The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans has had amazing interns and fellows with a diversity of experiences and backgrounds. Below, please find the start of an article written by Bakar Ali – a summer 2015 graduate intern. Bakar joined us from the Wagner School at New York University and brought his unique perspective as an international ambassador for the deaf, new American from Somalia, and a devout Muslim. While a member of the team, Bakar focused his efforts on exploring ways African Americans could better take advantage of global education. We hope you find Bakar’s research paper insightful and useful during this International Education Week.

Bakar Ali meets with Deputy Assistant Secretary Mohamed Abdel-Kader of the US Department of Education’s International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) Office

By: Bakar Ali

August 3, 2015

African American Students are underrepresented in Study Abroad
(Read Bakar Ali’s full paper HERE)

In response to globalization, higher education programs, federal agencies and non-profit organizations have established study abroad programs to provide students with an opportunity to gain valuable experience abroad. According to Dr. Allan E. Goodman, President of the Institute of International Education, “international experience is one of the most important components of a 21st century education, and study abroad should be viewed as an essential element of a college degree and critical to preparing future leaders.”[1] Study abroad opportunities allow students to learn about other societies by living and interacting with local communities-learning their customs and traditions. These experiences help students develop an appreciation for different cultures as well as adopt new perspectives on their own American culture.[2] Dr. Goodman and Stacie Nevadomski Berdan insist that “learning how to interact with people from other countries and cultures equips future leaders in all sectors to address urgent issues shared across borders.”[3] Additionally, students who study abroad are also more likely to develop leadership skills, problem solving skills and an increased ability to cope with difficult and unfamiliar situations.[4] The skills mentioned are critical for students to possess in this global economy.

Bakar Ali addressing the 19th Conference of the World Federation of the Deaf in Istanbul, Turkey

Bakar closes by making the following recommendations –

To address the low representation of African American students in study abroad, which is a critical opportunity, the following recommendations should be considered and pursued:

• A program to increase African American mentors in colleges that provide study abroad programs should be created to be resource for African American students who are interested in study abroad.
• Colleges should increase their outreach to African American students in order to share with them about study abroad opportunities. Direct outreach by professors and advisors have huge positive impact on student interest in study abroad therefore it should be main outreach methods that study abroad in colleges uses to attract underrepresented students like African Americans.
• Study abroad advertising materials should reflect the diversity of the student body in American colleges
• U.S Department of Education should encourage colleges to establish funds to support students who are not able to cover the cost of study abroad trips (e.g: flight and accommodations).
• The Department of Education should also allow students to use their financial aid for flights and accommodations. This would allow more minority students to take advantage of financing study abroad with their financial aid.
• Additional scholarly studies on study abroad programs/global education and African Americans should be conducted. Currently, there are few studies that have been done on study abroad specifically related to African Americans. Studies would assist policy makers to establish policies and priorities that will address the underrepresentation of African American students in study abroad.

Bakar Ali debriefs with Initiative Deputy Director Khalilah Harris about his trip to Istanbul, Turkey

[1] “Africa: International Students in the United States and Study Abroad By American Students Are At an All-Time High.” AllAfrica.com. N.p., 21 Nov. 2014. Web. 02 July 2015.

[2] Bandyopadhyay, Soumava, and Kakoli Bandyopadhyay. “Factors Influencing Student Participation In College Study Abroad Programs.” Journal of International Education Research 11.2 (2015): 87.

[3] Goodman, Allen E., and Stacie Berdan. “Every Student Should Study Abroad.” New York Times. N.p., 12 May 2014. Web. 2 July 2015.

[4] Bandyopadhyay, Soumava, and Kakoli Bandyopadhyay. “Factors Influencing Student Participation In College Study Abroad Programs.” Journal of International Education Research 11.2 (2015): 87.