Apply now
diverse group of students posing on stairs

Diversity Commitment

You are here

Home | About Us | Diversity Commitment

We’re proud that our students are as diverse as the countries where they study abroad.

Integral in fulfilling our mission is a commitment to the representation and integration of diverse perspectives, cultures, and ideas.

At IES Abroad, we understand that diversity must be cultivated and supported in several ways and at multiple levels—from accessibility and inclusiveness of a diverse student body to the learning environment and courses offered. We are dedicated to broadening access and cultivating a diverse, globally-savvy workforce.

We’ve had a front-row seat to observing how study abroad changes people—no matter who they are. Study abroad humanizes us. It expands our potential by honing our language, intercultural, and other skills, and, deepening our capacity for humility, empathy and fairness. It forces us to reconsider how we think about history, politics, migration, commerce, technology, health care, education, and community. We use our knowledge of travel, cultures, and places to cultivate global citizens who reflect the world’s rich diversity. This is our form of social justice. This is our platform for change.

Read Our Diversity Statement

What We're Doing

And by 'doing' we mean 'have been doing' and 'will continue to do.' In our more than 70 years of educating students around the world, we strive along a continuum of deepening and expanding diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism at IES Abroad. Our work to best foster an inclusive learning and living community for students and workplace community for staff—in the United States and at our locations abroad—spans the entire organization.  

Have a look at the comprehensive and ongoing efforts to further this mission and know that we're always striving to do more and updating this section as we do.

By the Numbers

The numbers below represent this increase in access, depth of conversation, and richness in education experiences for ethnically-diverse students.

Overall 2021-22 Academic Year Enrollment Diversity: In Fall 2021, the percentage of students enrolled across all programs and self-identifying as ethnically-diverse was 27%.

  • In Fall 2021, the percentage of students across all applications self-identifying as ethnically-diverse was 29.9%.

Overall 2019-20 Academic Year Enrollment Diversity: In Fall 2019, year-over-year growth in ethnically-diverse students across all programs was 13.6%.

  • In Fall 2019, year-over-year growth in ethnically-diverse students rose 18.4% in standard study abroad programs.
  • In Summer 2019, year-over-year growth in ethnically-diverse students rose 3.75% in standard study abroad programs.
  • In Summer 2019, year-over-year growth in ethnically-diverse students in Customized & Faculty-Led Programs rose 45%.
  • In Fall 2019, IES Abroad enrolled largest number of ethnically-diverse students for any fall term to date.
  • In Fall 2019, IES Abroad experienced the highest percentage of enrollment of ethnically-diverse students in Standard Programs ever for a fall term, at 28.7%.
  • In the 2019-20 Academic year, 869 underrepresented students were served by IES Abroad Scholarships & Aid.
Initiatives & Resources

Initiatives 

  • DACA Resources (2022) - IES Abroad is committed to extending its learning opportunities to students from all walks of life and recognizes that students under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status may wish to take part in our programs.

     
  • Diversity Initiative (2008) - We launched our first-in-the-field Diversity Initiative in 2008 to creatively address the relatively low participation of underrepresented students in study abroad. IES Abroad defines students of diverse and underrepresented backgrounds broadly, according to how students self-identify by race, first-generation college status, financial need, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or learning disability, mental health history, or any intersections of these identities. In 2011, it was formally named the Initiative to Diversify Education Abroad (IDEA).



    As part of the IES Abroad Diversity Initiative, participating leaders from academe, not-for-profits, and industry convened in Chicago to discuss the importance of and barriers to underrepresented students participating in international education programs. IES Abroad has produced a monograph of this event that includes a background concept paper on the lack of diversity among study abroad students and a summary of the discussion and recommendations of the Think Tank.



    In the 10+ years following the launch of IDEA, we have built a dedicated Diversity Team, expanded the financial and informational resources for students—including our Social Identity Resources section, collaborated with new partnerships, increased participation in outreach activities, and more. Since launching the Initiative, we have increased enrollment of ethnically-diverse students across all our platforms (study abroad, internships, and customized programs) by 112%; and in 2018-19, ethnically-diverse students made up 27% of the IES Abroad student body.

