In a world on lockdown, it may seem inappropriate to ask alums to help fund study abroad. However, next academic year (we will use this funding for the 2020-21 academic year), we have to be optimistic that opportunities will again open up. With a lot of pent up demand from our students, air travel in a post-covid world requiring a lot more costs, and likely fewer airlines, airfare tickets are sure to be higher, and thus require higher travel awards. I hope many of you can look past the current situation as we need your help for the International Business Program (IBUS) to prepare our students for the new world that we all hope will permit the open international exchange we all believe in.
We also know that Western students need to be competitive in the international field through these experiences, but many of our students cannot afford the cost associated with this travel!
Providing Funding to Reduce Costs for Study Abroad
WWU Give Day donations will allow us to give stipends toward airfare to our IBUS students to help them travel and gain professional experience abroad.
Why Travel Abroad?
Studies tell us, and data from our own alumni confirm that those who have meaningful study abroad experiences have better career opportunities. ‘Meaningful’ those experiences of longer period of study abroad, studying in one of our partner schools (direct exchange), studying in a non-English speaking country taking relevant coursework.
Get Our Students International Exposure
While scholarships exist for tuition, the cost of airfare is a major factor in the inability or lack of travel abroad. This stipend will open the doors for these students and allow them an experience that they will return to Western’s campus. Currently we can allow 10 of these $1,000 stipends, but we will need to increase that amount to be meaningful in the new environment? And of course it would be great if we could give all thirty students in a given group of IBUS students that same level of help.
Bringing Western to Seattle’s International Business World
Building the international business brand requires both professors and students to be more visible in the Seattle market. This includes participation in case competitions, trips to visit companies, networking events with alumni, and attendance at international trade and country-specific events.
