Photos courtesy of Samuel Benjamin, Leah Faulhaber and Sam Namit
December 22, 2023
One hundred years ago, the University of Delaware community bid “bon voyage” to Professor Raymond Kirkbride and the country’s first-ever study abroad cohort as they set sail for a year-long excursion to France. This experimental program paved the way for the education abroad opportunities that tens of thousands of Blue Hens have taken advantage of over the past century.
To commemorate this milestone anniversary, the University of Delaware, with leadership from UD’s Center for Global Programs and Services (CGPS), hosted several celebrations throughout the year, from a special reception at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., where the Ambassador of France acknowledged this significant milestone among UD leadership and alumni, to the annual Global Festival connecting CGPS’ global student communities, to the first ever CGPS Spring Formal, which invited international students, World Scholars and Delaware Diplomats to a “Roaring 20s” celebration, nodding to 1923, the inaugural year of study abroad.
UD’s signature year also attracted national interest, with guest speakers including U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimundo and Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Global Affairs Bill Russo visiting Newark to discuss the social and economic virtues of study abroad.
On campus, UD continued its rich tradition of global engagement through new initiatives, including an inaugural Study Abroad Storytelling Contest, in which students and alumni submitted their favorite photos, videos and stories from their international experiences. UD’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) also held a 10-week course this fall called “Study Abroad Stories: 100 Years,” which examined UD’s study abroad legacy by hearing from alumni, current students, program directors, CGPS leadership and University Archives. Celebrations will continue through the spring of 2024 and at Alumni Weekend this June.
“As a university, we have spent the past year reflecting on the rich history of study abroad and the important role these experiences play in internationalizing our campus,” said Ravi Ammigan, UD’s associate provost for international programs. “Continuing this 100-year tradition inspires us to carry out Professor Kirkbride’s mission to promote intercultural understanding and cultivate the next generation of world leaders.”
While only eight students joined Professor Kirkbride on the first for-credit expedition in 1923, since then the University has sent over 35,000 students and faculty to more than 90 countries and all seven continents. With the option of full-semester abroad opportunities in both fall and spring, as well as shorter faculty-led summer and winter session programs, almost one-third of Blue Hens choose to include study abroad in their four-year plans, compared to one in 10 nationally.
Winter 2024 abroad
In preparation for this upcoming winter session, CGPS collaborated with faculty directors across campus to develop 46 study-abroad programs tailored for each international location. In January 2024, 845 students with representation from each of UD’s colleges will depart for 25 different countries, studying everything from climate change in the Caribbean to health disparities in South Africa.
After an insightful experience exposing his fluid mechanics class to the shores of Melbourne, Australia in 2017, Jack Puleo decided to develop another international opportunity for civil and environmental engineering students. This winter, Puleo will lead 18 students on a four-week program in Barbados, where he has planned multiple excursions for students to observe different coastal processes.