     
  • Take Off with IES Abroad (2017)- An initiative created out of more than fifty years of partnerships with Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) to educate and support their students in their study abroad journeys

     
  • Tu Mundo (2017)- an initiative designed to help more students from established and emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) study abroad

     
  • Global Speaker Series (March 2019) - In 2019, IES Abroad launched a traveling Global Speaker Series, which brings together alumni, students, and guests for networking and conversation on global topics; a core practice of this series is bringing together a diverse (age, gender and ethnicity) featured alumni panel. Read about the inaugural event in New York City.

Resources

Academics & Scholarships

Academic Efforts at Our Centers (Ongoing)

  • Community-Based Learning: A number of IES Abroad Centers connect with NGOs and other organizations to enable student hands-on learning for credit that also supports minority and/or marginalized local communities. 

     
  • Dialogues on Difference Seminar: Cape Town, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and occasionally other Centers offer this seminar for academic credit that centers on various issues related to diversity and inclusion while focusing on the development of students' listening and dialogue skills.

     
  • Grupo Panas: IES Abroad Quito partners with this group of local university students from diverse backgrounds (indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, LGBTQ+) that organizes activities with our students and leads discussions on current events in Ecuador.

     
  • Center Diversity Plans: All IES Abroad Centers have comprehensive diversity plans that they update periodically.

     
  • Center Speaker Series: A number of IES Abroad Centers invite speakers from NGOs and advocacy groups to discuss current topics and issues (from social unrest/protests to relations between ethnic groups), often from a cross-cultural perspective.

     
  • Center Field Trips: A number of IES Abroad Centers have reimagined field trips to move away from traditional/canonical emphases to focus on reclaimed histories and diverse minority perspectives, including those of Jewish/Sephardic, Black, and Muslim histories.

Scholarships & Aid

We are committed to fostering and supporting a diverse student body. Our diversity scholarships and grants encourage and support students from a range of institutions and underrepresented populations. In addition to need-based financial aid, IES Abroad offers a number of donor-funded scholarships for underrepresented students:

Recent Customized & Faculty-Led Programs

Customized, faculty-led, and short-term programs by their very nature can make study abroad more accessible; whether it’s a shorter program to minimize costs for students from low-income backgrounds or the level of support and comfort that comes from attending a program comprised of your home school faculty and classmates. The ability to create a program from scratch based on specific students’ needs or catering to a set of students creates opportunity. A few recent examples include:

  • Virtual Lectures (2020-21): To continue some programming plans affected by the pandemic, Customized & Faculty-Led Programs and select IES Abroad Centers partnered on virtual lectures centered around diversity for schools upon request.
    • Global Nebraska Coalition of Diversity and Inclusion (University of Nebraska–Lincoln) – “Black and Indigenous Social Justice Movements Around the Globe” with IES Abroad Buenos Aires & Cape Town (March - April 2021)

       
  • Arrupe College of Loyola University - Culture & Regionalism in Spain (July 2019): At former President & CEO Dr. Mary Dwyer’s initiative, IES Abroad Customized & Faculty-Led Programs fully funded a faculty-led program in Barcelona where the participants were all first-generation college students who identified as Latinx.

     
  • Tuskegee University & University of Redlands - Storytelling in London (June 2019): IES Abroad awarded HBCU Tuskegee University in partnership with University of Redlands a $10,000 grant to host a joint London summer program centered around storytelling through photography and narrative writing.

     
  • University of Montana - Music in Vienna (May-June 2019): This program led a group of septuagenarians to Austria to explore its capital city, rich culture, and music history. The student group was comprised of several LGBTQ+-indentifying students as well as a Montana State Senator representing the 49th District in Missoula, Montana.

     
  • University of Texas at Austin - Entrepreneurship in Beijing (May-June 2012-2019): Every other spring, IES Abroad partnered with University of Texas at Austin’s Division of Diversity & Community Engagement to send approximately 50 first-generation students who primarily identify as Black to study entrepreneurship at IES Abroad's Center in Beijing.

