Augustana University has been selected to receive a small grant as part of the U.S. Department of State’s 2019 Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad. Augustana is one of 21 colleges and universities from across the United States selected from over 120 applications to create, expand, and/or diversify American student mobility overseas in support of foreign policy goals. The Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by World Learning.
“We are pleased to support U.S. colleges and universities from across the United States as part of our suite of initiatives aimed at increasing American student mobility. We are committed to providing more opportunities for American students to benefit from the rich experience of studying overseas,” said Marie Royce, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad seeks to increase the capacity of accredited U.S. colleges and universities to create, expand and diversify study abroad programs for U.S. students. In addition to the small grants competition, the program will also offer opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators at U.S. colleges and universities to participate in a series of virtual and in-person study abroad capacity building activities.
“Through strong Augustana faculty leadership and international partners, we are able to offer a wide range of study away options,” said Augustana study abroad advisor Erin Kane. “Approximately 200 students participate in off-campus courses each year and nearly 50% of all students take advantage of study away during their time at Augustana. We offer over 500 domestic and international programs that allow for a range of experiences.
“The grant from the U.S. State Department Capacity Building gives us the exciting opportunity to grow our program further by allowing for specific research on which student groups, majors and locations are missing to better serve all of our student body in the hopes of increasing the number and diversity of participants.”
In addition to research, the grant will also fund Augustana assistant biology professor Dr. Sally Mallowa's travel to Kenya in preparation for a January 2021 course co-led with Dr. Julie Ashworth, Augustana elementary education assistant professor. The focus on biology and education to an underrepresented country will be a valued addition to a growing, strategic Augustana Study Away portfolio.
For a full list of grant recipients for the 2019 competition, as well as information about upcoming Capacity Building Initiative workshops and resources under this same program, please visit the Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad website at www.studyabroadcapacitybuilding.org.
For further information about other study abroad resources and other exchange programs offered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, please contact ECA-Press@state.gov and visit https://studyabroad.state.gov/.