Study Abroad for Global Engagement

Transcription

SAGE: Study Abroad for Global Engagement
Beyond Immediate Impact: Study Abroad for Global
Engagement (SAGE)
Report Submitted to the Title VI:
International Research and Studies Program
U.S. Department of Education
by
R. Michael Paige and Gerald W. Fry, Principal Investigators
Dr. Elizabeth Stallman, Dr. Jae-Eun Jon, Ms. Jasmina Josić,
Research Associates
Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and
Development
College of Education and Human Development
University of Minnesota
August 30, 2010
A. Abstract
This research project – Beyond Immediate Impact: Study Abroad for Global Engagement
(SAGE) – was designed to examine the relationship between study abroad during an individual’s
college years and subsequent global engagement. Global engagement was conceptualized as a
post-study abroad set of multidimensional behaviors organized into five distinct categories: civic
engagement, philanthropy, knowledge production, social entrepreneurship, and voluntary
simplicity (an environmentally conscious lifestyle). The central research questions of the study
were:
1. To what degree and in what ways do former study abroad students become
globally engaged in the years following their study abroad experiences?
2. To what degree do former study abroad students attribute their global engagement
to their having studied abroad?
3. What are the relationships between the specific aspects of study abroad (student
demographics, duration, destination, and depth of program (what we have
identified as the basic 4Ds of study abroad) and global engagement outcomes?
To answer these research questions, the SAGE research team designed a retrospective
tracer study of program alumni who had been abroad between 1960 and 2007, a near 50 year
time span. The project generated survey data from 6,378 former study-abroad and 5,924 nonstudy abroad participants representing U.S. 20 colleges and universities, and, for study abroad
students, two additional education-abroad providers. SAGE was funded by a four-year grant
from the US Department of Education, Title VI: International Research and Studies Program.
The research methodology was a retrospective tracer study, inspired by the previous
research of Bok and Bowen in Shape of the River, which examined the long-term impact of
affirmative action. The design for the study was a mixed-methods one to provide important
triangulation of data. In addition to the large national electronic survey, in-depth interviews were
conducted of a random sample of 63 participants from the large survey. This was then
complemented by 10 in-depth qualitative case studies chosen for the insight they provide in
understanding how study abroad has influenced global engagement and contributions to the
common good.
Major findings from both the quantitative and qualitative phases of the study were as
follows:

Study abroad was by far the most impactful aspect of their undergraduate
experience.

The major qualitative finding is that overwhelmingly, the study abroad experience
was among the most influential experiences in participants’ lives, or was the most
impactful experience.

Many of our survey participants demonstrated diverse and extensive global
engagement and often attributed that outcome to their study abroad experiences.
This was particularly clear in the area of global values related to the practice of
voluntary simplicity and purchasing decisions.

Study abroad significantly influenced many in their educational and occupational
decisions and those in our study were far more likely to pursue graduate work,
compared to the national average.

Destination and depth of program were strongly related. This suggests that
programs in non-traditional parts of the world are likely to have more depth and
be less shallow than programs in traditional study abroad locations.