     
  • University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - History & Culture in Tokyo (June-July 2018): The collaboration between IES Abroad's Tu Mundo, Customized and Faculty-Led Programs, and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) made it possible for several Latinx students to participate on a study abroad program exploring the history and culture of Japan. UTRGV serves the largest number of Latinx students of all Texas universities and eleven of its students from the inaugural Tu Mundo cohort embarked on this journey of powerful experiences.
Internal Growth & Development
  • IES Abroad Montly DIA-logues - Our monthly series of DIA-logues (Diversity, Inclusion & Antiracism dialogues) are employee engagement discussions on a range of relevant topics of choice.
    • "Dear Homeland" (October 2021)

      For this DIA-logues conversation, IES Abroad staff made time and space to explore the lived experience of one such former student in viewing a documentary about Diana Gameros. The 2021 documentary film Dear Homeland follows the journey of the Mexican singer/songwriter. This film and conversation make room to elaborate on the complexity of the Latinx experience while lending towards growth and deeper understanding.
    • "Does Hispanic Heritage Month Need a Rebrand?" (September 2021)

      With topics associated with Latinx Heritage Month in mind, we joined to discuss New York Times OpEd piece “Does Hispanic Heritage Month Need a Rebrand,” which explores the debate over what this influential population calls itself, and the desire among some to commemorate the month that celebrates their heritage with renewed authenticity.
    • Exploring our Mulifaceted, Multicultural Identities (August 2021) - We work with IES Abroad colleagues around the world whose heritage or culture are “a little bit of this, and a little bit of that” and dove into the fascinating mosaic of race, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, regional backgrounds, and languages (including sign language) that make us each the unique human beings we are.
    • "High on the Hog" (July 2021) - The group discussed a 4-part documentary series “High on the Hog,” which takes viewers on a culinary trip through American food traditions influenced uniquely by Black America, past and present, and by centuries-old linkages to African culture.   
    • On Juneteenth (June 2021): The IES Abroad Diversity Committee held a Zoom discussion open to all staff members to discuss Annette Gordon-Reed’s new book, On Juneteenth. IES Abroad sent copies of the book to each U.S. staff member so they could read and reflect on the origins of this holiday in advance of the meeting. Read some highlights from that conversation.

       
  • Diversity Statement (October 2021): In October 2021 we published an updated Diversity Statement on our site to expand on our dedication to prioritizing diversity and a constantly evolving organization.

     
  • Gretchen Cook-Anderson's Promotion to Associate Vice President, Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (April 2021): Read more about the role and promotion and what our President and CEO, Greg Hess, had to say in recognizing the importance of internal DEIA efforts. 

     

  • Employee Affinity Groups (April 2021): IES Abroad supported staff in the formation of Employee Affinity Groups to help foster equity, inclusion and belonging as essential features of our organizational health. Employee Affinity Groups are internal networks of support based on staff self-identification within a particular social identity category that serves as the focal point of group participation. These groups aim to enhance the personal and professional development of staff, and to foster a sense of community and belonging that exceeds the boundaries of internal departments and designated professional roles. They meet on an ongoing basis throughout the year, the frequency of which is determined by the members of each group.

    • IES Abroad Parents & Caregivers
    • IES Abroad LGBTQIA Staff & Allies
    • IES Abroad Staff of Color Resource Group
    • IES Abroad Women’s Resource Group
    • IES Abroad Managers Resource Group 

       
  • IES Abroad Diversity-Led Guided Conversation (July 2020): Internal, virtual all-staff discussion led by IES Abroad Assistant Vice President, Diversity Relations & Recruiting, Gretchen Cook-Anderson in the wake of the murder of George Floyd 

Trainings

  • Global Diversity Awareness Training (Started 2019)
    • On-site, in-person global training initiative at all IES Abroad Centers designed to educate our faculty, staff and homestay family members abroad on non-discrimination, various types of harassment, sexual assault, mental health, and to provide them with a better understanding of the unique needs and backgrounds of our diverse student body.
    • Secondary focus on the expectations of students, parents, and U.S. higher education institutions concerning the way our staff, faculty, and homestay family members treat our students and address current social issues/movements in the United States (e.g., the Me Too Movement, Black Lives Matter, Title IX, microaggressions, trigger warnings, and more). 
News & Publications

