Beyond Borders: Unpacking the Black Study Abroad Experience

About This Episode:

Of the 160,000 American students who studied abroad, in the 2019-2020 academic year, only 5.5 percent were Black.  Although the percentage of Black students who travel abroad was slowly increasing, the impact of COVID-19 lowered the percentages - yet another example of how the Black community was disparately affected by the pandemic.

In this episode, we take an in-depth look at the importance of preparing and supporting Black students to travel abroad. Through insightful interviews with three distinguished guests, the episode offers valuable insights into the topic. The first guest, an experienced faculty member with two decades of experience creating study abroad programs for Black male students, shares their knowledge on the development and preparation of such programs. The second guest, a current student, offers a unique perspective on their interest in traveling abroad and how their approach differs from conventional study abroad programs. Lastly, we hear from a Cal State LA graduate, who shares how her experience in Ghana transformed her understanding of what Blackness means. 

Featured on This Episode: 

Tiffany Rogers Bussey is the Director of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at Morehouse University. Dr. Bussey earned her doctorate in business administration and Master of Science degree in strategic management from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, U.K. She also received a master’s in business administration from George Washington University in Washington D.C and a baccalaureate degree in economics from The College of Saint Elizabeth in New Jersey.

Mekhi Graham is a student is a junior at Morehouse and is working with Dr. Bussey to prepare for his very first study abroad program.

Alesia Miles recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Cal State LA and studied abroad in Ghana.

Resources for This Episode: 

Morehouse University

Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at Morehouse University

The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

Morehouse Pan-African Global Experience (MPAGE)

African Americans and College Education by the Numbers - UNCF