Ward, who noted the journey led to an internship. “Without the financial support, I would not have been able to go on the trip and would not have the opportunities I have now.”
Find out more about the Hatch campaign for the Management Study Abroad Program fund, or email COBManagement@ilstu.edu.