Recent Diversity-Related IES Abroad News Articles:

Publications

  • "Your Passport to Social Identity Abroad"  (2020) print and digital companion resource to Social Identity Landing Pages

     
  • "Parents Guide to Study Abroad" published and printed in English (2020), Spanish (2020), & Mandarin (2019)

     
  • Diversity & Identity sections in Parents' Guides and student Predeparture Guides (ongoing)

     
  • "Latinx Students’ Guide to Global Programs" (2019) in partnership with Diversity Abroad

     
  • "Navigating Identity & Diversity Abroad" predeparture guide (2018) distributed to all confirmed students three weeks prior to U.S. departure

     
  • Why You Should Study Abroad  (ongoing)- a book written in collaboration with Diversity Abroad 

     
  • "The Diversity Issue" (2018) of IES Abroad's alumni magazineThe Exchange 

     
  • Diversity Boarding Passes (2013-2020) - a series of individual boarding passes addressing the following concerns: disabilities, financially challenges, first-generation students, non-traditional majors, LGBTQ+, students of color/religious ethnicity

     
  • Monograph Report of the Diversity Think Tank (September 2008) - includes a background concept paper on the lack of diversity among study abroad students and a summary of the discussion and recommendations of the Think Tank

Global Leadership SerIES 

  • "Fireside Chat with Fascinating Faculty: IES Abroad Cape Town’s David Reiersgord on Mandela Day and the Influence of the Rainbow Nation" (2021) In this installment of Fireside Chats with Fascinating Faculty, part of the IES Abroad Global Leadership SerIES, David Reiersgord, Center Director of IES Abroad Cape Town, and Hernando Sevilla-Garcia, Senior Diversity Relations Manager at IES Abroad, connect for this Fireside Chat focused on Mandela Day.

     
  • "IES Abroad Cape Town Professor Dr. Carla Lever" (2021) Gretchen Cook-Anderson chats with IES Abroad Cape Town professor Dr. Lever to discuss how her course Power & Protest: Apartheid to Present came about, from her interest in (and not to mention her thesis on) everyday acts of performance and how the course uses protest as a framework for understanding inequality, particularly in the South African context. 

     
  • "Gretchen Cook-Anderson on Being Kind, Working Hard, and Taking Chances" (2021)  In this installment of the Global Leadership SerIES, IES Abroad College Relations Manager Virginia Gabby had a virtual coffee chat with Gretchen Cook-Anderson, IES Abroad Associate Vice President, Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Antiracism, and Director of Diversity Recruitment and Advising. Using photos from Gretchen's life to guide their conversation, Virginia and Gretchen go deep on the life lessons, study abroad experiences, and special people who touched Gretchen's life.

     
  • "Dr. Gregory D. Hess Shares the 3 U's of Leadership, Learning from Failures, and More" (2021) For the first installment in the Global Leadership SerIES, we interviewed IES Abroad President & CEO, Gregory D. Hess, Ph.D.
Partnerships & Awards

Ongoing Partnerships

  • Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration (2021) - In 2021, IES Abroad became an Affiliate Member of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, which is an alliance of American college and university leaders dedicated to increasing public understanding of how immigration policies and practices impact our students, campuses and communities.

     

  • Diversity Abroad (since 2007)
    • Presentation at Inaugural Diversity Abroad Institute in London (February 2020)
    • Co-published "Latinx Students’ Guide to Global Programs" (2019) and Why You Should Study Abroad 
    • Established partnership with Diversity Abroad's Diversity Network (2008)
    • Serve as annual premier sponsor of Diversity Abroad Conference (ongoing)
    • IES Abroad staff sit on Diversity Abroad’s Diversity Network Advisory Council and Race & Ethnicity Task Force (ongoing)

       
  • Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities (HACU) (2009)
  • Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) (1963)
    • As of 2020, we partner with ≈10 HBCUs in our consortium
    • Established our first formal parternship with an HBCU, Spelman University (1963)
    • Created Take Off with IES Abroad (2017) - An initiative created out of more than fifty years of partnerships with HBCUs to educate and support their students in their study abroad journeys

       
  • Co-Sponsored and Hosted Inaugural Minority Serving Institution Global Education Summit at IES Abroad Cape Town Center (April 2016)

     
  • Joined Institute of International Education's "Generation Study Abroad" (November 2014) an initiative with efforts to provide greater access to study abroad and international internship opportunities for more U.S. undergraduate students, including first generation and other underrepresented students through on-campus engagement, parent engagement, scholarships, and social media. 

