WILLIAMSBURG — Undergraduate student participation in study abroad programs at William & Mary ranks first in the nation among public colleges and universities.
The Open Doors Report on International Education Exchange, released recently by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Culture Affairs and the Institute of International Education, also cited William & Mary as seventh nationally among public and private doctoral-granting universities.
“While the rankings are no doubt significant, William & Mary remains among the national leaders in study abroad in terms of the quality of the experience as well as the number of participants,” Teresa Longo, associate provost for international affairs, said in a news release. “Together with our partners abroad, William & Mary has invested in global experiences tied to academic excellence, career readiness and to our students’ understanding of their place in the world.”
Study abroad has received more attention as an example of applied learning at its best, W&M said. International knowledge obtained on study abroad programs is an asset in hiring, employers have indicated. Careers is one of the four cornerstone initiatives in W&M’s Vision 2026 Strategic Plan.
In the past 15 years, William & Mary has ranked first 10 times among undergraduate study abroad participation, according to statistics from Open Doors, a resource on international students and scholars.
For the 2021-22 academic year, the Institute of International Education reported that 710 William & Mary undergraduate students studied abroad for academic credit at some point during their undergraduate career.
The Reves Center for International Studies at W&M offers students opportunities to study abroad, including more than $600,000 in annual scholarships.
“W&M students study abroad through a broad range of programs, including participating in internships and fellowships as well as conducting research,” said Sylvia Mitterndorfer, director of the Reves Center’s Global Education Office. “Access and inclusive excellence continue to be front of mind for the Reves Center as we develop new programs to meet evolving student academic needs.”
Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Lee Satterfield, in remarks at the Open Doors press conference in Washington D.C., called international education “the ultimate unifier.”
“American students from two-year community colleges to four-year universities and beyond, across a wide range of fields, can study abroad all over the world and bring new perspectives back to their communities,” she said.
Wilford Kale, [email protected]