Of the various study abroad factors, depth of program was consistently that which
showed the most influence on global engagement.
Prior to this project, there seemed to be considerable empirical evidence related to the
individual and personal gains from study abroad (private benefits and returns). From an
economic perspective, if those were the only outcomes, then the argument for subsidizing study
abroad may not be particularly compelling. However, our findings suggest that investing in
study abroad has both major social and individual benefits, and, thus contributes to the
development of not only human capital but social capital, and, thus contributes to the common
good, above and beyond the personal private benefits. Thus, we have solid empirical evidence
justifying public support for the expansion, diversification, and democratization of study abroad
as called for in the visionary Lincoln Commission Report and Simon Study Abroad Foundation
Act.
B. Executive Summary
"Global student mobility is one of the fastest growing phenomena in
higher education in the twenty-first century. Over three million students
are currently mobile, crossing geographic, cultural, digital, and
educational borders in the pursuit of an international education - a
movement that has significant consequences for higher education
institutions and nations worldwide....”
Bhandari & Blumenthal (2011)
(SAGE) – was designed to examine the relationship between study abroad during an individual’s
college years and subsequent global engagement. Global engagement was conceptualized as a
post-study abroad set of multidimensional behaviors organized into five distinct categories: civic
engagement, philanthropy, knowledge production, social entrepreneurship, and voluntary
simplicity (an environmentally conscious lifestyle). The central research questions of the study
were:
(1) To what degree and in what ways do former study abroad students become globally
engaged in the years following their study abroad experiences?
(2) To what degree do former study abroad students attribute their global engagement to their
having studied abroad?
(3) What are the relationships between the specific aspects of study abroad (student
demographics, duration, destination, and depth of program (what we have identified as
the basic 4Ds of study abroad) and global engagement outcomes?
To answer these research questions, the SAGE research team designed a retrospective
tracer study of program alumni who had been abroad between 1960 and 2007, a near 50 year
time span. The project generated survey data from 6,378 former study-abroad and 5,924 nonstudy abroad participants representing U.S. 20 colleges and universities, and, for study abroad
students, two additional education-abroad providers. SAGE has been funded by a four-year grant
from the US Department of Education, Title VI: International Research and Studies Program.
The broader context of this study is the rapidly growing, worldwide interest in
internationalizing higher education and the promotion of more effective cultural and language
learning. Colleges and universities are investing heavily in a variety of activities intended to
create a “global campus” environment; these include, among other things, international
education and exchange agreements, bringing international students and scholars to the campus,
conducting international collaborative research, internationalizing the curriculum, and offering
study abroad opportunities to their students. Indeed, during the past 20 years, study abroad has
become a centerpiece of many internationalization efforts and the growth in study abroad
participation has been notable. The Open Doors 2009 (IIE, 2009a) report shows that there was an
increase of 8.5% from the previous year in the number of Americans studying abroad (262,416),
a fourfold jump since 1987-88. Similarly, ERASMUS data show a dramatic increase in EU
student mobility from a mere 3,244 in 1987–88 to 2.2 million by mid- 2010 (European
Commission – Education and Training, 2010).
One component of this overarching internationalization context is the increased interest
in globally-oriented learning outcomes. Terms such as global competence, global citizenship,
and global engagement are commonly mentioned as the expected benefits of study abroad. Yet,
when this study began, these terms were only loosely defined and there was little solid empirical
research on global engagement outcomes. Hence, a fundamental purpose of this study was to
conceptualize global engagement, empirically validate that conceptual model, and then examine
the relationships between study abroad and global engagement.
SAGE and its methodology was inspired by the well-known book, The Shape of the River
(Bowen and Bok 1998), a powerful account of the long-term effects of affirmative action
policies on the recipients, their academic institutions, and society at large. The authors used a
retrospective tracer study research design that informed our work. In a philosophical sense, we
were moved by Putnam’s (2000) Bowling Alone and Bellah’s (1985) Habits of the Heart, both of
which expressed deep concern about the decline of social capital, civic engagement, and
commitment to the public good. Our view was that globally engaged behavior contributes to
social capital formation hence is worthy of study. Moreover, there was considerable anecdotal
evidence that those who have studied abroad feel that the experience was transformative and
changed the ways that they engage with the world in later years. However, there was little
empirical evidence to support this idea. The SAGE project thus was designed to build on the
existing body of knowledge regarding the personal and professional impact of study abroad and
expand upon it by conceptualizing and then studying global engagement as it unfolds throughout
a person’s life.
SAGE was conducted over a four-year period from 2006 to 2010. Using a mixed method
approach, the study generated both survey and qualitative interview data from 6,378 study
abroad participants, 63 study abroad interviewees, and 5,924 non-study abroad participants from
five decades, 1960–2005. The information provided by these respondents – through the analysis
of global engagement outcomes and their relationships with different study abroad variables –
constitutes valuable data of relevance to higher education institutions and beyond. By adding
educational decisions and career choices as outcomes, we expanded the study to include
important elements of the respondent’s life histories to compliment our central focus on global
engagement. In all, we were mapping critically important relationships among these key
outcomes and study abroad.
The SAGE research program progressed through three phases. In phase one (AY 200607), the team first focused on the conceptual model of global engagement, then went into a
lengthy instrument development process that included (1) creating a draft instrument, (2) vetting
the draft Global Engagement Survey instrument via focus group discussions with an advisory
council of study abroad experts/professionals (who were members of the Forum on Education
Abroad board members), and, lastly (3) conducting a full fledging pilot test of the instrument
with one university. In phase two (AY 2007-2009), the core activities were (1) administering the
Global Engagement Survey to 24,019 alumni from the 22 partner institutions who had studied
abroad as undergraduates between 1960 and 2007, and (2) analyzing the data and disseminating
the results at professional association meetings and publications. During this phase, the
conceptually-generated global engagement data were empirically analyzed. This produced a
similar but more refined set of six new global engagement variables that are psychometrically
sound, demonstrating strong validity and reliability. In phase three (AY 2009-2010), by means
of a no-cost extension to the grant, the team was able to (1) sample a non-study abroad
comparison group, (2) administer a slightly revised version of the Global Engagement Survey to
this audience, and (3) analyze the findings.
Summary of Findings: Quantitative and Qualitative
Our major quantitative findings can be summarized in two primary categories, descriptive
and analytical.
Descriptive Findings
In the field of higher education, increasing attention is being given to the nature of the
undergraduate experience (Kuh 2005a, 2005b; Pascarella, 2005; Foster, 2007; Hu, et al., 2008;
Harper & Quaye, 2009; Healy, Pawson, & Solem, 2010). The most dramatic SAGE descriptive
finding related to this important issue was that 83.3% of respondents indicated that study abroad
had had a strong impact on their lives. Interaction with faculty in contrast was indicated as
having strong impact by only 37.8%. Thus, study abroad was seen as the most impactful aspect
of their undergraduate experiences and perceived as being far important than any other aspect of
their undergraduate experience. This finding should be well received by those dedicated to
internationalizing higher education and committed to the importance of
international/intercultural education and learning.
Participants were asked directly to assess how study abroad had influenced their global
engagement. In one of the most important findings of this study, 70.3% indicated that study
abroad had influenced to a large or some degree their practice of voluntary simplicity (cf. Roy &
Anderson, 2010). Given the serious problem of global warming and overconsumption, this is an
encouraging finding. Also related to environmental consciousness and issues of social justice,
study abroad participants compared to the comparison group were much more likely to make
purchasing decisions based on the values of the companies or corporations involved. Out of our
10 major dimensions of global engagement, on eight of those measures such as social
entrepreneurship and international civic engagement over 50% of the sample indicated that study
abroad has influenced their involvement in these domains to a large or some degree. Also 59.7%
indicated that study abroad had influenced their future education decisions to a large or some
degree.
With regard to education and career paths, the results show that 58.7%, more than half of
study abroad alumni attained at least one graduate degree. Moreover, out of those pursuing
graduate education, 35 % of the participants indicated having an internationally oriented
graduate degree. Particularly the graduate completion rate of participants in the SAGE project is
striking compared to that in national data. In 2006, the percentage of the U.S. population age 18
and over whose highest degree attained was a Bachelors degree was 25.5%. Further, among
those with a Bachelors degree, 33.4% have gone on to receive a post-baccalaureate degree. (U.S.
Census Bureau, 2007). This is an extremely important finding, given concerns about US national
competitiveness in the age of the knowledge economy (Friedman, 2005). The caveat is, however,
that those who study abroad may be already a more motivated group and therefore more likely to
attempt graduate education.
Analytical Findings
A major element in the SAGE study and contribution to the field was the development of
a number of scales related to both study abroad itself and global engagement. Related to the
nature of the study abroad experience itself, we identified and developed the four Ds of study
abroad, namely, 1) demography: who goes?, 2) duration: how long do they stay? 3) destination:
where do they go and what is the nature of that destination? and 4) depth: to what extent is their
program deep versus shallow in terms of cultural and language learning and having a
transformative learning experience (Mezirow, 2000; Fry, 2007). We developed
psychometrically sound and robust scales for assessing for both destination and depth of study
abroad programs. Interestingly, a strong correlation was found between destination and program
depth (r=.50). Thus, programs in non-traditional destinations such as the Middle East, Africa, or
Asia were more likely to be in-depth than programs in traditional destinations such as England
and Mexico (see Conlin, 2010). This provides strong empirical support for the goal of the Simon
Study Abroad Foundation Act to diversify study abroad opportunities.
We also developed a psychometrically sound and robust multidimensional scale for
assessing individuals’ global engagement. Having developed these sound scales, we then
examined analytically the relationship among background, demographic (exogenous), the four
Ds of study abroad (endogenous), and our global engagement outcomes variables, using various
multivariate statistical techniques such as regression analysis, path analysis, and confirmatory
factor analysis (see Appendix F). Given the extremely large sample of this study and associated
statistical power, we found many highly significant statistical relationships. However, size
effects in most cases were modest. The variable with the highest explanatory power and by far
the greatest size effects was consistently program depth. This has important implications for the
field and is highly consistent with both the Georgetown (Vande Berg, et al., 2009) and MAXSA
(Cohen, et al., 2005) findings which emphasize the importance of intervention to ensure genuine
and impactful learning experiences.
Interpretation of the unexpected results (basically a null finding) related to duration are
complex. This is the wonderful “surprise” aspect of research. The basic finding that duration of
study abroad per se does not matter in terms of impact was a finding that generated considerable
discussion in the field (see Appendix B). Many other studies may indicate that duration probably
does affect language learning positively, for example, but we were not assessing that kind of
outcome. Actually our finding can be interpreted in a rather positive way. What really counts is
not how long you stay or where you go, but the quality of the program and the nature of deep
cultural and learning experiences provided. This is consistent with the recently concluded major
Georgetown research on study abroad (Vande Berg, et al., 2009) which indicates the critical need
for intervention to ensure impact and genuine learning. This finding related to duration also has
important implications for the field given the dramatic growth in short-term study abroad and it
having become the most common genre of study abroad. If done in the right way, short-term
study abroad can have impact (see Nam & Fry, 2010).
Qualitative findings
Our qualitative findings derive from three primary data sources: 1) two open-ended
questions at the end of the large electronic survey, 2) in-depth interviews of 63 individuals
randomly selected from those participating in the electronic survey who indicated that they were
willing to be interviewed, and 3) detailed case studies of individuals purposively selected
because of the richness (Yin, 2009) of their experiences and how those help us to understand
more deeply how study abroad influences global engagement and concrete examples of the
nature of that global engagement and its impact on the common good.
The major qualitative finding is that overwhelmingly, the study abroad experience was
among the most influential experiences in participants’ lives, or was the most impactful
experience. A number of key themes and patterns emerged from analysis of the qualitative
interviews related to the impact of study abroad on participants’ lives. These themes were as
follows:

Personal learning and development

Refined language and cultural abilities

Development of cultural empathy

Impact on education and educational decisions and shift in educational choices

Impact on career and professional development and shift in career choices; Nonpecuniary job choice

Increased understanding of the world issues and relations

Changes in worldview and values

Global engagement activities
One vivid example of impact was a former study abroad student who had a much more
open attitude toward recent immigrants, stating that they were “not just faceless people who
work in a processing plant.”
Related to the last global engagement theme, the major focus of the study, several key
patterns emerged:

Wanting to make a difference

Actively engaged in working for the common good

Seeking a more balanced life

Changing lifestyles

Taking action to influence purchasing decisions to enhance social justice and
environmental preservation
Changing world views and values was another major pattern in terms of outcomes,
illustrated by the following patterns identified:

Tolerance and seeing multiple perspectives

Generational multiplier effect;

Becoming international and developing comparative thinking

Cumulative persistent influence throughout lives

Realization and negotiation of identity and values

Critical consciousness related to media, for example. Prior to study abroad many
had accepted media presentations of other countries and cultures as “the truth”.
Also a number of key themes and patterns emerged related to the study abroad experience
itself. These themes were as follows

Choice of college influenced by study abroad opportunities offered

1+1=3 (distinctive impact of multiple study abroad experiences)

Importance of intensity and depth of experience

Value of carefully designed field trips and experiential learning (non-classroom)
The first theme has important implications for colleges and universities around the
country as they compete for the best and most talented students. It suggests that the policy of
Princeton University to encourage a “gap year” for their entering students may be a visionary
policy in many regards (Tilgman, 2008).
The second theme was somewhat unexpected and supports the comparative perspective
emphasized by international educators such as Josef Mestenhauser (1998). Multiple experiences
seem to have more than increased linear impact, but exponential influence in what might be
termed the “precious circle” of study abroad reflected well in the individual case study of Maiyia
Yang above. The 1+1=3 theme suggests that the IE3 innovative approach to study abroad funded
initially by the federal government was visionary (IE3; Lahr, 2010). The IE3 concept emphasized
the integration of study abroad and work/internships overseas with the three Es being education,
experience, and employment. Related to the final theme many study abroad reflected positively
on the value of carefully planned field trips that required critical reflection.
Integrated findings from the three stages of the qualitative research
In terms of the nature of the study abroad experience, the following were the key themes
identified:

Value of intensity

Benefit of multifaceted experiences

Cumulative nature of experiences

Importance of program intervention (cf. Maximizing Study Abroad, Paige, Cohen,
& Shively, 2003; the Georgetown Study, Vande Berg, Connor-Linton, & Paige,
2009)
In terms of the global engagement outcomes, the two major themes that emerged were:

The multidimensional nature of global engagement

The long-term nature of impact
Dissemination and Outreach
We have considered it extremely important to share these important SAGE findings at
different stages of the research process with diverse scholarly and public audiences. There have
two presentations internationally (one in Germany, two in Denmark, and one in Canada). In the
U.S. we have presented three times in Washington, D.C. and Oregon, twice at the University of
Minnesota, and also in Wisconsin, Hawai’i, California, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Missouri.
A total of 18 presentations have made over a period of three years (2008-2010) (see Appendix
A). Results have been presented at the conferences of the major organizations in the field of
international/intercultural education, namely, the Council on International Education and
Exchange, the Forum on Education Abroad, NAFSA: The Association of International
Educators, the Comparative and International Education Society, the International Academy on
Intercultural Research, the European Association for International Education, and the Pacific
Circle Consortium. As the result of these many presentations, the project has attracted
considerable media attention. A reporter from the Chronicle of Higher Education covered our
February presentation at the conference of the Forum on Education Abroad and wrote an article
about SAGE and its basic findings (Fischer, 2009). That led in turn to a number of newspaper
articles around the country (see Appendix B).
The initial findings of the SAGE study were published in a prominent European journal,
Intercultural Education (Paige, et al, 2009). (See Appendix G). A paper with more extensive
findings was accepted by the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and
presented in Vancouver, Canada in November, 2009 (Jon & Fry, 2009) (See Appendix H). We
have developed a strategic plan for the preparation of a series of papers for submission to key
journals in the field over the next two years. After this period, we will then make the data set
publically available for scholars and students around the nation and world to use with permission
and acknowledgment for further research analysis.
Finally, in the age of the Internet, early on we developed a project Web-site open to the
public which contains detailed information on the SAGE project and our research processes and
outcomes. The Web-site includes copies of all our formal presentations on SAGE research. One
of our team members had the responsibility to maintain the Web-site and to respond to queries
about the project. The url for the site is: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/projects/SAGE/.
Limitations of the Study
Our study has several major limitations. First, though our response rate is considered
quite respectable for an electronic survey of this type, there is the selection bias in that those
electing to participate in our study were those who were more likely to have had more positive
and impactful study abroad experiences. Unfortunately we were not able to track down nonrespondents to ascertain explicitly the extent of this bias. Second, with our huge sample, we
have exceptionally good statistical power. However, we must, therefore, be mindful not to
exaggerate the impact of highly statistically significant findings but where size effects are
minimal.
Directions for Future Research
The ideal future study would be a genuine longitudinal tracer study, with a carefully
selected control group, to follow study abroad alumni into the future over many decades. Our
cross-sectional retrospective tracer study going back 50 years was an attempt to “replicate” a
genuine longitudinal tracer study. Because of the enormous costs involved, such a “dream
study” may never be feasible.
In September, 2009, the University of Wisconsin invited us to their campus to discuss our
SAGE project and its methodology. Inspired by our work, they are carrying out their own
Wisconsin study of that universities’ study abroad alumni, drawing on the SAGE instruments
and methodology. Thus, we anticipate that the SAGE study will inspire numerous other
institutions to assess systematically the impact of study abroad for their alumni. We have given
authorization for each participating institution in our own project to do their own analyses of data
from their own institutions if they choose to do so. Thus, we anticipate a valuable multiplier
effect from SAGE, with the generation of a number of future studies of the impact of study
abroad as an increasingly important of the undergraduate experience.
Concluding Thoughts and Reflections
This research demonstrates the long-term impact of study abroad experience during
undergraduate education, by examining the undergraduate experiences of study abroad alumni
between 1960 and 2005. This study provides strong empirical evidence that undergraduate
students who study abroad during their college years become globally engaged in a variety of
ways in subsequent years. Moreover, many of them attribute their global engagement to their
having studied abroad. An investment in study abroad then, at the federal and state levels, is a
much broader investment in the long term well-being of society and the globe: socially,
environmentally, and politically.
This investment already has a platform in the Paul Simon Foundation Study Abroad Act
and the Lincoln Commission Report, which calls for a vast expansion of study abroad
opportunities, destinations, and participation to a million U.S. students abroad annually. The
long term purpose of the act is to create a more globally informed and involved American
citizenry. SAGE provides strong empirical evidence suggesting that this goal will be realized.
A major finding related to the impact of study abroad on global values (environmentally
mindful behaviors, for example, voluntary simplicity) contributes to the global imperative for
more sustainable development.
This research also has important implications for the field of higher education. Given the
powerful and transformative impact of study abroad that we have demonstrated empirically,
study abroad should be seen as central to having a genuine liberal education. The University of
Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management is now requiring all undergraduates to have a study
abroad experience. It is even more important that liberal arts graduates have this experience.
Given the findings of this study, ways need to be found to increase the number of
students having this kind of opportunity. This research shows that undergraduate study abroad
experiences promote participants’ long-term global engagement in a multifaceted way. It also
provides strong empirical evidence that study abroad experiences can profoundly influence
individuals’ pursuit of further graduate studies and career paths.
Moreover, this research also has significant implications for policy makers and
practitioners in the field. It is extremely timely from a policy perspective, given the Simon Study
Abroad Foundation Act (2007) which has received strong bipartisan support in Congress. This
study and its data can inform policy thinking about the goals of the Act to democratize, diversify,
and expand study abroad. Also the finding that study participants viewed study abroad as the
most impactful of their undergraduate experiences should be welcomed by international
educators across the globe.
With regard to research implications, it is meaningful that this study has examined the
behavioral patterns of global engagement, going beyond previous studies which have
concentrated on attitudinal or only short-term outcomes of international education. Also this
research has important theoretical implications in that it has resulted in a reliable scale for
assessing global engagement in a multifaceted way. Reliable scales have also been developed
for assessing the depth of the study abroad experience and the diversified nature of study abroad
destinations.
Nationally and internationally, there has been increasing emphasis on the
internationalization of higher education. Study abroad is an important aspect of this process.
Previous to this major study of the impact of study abroad on global engagement there has been
much anecdotal information on this topic. It is meaningful that this research has documented
empirically and systematically how study abroad has positively influenced global engagement in
multifaceted ways. Also for many participants, study abroad is transformational in its influence
on their later educational and occupational choices.
individual and personal gains from study abroad (private benefits and returns). From an
economic perspective, if those were the only outcomes, then the argument for subsidizing study
abroad may not be particularly compelling. However, our findings suggest that investing in
study abroad has both major social and individual benefits, and, thus contributes to the