Awards

  • EDIIE Rising Star Award: Hernando Sevilla-Garcia (2021)
  • NAFSA Impact in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in International Education Award: Gretchen Cook-Anderson (2021)
  • NAFSA Region V Conference Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in International Education Award: Hernando Sevilla-Garcia (2020)
  • WIE Lifetime Advocate for Inclusivity Award: IES Abroad President & CEO Receives Lifetime Advocacy Award from Lead5050 and the Global Leadership League (2019)
  • GoAbroad.com's Innovation Awards: Innovation in Marketing & Digital Media - Finalist for Global Citizen of the Year Awards (2017)
  • Diversity Abroad's Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion in International Education (EDIE) Award (2016)
  • GoAbroad.com's Innovation Awards: People's Choice Award - Finalist (2016)
  • GoAbroad.com's Innovation Awards: The STA Travel Start the Adventure Award - Student Finalist, Sergio Rodriguez Camarena (2016)
  • GoAbroad.com's Innovation Awards: Innovation in Diversity - Finalist for IES Abroad/The University of Texas at Austin, Cape Town: Maymester Program for Traditionally Underrepresented Students (2015)
  • GoAbroad.com's Innovation Awards: The STA Start the Adventure Award - Finalist for Gretchen Cook-Anderson, Director of Diversity Recruiting & Advising (2015)
  • Excellence in Diversifying International Education Individual Award – Diversity Abroad – Gretchen Cook-Anderson, Director of Diversity Recruiting & Advising (2014)
  • GoAbroad.com's Innovation Awards: Innovation in Access & Equity Award – Finalist for IES Abroad IDEA Bloggers (2014)
  • GoAbroad.com's Innovation Awards: Access & Equity Award – Finalist for Diversity Boarding Passes (2013)
  • GoAbroad.com's Innovation in Access & Equity Award - Finalist: Chicago Scholar's Abroad Diversity Initiative (2012)
Student Voices & Alumni Perspectives

Student Voices

Alumni Perspectives

Alumni Spotlights

Webinars & Virtual Events
  • "Call & Response: Being Black Abroad" (February 2022) - In celebration of Black History Month, we’ve continued to uplift Black voices and stories with an Instagram Live bringing together IES Abroad staff and alumni in the African and African-American tradition of Call and Response. This enriching and soulful conversation focused on the Black experience while studying abroad. IES Abroad Brand Coordinator Ashley Simmons (Granada | Spring 2016), Diversity Relations Manager Quinn McMurtrey (Granada | Spring 2017), and IES Abroad alumni Miles Nabritt (Madrid | Fall 2019) and Jordan Goode (Barcelona | Fall 2021). The four discussed the importance of accessibility, community, culture, and more, following in the spirit of Sankofa, a West-African tradition of finding value from the past and bringing it to the present for growth and prosperity.

     
  • "Live From London: Meet the First Beneficiary of IES Abroad’s Charles Merrill, Jr. Endowed Scholarship!" (March 2022) - This special IES Abroad Scholarship event featured stories of alumni, whose study abroad journeys in the 1960’s – the 1980’s were funded personally by Mr. Merrill, as well as a lively question and answer conversation featuring IES Abroad and Merrill Scholarship alumni Dr. John Hodges and Dr. Ed Wheeler, and current Merrill Scholarship student, Michael Henry, a Morehouse College Junior, who was abroad in the IES Abroad London.

     
  • "Voices from Abroad | A Student Conversation Celebrating Latinx Heritage Month" (October 2021) - In celebration of Latinx Heritage Month, IES Abroad Correspondents who were currently studying abroad across several IES Abroad Centers, came together to discuss their Latinx heritage and their experiences at home and abroad. Each of these students is an IDEA (Initiative to Diversify Education Abroad) Correspondent, which means, they're both open and committed to discussing their identity in their blog and social media posts.

