IT TAKES A VILLAGE: BUILDING A SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR DIVERSITY ABROAD

Neal McKinney – DePauw University, Dr. Leigh-Anne Goins – DePauw University, Erica Ledesma – Diversity Abroad, Quinton Redcliffe – CIEE

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Agenda

Introductions/Context Setting

Framework for Inclusivity

The Faculty Perspective

The Program Provider’s Perspective

Strategies for Collaboration

Small Group Discussion Case Study/Strategize collaborations

Wrap up/Final Questions

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Who Are We

Neal McKinney – Assistant Director, Off-Campus Programs, DePauw University

Dr. Leigh-Anne Goins – Assistant Professor, Women Gender and Sexuality Studies, DePauw University

Erica Ledesma – Associate Director, Diversity Abroad Network

Quinton Redcliffe - Director- Experiential Learning, CIEE Cape Town Study Center

Who’s in the Room?

Study Abroad Office?

Faculty?

Providers?

Others?

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Context Setting – Study Abroad by the Numbers

Racial/ethnic diversity in study abroad has increased 10% from 2004-2014from 16% to 26%

% of study abroad students of color enrolled remains well below the national average (46%)

IIE’s Generation Study Abroad campaign aims to increase the number of students going abroad to 600,000 by 2020

In order to close the gap, as a field, we have to be intentional about recruiting students of color to go abroad

White Latino AAPI Black Multiracial First Nation

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90% 83%

6% 6% 4% 1% 0%

73%

9% 8% 6% 4% 1%

Race/Ethnicity Profile of Students Studying Abroad

2004/2005 2014/20152004 total: 205,983; 2014 total: 313,415

(IIE, Profile of U.S. Study Abroad

Students, 2016)

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“If we merely have 600,000 upper-middle-class white women going abroad, what will we have

accomplished?” – Martin Tillman

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Context Setting – Students of Color and Study Abroad

So why aren’t more students of color going abroad?

Getting a degree is the goal and study abroad is often seen as a barrier, not a contributor (Perdreau, n.d.)

Students of color continue to receive fewer messages that study abroad is worthwhile (Woodruff et al., n.d.)

Therefore, in order to mitigate these factors and increase support for students of color abroad, a synergistic collaboration among various stakeholders has to be the focus

Framework for Inclusivity

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Messaging (access)

Student Support (inclusion)

Creating an Inclusive Climate (systemic approach)

Click to insert chart

Creating Access for Students of Color

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The Five F’s Finances Academic Fit Faculty and Adviser Support Fear Friends & Family

Differentiated Approach

Click to insert chart

Creating a Sense of Belonging for Students of Color

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Connection between access & inclusion

Build upon a notion of belonging

When students feel disengaged, faculty can fill the gap

Creating an Inclusive Climate

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Faculty must be prepared not only to avoid tacitly condoning microaggressions and racism, butto be proactive in creating a safe climate for all students to both enjoy and maximize theirlearning abroad. This is an example of an area where internationalism, U.S. domestic diversity,and campus climate issues converge. Unfortunately, the intercultural communication skills andeager curiosity about other cultures that are common among international educationpractitioners may fall short if they are not also equally equipped with the specific awareness,knowledge, and skills necessary to effectively navigate the loaded racial and other socio-culturaldynamics of the United States domestically.

--Willis - Still We Rise--

THE ROLE OF THE FACULTY

The Politics of Belonging

Who belongs? Yuval Davis (2006), Harris Perry (2012)

Students of color experience racial discrimination on campuses (Strayhorn 2012) Students of color use social media and networking sites to engage with peers and attempt to

create safe spaces (Boyd 2012; van Dijck 2013; Strayhorn 2012)

Safety, belonging, contesting spaces

Micro-Aggressions, Symbolic violence and Emotional ‘Stress’

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Renegotiating Belonging through Mentoring

Role of mentors in student success (Ong et al. 2011; Malcolm and Malcolm 2011; Fries-Britt and Snider 2015)

Transnational Mentoring

THE ROLE OF THE PROGRAM

PROVIDER: CIEE CAPE TOWN

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2013 2015 20160

50100150200250300350400450

51 58 66

401 387 398

Cape Town Student Enrollments

Students of Color White Students

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Factors Affecting Students of Color Abroad

Cultural Difference – How different is this place to home? Ethnocentrism - The more racist, sexist, and in other ways prejudiced the host culture, the

more intense the experience. “People talk about race all the time.” Language – Your race often determines your language. Xhosa or Afrikaans. Cultural Immersion – students in the UCT Dorms/Homestays Visibility/Invisibility – Do I look different or do I sound different? Status – Am I just another loud, rich white American Power & Control – Does being an American give me more or less control? Expectations – What were my expectations coming into this experience? How is it different

now?

Strategies to Support Students of Color before Abroad

Pre-departure orientations focused on navigating identities Ideally for both faculty leaders and also for students

Leverage programs that have content/locations that are supportive of students of color Including faculty-led programs specifically targeting topics related to race/ethnicity

Attend students of color/underrepresented groups - active and engaged mentorship keeps students of color on college campuses

Create budgeting/finance workshops to help promote affordability

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Strategies to support Students of Color while Abroad

Have regular “REFLECTION” session with student

Have regular “TOPICAL TUESDAY” talks. Race, Class and Identity

Expose your students to Positive Images of Marginalized Communities. Intentionally choose excursion that will create awareness

Get your students to do responsible volunteering. They are part of the “Non Poor” and have a responsibility to the poor

Encourage dialogue between students on issues of Race, Class and Identity in America

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Strategies for Supporting Students of Color After Abroad

Intentional debriefing about experience with staff, other students, and faculty

Allows students to process experience especially in regards to positive and negative experiences

Especially important to include affinity offices

Provide opportunities to share experiences publicly Blogs, international education week, classrooms

Include in outreach efforts

Alumni panels, advising

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Questions?

CASE STUDY/

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

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Case Study #1

On a faculty-led program, students arrive at program location in South America where the housing is located at the top of a rather steep hill, but the vehicles park at the bottom. The host families come to meet the students and one family offers to carry the heavy bags of the white students. The white students let the family (a mom and 2 older children) carry the heavy bags, while the students carried their light luggage. Two students of color in the group noticed this and let the students know they should not have done that, instead indicating they were able to carry their bags.

The white students did not understand why it was a problem, although the students of color indicated the racial differences and the role of privilege. The white students told the two students of color they were “racist.” The incident was reported to the faculty leader (a white man) who chose not to address the group and instead speak to the students of color in private. This choice, and continued silence throughout the trip led the rest of the students (majority white) think that they were right. The two students of color were ostracized for the remainder of the trip.

Other situations or questions?

THANK YOU