CIEE Pledge to Lead Change in Study Abroad - November Update

We’re pleased to share the November 2025 update on CIEE’s Leading Change in Study Abroad $1 Million Grants. Four of the nation’s leading universities are leading change in study abroad by establishing new, innovative models of study abroad that break down barriers and increase student success.

Below are updates on the new study abroad program models from Arizona State University, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Northeastern University, and University of California San Diego.

Arizona State University has created the ASU Early Start Global Accelerator Program as an additional retention intervention for high-risk, first-year students. The program provides first-year students with a nine-day, fully funded study abroad experience in Monteverde, Costa Rica, designed to improve retention and graduation rates. ASU will more than double their original pilot of 60 participants to 150 participants this coming December and January.

The first cohort of ASU Early Start Global Accelerator students experienced extraordinary outcomes after their Fall ’24 program, including:

• 94% enrolled in the Spring '25 term (compared to 91% for first-year students who did not participate)
• 90% enrolled in the Fall '25 term (compared to 80% for first-year students who did not participate)
• Earning a GPA of 3.4 and 19 academic credits (compared to a GPA of 2.9 and 16 academic credits for first-year students who did not participate)

The program is designed to build a foundation for longitudinal research at ASU on the impact of global programming on both qualitative (e.g. retention and graduation rates) and qualitative measures (e.g. student development of soft skills).

In the video below, Lily Reed, a psychology major in the first cohort, shares the impact of her time in Monteverde on her experience at ASU in this interview: “Those late nights back at the cabin talking helped to build such a community at ASU. I’m so excited for the next three years!”

Borough of Manhattan Community College established the BMCC Global Scholars Program for Pell-eligible, first-generation students, to improve a variety of student success metrics including retention, graduation rates, and employment outcomes. BMCC plans to send over 1,000 students abroad over the next four years, making it the leading 2-year global college in the nation.

Last month, BMCC President Anthony Munroe celebrated with faculty and students BMCC’s success in helping more than 150 BMCC students study abroad in the first year. President Munroe’s vision, leadership, and belief in the potential of BMCC students to succeed has exceeded all expectations. See this highlight video:

Northeastern University seeks to build stronger bridges to Africa and increase access for all students to study abroad. By eliminating financial barriers and offering full funding, including a stipend, Pell-eligible students can participate in two customized, two-week programs, one in Gaborone, Botswana – focused on public health – and one in Legon, Ghana – where students can immerse themselves in intercultural communication.

In the video below, participants share additional observations of the local culture in Botswana. Abdi Ibrahim, a Finance major at Northeastern says: “I love how everyone always says hello and greets you with a smile.”

UC San Diego has established the Future Innovators Global Internship Program for first-year, Pell-eligible students to gain access to fully funded eight-week summer internship programs in Berlin, Cape Town, London, or Singapore. The program is designed to improve enrollment, student retention, graduation rates, and economic mobility. UC San Diego plans to send 180 students over the next four years.

The program leverages CIEE internship programs during students’ first summer as a launch point for participation in The Basement’s Entrepreneurship programs at UC San Diego. Students from the inaugural cohort noted how the opportunity has enhanced their career plans by boosting their confidence and potential. In the video below, Tamara Cunningham, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Global Initiatives, shares why the program is a priority and how “UCSD believes in the transformative power of international education.”

We look forward to sharing more success stories from our Pledge to Lead Change in Study Abroad partners this week at the 78th Annual Study Abroad Conference in Buenos Aires. Hope to see you there!