     
  • "DREAMers Abroad | DACA, Identity, and Studying Abroad" (September 2021) - This 60-minute Instagram Live session hosted by IES Abroad Brand Coordinator, alum (IES Abroad Granada | Spring 2016), and 2015-2016 Blogger of the Year, Ashley Simmons, celebrated Latinx Heritage Month as Ashley connects with IES Freiburg alum (Fall 2015) and 2015 Ambassador of the Year, Sergio Rodriguez Camarena. In their chat, Ashley interviews Sergio on the importance of intersectional identity, his personal experience and reflections on study abroad as a DACA recipient, and how his story contributes to promoting diversity in stories abroad for students worldwide.

     
  • "Life After IES Abroad: Alum Perspectives" (March 2021) - In this panel discussion co-hosted with Diversity Abroad, IES Abroad Senior Diversity Relations Manager Hernando Sevilla-Garcia moderates a panel of three IES Abroad alums, Christian Curry (IES Abroad European Union | Spring 2019), Thamine Nayeem (IES Abroad Rabat | Fall 2015), and Samekh Harris Reed (IES Abroad Tokyo | Spring 2017). This webinar seeks to elevate the voices of students of diverse identities as they share how their global experiences contributed to their professional and academic endeavors after study abroad.

     
  • "Intergenerational Black Experiences Abroad: A Celebration of Black History Month" (February 2021) - Senior Diversity Relations Manager Hernando Sevilla-Garcia hosts an intergenerational panel of IES Abroad alums and partners. This dialogue focuses on the Black student experience and perspective as well the impact of IES Abroad study abroad on personal and professional endeavors.

     
  • Student Affairs Webinars:
  • "Making A World of Difference: IES Abroad’s Diversity Initiative is All About You” (November 2020) - a diversity-focused session that was part of our Zoom Around the World webinar series, which features Diversity staff in each session. 

     
  • "Juntos: Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Latinx Students, and the Future of Study Abroad" (November 2020) - a panel discussion featuring Latinx study abroad alumni from Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

     
  • ​Student Diversity Webinars (2014-15) - We frequently partner with other companies and institutions to host webinars on diversity- and inclusion-related topics. Learn more about key aspects of the study abroad experience by viewing these webinars before you go. 
Videos

View our Diversity at IES Abroad playlist on YouTube, or watch these highlighted videos:

Social Justice-Related Programs

Looking for social justice study abroad programs? Look no further than our handy filter for programs featuring courses, community-based learning opportunities, and trips and events related to social justice. And watch this space for additions—as our program offerings and courses update, we’ll add more programs to this list.

View Programs
Diversity Relations Team
Noelle Baldwin Headshot in a Circle Shape

Noelle Baldwin

Noelle is the Associate Director of Diversity Recruiting & Advising and assists in overseeing strategy and implementation of the IES Abroad Initiative to Diversity Education Abroad (IDEA). In this role, Noelle also manages the Take Off with IES Abroad initiative, which provides dedicated resources and tools to Historically Black Colleges & Universities. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology & Education, as well as a master's in Community and Social Change from the University of Miami. From International Admission to Education Abroad, Noelle’s 13-year career has taken her to more than 20 countries and a faculty-led study abroad experience in South Africa.

Quinn McMurtrey

Quinn McMurtrey is the Diversity Relations Manager at IES Abroad. She has a background in finance and e-commerce marketing where she has leveraged her research, communication, and strategic development skills to create innovative campaigns and advocate for her clients. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Wheaton College as a Posse Scholar and is also an alumna of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity and Management Leaders for Tomorrow. While in college, Quinn studied abroad for two semesters in Granada, Spain (with IES Abroad) and Athens, Greece and has been passionate about international education ever since.

student in yellow dress leaning on a colorful mural

Don't go just yet, we've got so much for more for you to explore. Check out our Student Diversity & Access section featuring resources, testimonials, and helpful partner content in the form of blogs, videos, and articles (not to mention our Intercultural Reading & Podcast lists you won't want to miss!).

Resources
Share a Resource