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
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