Regis is one of 34 U.S. colleges and universities to receive award
The United States Department of State has awarded Regis College a competitive grant from its Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program, which supports efforts of U.S. colleges and universities to expand study abroad opportunities for their students. With funding from the IDEAS grant, Regis will design a new faculty-led health sciences education abroad program in Bolivia in collaboration with Tarea Global and local universities, as well as a Global Ambassador program on campus to foster awareness of education abroad opportunities.
"At Regis, students are provided several opportunities to excel in their chosen field of study, whether on our campus in greater Boston or abroad,” said Regis College President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD, RN. “With support from the IDEAS grant, we're thrilled to offer a new faculty-led education abroad opportunity in Bolivia that will foster cross-cultural exchange. The university is proud that the State Department has recognized our study abroad programs as transformative experiences that broaden students’ understanding of the global marketplace. We look forward to launching our student Global Ambassador program which will heighten awareness among students of the impactful education abroad opportunities available through Regis.”
Cultural competence in the health care setting enables professionals to properly communicate with and treat patients with an understanding of and respect for their cultural differences. This grant will help Regis students – specifically those in Regis’ nationally-recognized nursing or health sciences programs – develop and improve their cultural competencies while studying and experiencing Bolivia’s nationalized healthcare system, a system that is very different than the U.S. Through this experience, Regis graduates will have a stronger understanding of the different types of health care systems and how they can thrive abroad or in the U.S.
A new Global Ambassador student position will expand awareness and knowledge of all the university’s education abroad programs to increase participation among the student body, especially among students who are typically underrepresented in education abroad programs, such as first-generation and low-income students.
The university’s Center for Global Connections offers flexible education abroad options with experiences that range in length from one week to an entire semester and encompass traditional study, internships, research, and service immersion. Regis students have participated in programs in Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, Cuba, England, Germany, Grenada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Spain.
Since 2016, the IDEAS Program has awarded 179 grants to 173 U.S. colleges and universities in 49 states and territories to create, expand, and diversify their U.S. study abroad programs in 71 countries across all world regions. In addition to the IDEAS grants, the program offers opportunities for international educators at U.S. colleges and universities to participate in free virtual and in-person study abroad capacity-building activities.
“Increasing and diversifying U.S. students going abroad for educational opportunities, as well as diversifying the places where they study, is a State Department priority,” said Lee Satterfield, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The IDEAS Program is a program of the U.S Department of State with funding provided by the United States Government and supported in its implementation by World Learning. For a full list of 2023 IDEAS grantees, as well as information on upcoming IDEAS webinars and workshops, please visit their website.
