CIEE Pledge to Lead Change in Study Abroad – October Update

CIEE’s Pledge to Lead Change in Study Abroad represents a $6M, four-year commitment to help institutions transform study abroad access and impact on student success. This initiative advances institutional metrics such as recruitment, retention, degree completion, and post-graduate career readiness.

Below are highlights from our three Pledge to Lead Change in Study Abroad partner programs at Arizona State University, the Borough of Manhattan Community College, and UC San Diego.

Data Proves Impact: 93% Retention Rate Driven by ASU’s Global Accelerator
Designed to drive retention and success among first-generation and high-risk students, the Arizona State University Early Start Global Accelerator program delivers a transformative, nine-day immersive experience at the CIEE Monteverde campus in Costa Rica.

The data from the second cohort is in and demonstrates a positive impact: participants significantly outperformed their peers in both fall-to-fall retention and overall GPA. Early Start students improved retention rates from 77.7% to 92.7% and increased their GPA from 2.83 to 3.23 as compared to non-participating peer groups and broader ASU non-honors cohorts.

In a recent interview, program leaders Paul Lepore and Jeffrey Banner break down the findings and explore what these results mean for student persistence.

Next Stop, Abroad: Recruitment Underway for BMCC’s Winter Session
The BMCC Global Scholars Program is expanding international opportunities across campus, with plans to send 1,000 students abroad by 2028. By prioritizing first generation, Pell-eligible, and historically underrepresented students, the initiative focuses on driving first year retention, degree completion, and post-graduation career success.

Through its Pledge to Lead Change in Study Abroad partnership with CIEE, the program has seen rapid growth: participation jumped from 153 students in year one to 359 students in year two.

Recruitment is well underway for the upcoming winter session, a popular option aligned with BMCC’s winter academic calendar. Take a look inside BMCC’s recent study abroad fair in the video below. 
 

Transforming Futures: UCSD Expands Access to Global Internships
UC San Diego’s Future Innovators Program is launching its third year, continuing its mission to make international professional development accessible for non-traditional, incoming Pell-eligible students. UCSD’s goal is to sponsor 180 first-year or transfer students on internships in in Berlin, Germany; London, England; Cape Town, South Africa; and Singapore.

Eighty students have participated in the program so far, and survey results indicate participants feel better prepared for future careers following their global internship.

Recruitment is now underway for the third cohort, with a focus on encouraging more students to choose Cape Town. Hear directly from a previous Cape Town participant about their experience in the video below.

We look forward to continuing this important work, driving institutional transformation and expanding access for the next cohort of global scholars, in Year Three.