development of not only human capital but social capital, and, thus contributes to the common
good, above and beyond the personal private benefits. Thus, we have solid empirical evidence
justifying public support for the expansion, diversification, and democratization of study abroad
as called for in the visionary Lincoln Commission Report and Simon Study Abroad Foundation
Act.
Beyond Immediate Impact: Study Abroad for Global
Engagement (SAGE)
Report Submitted to the Title VI:
International Research and Studies Program
U.S. Department of Education
by
R. Michael Paige and Gerald W. Fry, Principal Investigators
Dr. Elizabeth Stallman, Dr. Jae-Eun Jon, Ms. Jasmina Josić,
Research Associates
Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and
Development
College of Education and Human Development
August 30, 2010
1
Table of Contents
Page
List of Tables
4
List of Figures
7
I.
Abstract
8
II.
Executive Summary
10
III.
Credits and Acknowledgements
18
IV.
Introduction
20
V.
Aims of the Study and Research Questions
26
VI.
Research Design
27
A. Participants
27
B. Instrumentation-Online Survey
29
C. Data Collection Procedures
33
D. Data Analysis Procedures
36
VII. Quantitative Findings and Interpretation
37
A. Descriptive Statistics
37
B. Variable Construction
56
C. Factor Analysis and Creating Global Engagement
57
Variables Empirically
D. Destination Index
59
E. Assessing the Depth of Study Abroad Programs
65
F. Research Design: Data Collection Procedures-Study
66
Abroad and Comparison Groups
G. Multivariate Quantitative Findings and Analysis
69
H. Regression and Path Analysis
71
2
Page
I. Analysis of Differences between Study Abroad and
85
Comparison Groups
VIII. Qualitative Findings and Interpretation
86
A. Open-Ended Question Analysis
87
B. Individual Interviews
89
C. Individual Case Studies
98
IX. Conclusions, Discussion, and Implications
X.
117
A. Summary of Findings: Quantitative and Qualitative
117
B. Dissemination and Outreach
121
C. Limitations of Study
122
D. Directions for Future Research
122
E. Concluding Thoughts and Reflections
123
Bibliography
XI. Appendices
A. Presentations Given on SAGE Research at Diverse
125
138
138
Conferences and Settings
B. Examples of Media Attention to SAGE and its Findings
140
C. The Electronic Survey
141
D. Interview Guide for Qualitative Case Studies
162
E. Technical Notes: Missing Values
164
F. Confirmatory Factor Analyses: Global Engagement,
167
Depth, and Destination
G. Copy of Paper Published in Intercultural Education
169
H. Paper Presented at the American Society for the Study of
175
Higher Education (ASHE)
3
List of Tables
Page
Table 1 Participating institutions/organizations (by type)
28
Table 2 Participating institutions, study abroad and comparison Group
32
Table 3 Survey implementation timeline
35
Table 4 Gender
37
Table 5 Ethnicity
38
Table 6 Mother‘s education
38
Table 7 Father‘s education
39
Table 8 Lived abroad as a child
39
Table 9: Type of institution
40
Table 10: Institution/provider organization participation data
41
Table 11 Study abroad by time period
42
Table 12 Duration of study abroad program (in months)
43
Table 13 Program type
44
Table 14 Program description
44
Table 15 Impact of college experiences
45
Table 16 Impact of study abroad on global engagement
46
Table 17 Domestic civic engagement
47
Table 18 International civic engagement
48
Table 19 Philanthropy- monetary donations: type of organization by frequency of
donations
49
Table 20 Philanthropy-volunteer work: type of organization by frequency of
volunteerism
50
Table 21 Social entrepreneurship
50
4
Page
Table 22 Social entrepreneurship: type of organization created by
percent of entrepreneurs
51
Table 23 Practice voluntary simplicity
52
Table 24 Had something published
52
Table 25 Publications by percent of respondents
53
Table 26 Other types of knowledge production (yes, no)
54
Table 27 Other types of knowledge production by percent of respondents
54
Table 28 Attended graduate school
55
Table 29 Impact of study abroad on education and occupation
55
Table 30 Career choice was or is internationally oriented
56
Table 31 Currently speak study abroad language
56
Table 32 Global engagement factors
58
Table 33 Countries by degree of similarity/dissimilarity compared to the U.S.
60
Table 34 Destination Index for select countries in the study and the appropriate
values of its three components
64
Table 35 Basic descriptive statistics and missing data profile for the study abroad
group
67
Table 36 Basic descriptive statistics and missing data profile for the comparison
group
68
Table 37 Correlations among explanatory variables: Duration, Destination, and Depth
Indices
69
Table 38 Correlations among Global Engagement Indices
70
Table 39 Correlations between Global Engagement (outcome) variables and study
abroad characteristics (explanatory) variables
71
Table 40 Model fit indices for Global Engagement 1 models
73
Table 41 Direct effects from demographic and explanatory variables on GE 1
73
5
Page
74
75
76
76
77
77
78
79
79
80
81
82
Table 54 Model fit indices for Global Engagement: Knowledge Production models
83
Table 55 Direct effects from demographic and explanatory variables on KP_GE
83
Table 56 Model fit indices for Global Engagement: Social Entrepreneurship models
84
Table 57 Direct effects from demographic and explanatory variables on social
entrepreneurship
85
Table 58 Means and standard deviations of variables for those missing on Global
164
Engagement survey items greater than 10%: Duration, Destination Index, Depth Index,
age, SES, and gender
Table 59 Means and standard deviations of education and career related variables for
those missing on Global Engagement Indices greater than 10%: Pursued an advanced
degree, an internationally-oriented degree, and career is internationally-oriented
165
Table 60 Means and standard deviations of variables for those missing on Global
Engagement survey items greater than 8%: Age, SES, gender, and education, career
related variables
165
6
List of Figures
Page
Figure 1 Countries by degree of similarity/dissimilarity compared to the U.S. rank ordered.
62
Figure 2 Initial path model
72
Figure 3 Path model of GE 1 Philanthropic Donations
74
Figure 4 Path model of GE 2: Volunteerism: Social Justice
75
Figure 5 Path model of GE 3: Civic Engagement- International: Political
76
Figure 6 Path model of GE 4: Global Values
78
Figure 7 Path model of GE 5: Global Leadership
79
Figure 8 Path model of GE 6 Civic Engagement- Domestic: Political
81
Figure 9 Path model of GE 7 Volunteerism: Social Welfare
81
Figure 10 Path model of Global Engagement: Knowledge Production
84
Figure 11 Path model of Global Engagement: Social Entrepreneurship
85
Figure 12 Example of a confirmatory factor analysis for the Global Engagement Construct
167
Figure 13 Example of a confirmatory factor analysis for the Depth Index
168
7
I. Abstract
(SAGE) – was designed to examine the relationship between study abroad during an individual‘s
college years and subsequent global engagement. Global engagement was conceptualized as a poststudy abroad set of multidimensional behaviors organized into five distinct categories: civic
engagement, philanthropy, knowledge production, social entrepreneurship, and voluntary simplicity
(an environmentally conscious lifestyle). The central research questions of the study were:
1. To what degree and in what ways do former study abroad students become globally
2. To what degree do former study abroad students attribute their global engagement to
their having studied abroad?
3. What are the relationships between the specific aspects of study abroad (student
demographics, duration, destination, and depth of program (what we have identified as
the basic 4Ds of study abroad) and global engagement outcomes?
To answer these research questions, the SAGE research team designed a retrospective tracer
study of program alumni who had been abroad between 1960 and 2007, a near 50 year time span. The
project generated survey data from 6,378 former study-abroad and 5,924 non-study abroad participants
representing U.S. 20 colleges and universities, and, for study abroad students, two additional educationabroad providers. SAGE was funded by a four-year grant from the US Department of Education, Title
VI: International Research and Studies Program.
The research methodology was a retrospective tracer study, inspired by the previous research of
Bok and Bowen in Shape of the River, which examined the long-term impact of affirmative action.
The design for the study was a mixed-methods one to provide important triangulation of data. In
addition to the large national electronic survey, in-depth interviews were conducted of a random
sample of 63 participants from the large survey. This was then complemented by 10 in-depth
qualitative case studies chosen for the insight they provide in understanding how study abroad has
influenced global engagement and contributions to the common good.
Major findings from both the quantitative and qualitative phases of the study were as follows:

Study abroad was by far the most impactful aspect of their undergraduate experience.

The major qualitative finding is that overwhelmingly, the study abroad experience was
among the most influential experiences in participants‘ lives, or was the most impactful
experience.

Many of our survey participants demonstrated diverse and extensive global engagement
and often attributed that outcome to their study abroad experiences. This was
particularly clear in the area of global values related to the practice of voluntary
simplicity and purchasing decisions.

Study abroad significantly influenced many in their educational and occupational
decisions and those in our study were far more likely to pursue graduate work,
compared to the national average.
8

Destination and depth of program were strongly related. This suggests that programs in
non-traditional parts of the world are likely to have more depth and be less shallow than
programs in traditional study abroad locations.

Of the various study abroad factors, depth of program was consistently that which
showed the most influence on global engagement.
individual and personal gains from study abroad (private benefits and returns). From an economic
perspective, if those were the only outcomes, then the argument for subsidizing study abroad may not
be particularly compelling. However, our findings suggest that investing in study abroad has both
major social and individual benefits, and, thus contributes to the development of not only human
capital but social capital, and, thus contributes to the common good, above and beyond the personal
private benefits. Thus, we have solid empirical evidence justifying public support for the expansion,
diversification, and democratization of study abroad as called for in the visionary Lincoln Commission
Report and Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act.
9
II.
Executive Summary
"Global student mobility is one of the fastest growing phenomena in higher
education in the twenty-first century. Over three million students are currently
mobile, crossing geographic, cultural, digital, and educational borders in the
pursuit of an international education - a movement that has significant
consequences for higher education institutions and nations worldwide....‖
(SAGE) – was designed to examine the relationship between study abroad during an individual‘s
college years and subsequent global engagement. Global engagement was conceptualized as a poststudy abroad set of multidimensional behaviors organized into five distinct categories: civic
(1) To what degree and in what ways do former study abroad students become globally engaged in
the years following their study abroad experiences?
(2) To what degree do former study abroad students attribute their global engagement to their
having studied abroad?
(3) What are the relationships between the specific aspects of study abroad (student demographics,
duration, destination, and depth of program (what we have identified as the basic 4Ds of study
abroad) and global engagement outcomes?
study of program alumni who had been abroad between 1960 and 2007, a near 50 year time span. The
project generated survey data from 6,378 former study-abroad and 5,924 non-study abroad participants
representing U.S. 20 colleges and universities, and, for study abroad students, two additional educationabroad providers. SAGE has been funded by a four-year grant from the US Department of Education,
Title VI: International Research and Studies Program.
internationalizing higher education and the promotion of more effective cultural and language learning.
Colleges and universities are investing heavily in a variety of activities intended to create a ―global
campus‖ environment; these include, among other things, international education and exchange
agreements, bringing international students and scholars to the campus, conducting international
collaborative research, internationalizing the curriculum, and offering study abroad opportunities to
their students. Indeed, during the past 20 years, study abroad has become a centerpiece of many
internationalization efforts and the growth in study abroad participation has been notable. The Open
Doors 2009 (IIE, 2009a) report shows that there was an increase of 8.5% from the previous year in the
number of Americans studying abroad (262,416), a fourfold jump since 1987-88. Similarly,
ERASMUS data show a dramatic increase in EU student mobility from a mere 3,244 in 1987–88 to 2.2
million by mid- 2010 (European Commission – Education and Training, 2010).
10
One component of this overarching internationalization context is the increased interest in
globally-oriented learning outcomes. Terms such as global competence, global citizenship, and global
engagement are commonly mentioned as the expected benefits of study abroad. Yet, when this study
began, these terms were only loosely defined and there was little solid empirical research on global
engagement outcomes. Hence, a fundamental purpose of this study was to conceptualize global
engagement, empirically validate that conceptual model, and then examine the relationships between
study abroad and global engagement.
SAGE and its methodology was inspired by the well-known book, The Shape of the River
(Bowen and Bok 1998), a powerful account of the long-term effects of affirmative action policies on
the recipients, their academic institutions, and society at large. The authors used a retrospective tracer
study research design that informed our work. In a philosophical sense, we were moved by Putnam‘s
(2000) Bowling Alone and Bellah‘s (1985) Habits of the Heart, both of which expressed deep concern
about the decline of social capital, civic engagement, and commitment to the public good. Our view
was that globally engaged behavior contributes to social capital formation hence is worthy of study.
Moreover, there was considerable anecdotal evidence that those who have studied abroad feel that the
experience was transformative and changed the ways that they engage with the world in later years.
However, there was little empirical evidence to support this idea. The SAGE project thus was designed
to build on the existing body of knowledge regarding the personal and professional impact of study
abroad and expand upon it by conceptualizing and then studying global engagement as it unfolds
throughout a person‘s life.
SAGE was conducted over a four-year period from 2006 to 2010. Using a mixed method
approach, the study generated both survey and qualitative interview data from 6,378 study abroad
participants, 63 study abroad interviewees, and 5,924 non-study abroad participants from five decades,
1960–2005. The information provided by these respondents – through the analysis of global
engagement outcomes and their relationships with different study abroad variables – constitutes
valuable data of relevance to higher education institutions and beyond. By adding educational
decisions and career choices as outcomes, we expanded the study to include important elements of the
respondent‘s life histories to compliment our central focus on global engagement. In all, we were
mapping critically important relationships among these key outcomes and study abroad.
The SAGE research program progressed through three phases. In phase one (AY 2006-07), the
team first focused on the conceptual model of global engagement, then went into a lengthy instrument
development process that included (1) creating a draft instrument, (2) vetting the draft Global
Engagement Survey instrument via focus group discussions with an advisory council of study abroad
experts/professionals (who were members of the Forum on Education Abroad board members), and,
lastly (3) conducting a full fledging pilot test of the instrument with one university. In phase two (AY
2007-2009), the core activities were (1) administering the Global Engagement Survey to 24,019 alumni
from the 22 partner institutions who had studied abroad as undergraduates between 1960 and 2007, and
(2) analyzing the data and disseminating the results at professional association meetings and
publications. During this phase, the conceptually-generated global engagement data were empirically
analyzed. This produced a similar but more refined set of six new global engagement variables that are
psychometrically sound, demonstrating strong validity and reliability. In phase three (AY 2009-2010),
by means of a no-cost extension to the grant, the team was able to (1) sample a non-study abroad
comparison group, (2) administer a slightly revised version of the Global Engagement Survey to this
audience, and (3) analyze the findings.
11
Summary of Findings: Quantitative and Qualitative
Our major quantitative findings can be summarized in two primary categories, descriptive and
analytical.
undergraduate experience (Kuh 2005a, 2005b; Pascarella, 2005; Foster, 2007; Hu, et al., 2008; Harper
& Quaye, 2009; Healy, Pawson, & Solem, 2010). The most dramatic SAGE descriptive finding related
to this important issue was that 83.3% of respondents indicated that study abroad had had a strong
impact on their lives. Interaction with faculty in contrast was indicated as having strong impact by only
37.8%. Thus, study abroad was seen as the most impactful aspect of their undergraduate experiences
and perceived as being far important than any other aspect of their undergraduate experience. This
finding should be well received by those dedicated to internationalizing higher education and
committed to the importance of international/intercultural education and learning.
engagement. In one of the most important findings of this study, 70.3% indicated that study abroad
had influenced to a large or some degree their practice of voluntary simplicity (cf. Roy & Anderson,
2010). Given the serious problem of global warming and overconsumption, this is an encouraging
finding. Also related to environmental consciousness and issues of social justice, study abroad
participants compared to the comparison group were much more likely to make purchasing decisions
based on the values of the companies or corporations involved. Out of our 10 major dimensions of
global engagement, on eight of those measures such as social entrepreneurship and international civic
engagement over 50% of the sample indicated that study abroad has influenced their involvement in
these domains to a large or some degree. Also 59.7% indicated that study abroad had influenced their
future education decisions to a large or some degree.
With regard to education and career paths, the results show that 58.7%, more than half of study
abroad alumni attained at least one graduate degree. Moreover, out of those pursuing graduate
education, 35 % of the participants indicated having an internationally oriented graduate degree.
Particularly the graduate completion rate of participants in the SAGE project is striking compared to
that in national data. In 2006, the percentage of the U.S. population age 18 and over whose highest
degree attained was a Bachelors degree was 25.5%. Further, among those with a Bachelors degree,
33.4% have gone on to receive a post-baccalaureate degree. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007). This is an
extremely important finding, given concerns about US national competitiveness in the age of the
knowledge economy (Friedman, 2005). The caveat is, however, that those who study abroad may be
already a more motivated group and therefore more likely to attempt graduate education.
Analytical Findings
A major element in the SAGE study and contribution to the field was the development of a
number of scales related to both study abroad itself and global engagement. Related to the nature of
the study abroad experience itself, we identified and developed the four Ds of study abroad, namely, 1)
demography: who goes?, 2) duration: how long do they stay? 3) destination: where do they go and
what is the nature of that destination? and 4) depth: to what extent is their program deep versus shallow
in terms of cultural and language learning and having a transformative learning experience (Mezirow,
2000; Fry, 2007). We developed psychometrically sound and robust scales for assessing for both
destination and depth of study abroad programs. Interestingly, a strong correlation was found between
12
destination and program depth (r=.50). Thus, programs in non-traditional destinations such as the
Middle East, Africa, or Asia were more likely to be in-depth than programs in traditional destinations
such as England and Mexico (see Conlin, 2010). This provides strong empirical support for the goal of
the Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act to diversify study abroad opportunities.
We also developed a psychometrically sound and robust multidimensional scale for assessing
individuals‘ global engagement. Having developed these sound scales, we then examined analytically
the relationship among background, demographic (exogenous), the four Ds of study abroad
(endogenous), and our global engagement outcomes variables, using various multivariate statistical
techniques such as regression analysis, path analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis (see Appendix
F). Given the extremely large sample of this study and associated statistical power, we found many
highly significant statistical relationships. However, size effects in most cases were modest. The
variable with the highest explanatory power and by far the greatest size effects was consistently
program depth. This has important implications for the field and is highly consistent with both the
Georgetown (Vande Berg, et al., 2009) and MAXSA (Cohen, et al., 2005) findings which emphasize
the importance of intervention to ensure genuine and impactful learning experiences.
Interpretation of the unexpected results (basically a null finding) related to duration are
complex. This is the wonderful ―surprise‖ aspect of research. The basic finding that duration of study
abroad per se does not matter in terms of impact was a finding that generated considerable discussion
in the field (see Appendix B). Many other studies may indicate that duration probably does affect
language learning positively, for example, but we were not assessing that kind of outcome. Actually
our finding can be interpreted in a rather positive way. What really counts is not how long you stay or
where you go, but the quality of the program and the nature of deep cultural and learning experiences
provided. This is consistent with the recently concluded major Georgetown research on study abroad
(Vande Berg, et al., 2009) which indicates the critical need for intervention to ensure impact and
genuine learning. This finding related to duration also has important implications for the field given
the dramatic growth in short-term study abroad and it having become the most common genre of study
abroad. If done in the right way, short-term study abroad can have impact (see Nam & Fry, 2010).
Our qualitative findings derive from three primary data sources: 1) two open-ended questions
at the end of the large electronic survey, 2) in-depth interviews of 63 individuals randomly selected
from those participating in the electronic survey who indicated that they were willing to be interviewed,
and 3) detailed case studies of individuals purposively selected because of the richness (Yin, 2009) of
their experiences and how those help us to understand more deeply how study abroad influences global
engagement and concrete examples of the nature of that global engagement and its impact on the
common good.
The major qualitative finding is that overwhelmingly, the study abroad experience was among
the most influential experiences in participants‘ lives, or was the most impactful experience. A number
of key themes and patterns emerged from analysis of the qualitative interviews related to the impact of
study abroad on participants‘ lives. These themes were as follows:



13





One vivid example of impact was a former study abroad student who had a much more open
attitude toward recent immigrants, stating that they were ―not just faceless people who work in a
processing plant.‖
Related to the last global engagement theme, the major focus of the study, several key patterns
emerged:




Changing lifestyles

Changing world views and values was another major pattern in terms of outcomes, illustrated
by the following patterns identified:


Generational multiplier effect;




Critical consciousness related to media, for example. Prior to study abroad many had
accepted media presentations of other countries and cultures as ―the truth‖.
Also a number of key themes and patterns emerged related to the study abroad experience itself.
These themes were as follows




The first theme has important implications for colleges and universities around the country as
they compete for the best and most talented students. It suggests that the policy of Princeton University
to encourage a ―gap year‖ for their entering students may be a visionary policy in many regards
(Tilgman, 2008).
14
emphasized by international educators such as Josef Mestenhauser (1998). Multiple experiences seem
to have more than increased linear impact, but exponential influence in what might be termed the
―precious circle‖ of study abroad reflected well in the individual case study of Maiyia Yang above. The
1+1=3 theme suggests that the IE3 innovative approach to study abroad funded initially by the federal
government was visionary (IE3; Lahr, 2010). The IE3 concept emphasized the integration of study
abroad and work/internships overseas with the three Es being education, experience, and employment.
Related to the final theme many study abroad reflected positively on the value of carefully planned
field trips that required critical reflection.
identified:

Value of intensity



Importance of program intervention (cf. Maximizing Study Abroad, Cohen, et al., ; the
Georgetown Study, Vande Berg, et al., 2009)


Dissemination and Outreach
We have considered it extremely important to share these important SAGE findings at different
stages of the research process with diverse scholarly and public audiences. There have two
presentations internationally (one in Germany, two in Denmark, and one in Canada). In the U.S. we
have presented three times in Washington, D.C. and Oregon, twice at the University of Minnesota, and
also in Wisconsin, Hawai‘i, California, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Missouri. A total of 18
presentations have made over a period of three years (2008-2010) (see Appendix A). Results have
been presented at the conferences of the major organizations in the field of international/intercultural
education, namely, the Council on International Education and Exchange, the Forum on Education
Abroad, NAFSA: The Association of International Educators, the Comparative and International
Education Society, the International Academy on Intercultural Research, the European Association for
International Education, and the Pacific Circle Consortium. As the result of these many presentations,
the project has attracted considerable media attention. A reporter from the Chronicle of Higher
Education covered our February presentation at the conference of the Forum on Education Abroad and
wrote an article about SAGE and its basic findings (Fischer, 2009). That led in turn to a number of
newspaper articles around the country (see Appendix B).
Intercultural Education (Paige, et al, 2009). (See Appendix G). A paper with more extensive findings
was accepted by the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and presented in
Vancouver, Canada in November, 2009 (Jon & Fry, 2009) (See Appendix H). We have developed a
15
strategic plan for the preparation of a series of papers for submission to key journals in the field over
the next two years. After this period, we will then make the data set publically available for scholars
and students around the nation and world to use with permission and acknowledgment for further
research analysis.
Finally, in the age of the Internet, early on we developed a project Web-site open to the public
which contains detailed information on the SAGE project and our research processes and outcomes.
The Web-site includes copies of all our formal presentations on SAGE research. One of our team
members had the responsibility to maintain the Web-site and to respond to queries about the project.
The url for the site is: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/projects/SAGE/.
Limitations of the Study
Our study has several major limitations. First, though our response rate is considered quite
respectable for an electronic survey of this type, there is the selection bias in that those electing to
participate in our study were those who were more likely to have had more positive and impactful
study abroad experiences. Unfortunately we were not able to track down non-respondents to ascertain
explicitly the extent of this bias. Second, with our huge sample, we have exceptionally good statistical
power. However, we must, therefore, be mindful not to exaggerate the impact of highly statistically
significant findings but where size effects are minimal.
Directions for Future Research
The ideal future study would be a genuine longitudinal tracer study, with a carefully selected
control group, to follow study abroad alumni into the future over many decades. Our cross-sectional
retrospective tracer study going back 50 years was an attempt to ―replicate‖ a genuine longitudinal
tracer study. Because of the enormous costs involved, such a ―dream study‖ may never be feasible.
SAGE project and its methodology. Inspired by our work, they are carrying out their own Wisconsin
study of that universities‘ study abroad alumni, drawing on the SAGE instruments and methodology.
Thus, we anticipate that the SAGE study will inspire numerous other institutions to assess
systematically the impact of study abroad for their alumni. We have given authorization for each
participating institution in our own project to do their own analyses of data from their own institutions
if they choose to do so. Thus, we anticipate a valuable multiplier effect from SAGE, with the
generation of a number of future studies of the impact of study abroad as an increasingly important of
the undergraduate experience.
Concluding Thoughts and Reflections
undergraduate education, by examining the undergraduate experiences of study abroad alumni between
1960 and 2005. This study provides strong empirical evidence that undergraduate students who study
abroad during their college years become globally engaged in a variety of ways in subsequent years.
Moreover, many of them attribute their global engagement to their having studied abroad. An
investment in study abroad then, at the federal and state levels, is a much broader investment in the
long term well-being of society and the globe: socially, environmentally, and politically.
This investment already has a platform in the Paul Simon Foundation Study Abroad Act and the
Lincoln Commission Report, which calls for a vast expansion of study abroad opportunities,
destinations, and participation to a million U.S. students abroad annually. The long term purpose of the
16
act is to create a more globally informed and involved American citizenry. SAGE provides strong
empirical evidence suggesting that this goal will be realized.
mindful behaviors, for example, voluntary simplicity) contributes to the global imperative for more
sustainable development.
powerful and transformative impact of study abroad that we have demonstrated empirically, study
abroad should be seen as central to having a genuine liberal education. The University of Minnesota‘s
Carlson School of Management is now requiring all undergraduates to have a study abroad experience.
It is even more important that liberal arts graduates have this experience.
Given the findings of this study, ways need to be found to increase the number of students
having this kind of opportunity. This research shows that undergraduate study abroad experiences
promote participants‘ long-term global engagement in a multifaceted way. It also provides strong
empirical evidence that study abroad experiences can profoundly influence individuals‘ pursuit of
further graduate studies and career paths.
Moreover, this research also has significant implications for policy makers and practitioners in
the field. It is extremely timely from a policy perspective, given the Simon Study Abroad Foundation
Act (2007) which has received strong bipartisan support in Congress. This study and its data can
inform policy thinking about the goals of the Act to democratize, diversify, and expand study abroad.
Also the finding that study participants viewed study abroad as the most impactful of their
undergraduate experiences should be welcomed by international educators across the globe.
behavioral patterns of global engagement, going beyond previous studies which have concentrated on
attitudinal or only short-term outcomes of international education. Also this research has important
theoretical implications in that it has resulted in a reliable scale for assessing global engagement in a
multifaceted way. Reliable scales have also been developed for assessing the depth of the study abroad
experience and the diversified nature of study abroad destinations.
Nationally and internationally, there has been increasing emphasis on the internationalization of
higher education. Study abroad is an important aspect of this process. Previous to this major study of
the impact of study abroad on global engagement there has been much anecdotal information on this
topic. It is meaningful that this research has documented empirically and systematically how study
abroad has positively influenced global engagement in multifaceted ways. Also for many participants,
study abroad is transformational in its influence on their later educational and occupational choices.
perspective, if those were the only outcomes, then the argument for subsidizing study abroad may not
be particularly compelling. However, our findings suggest that investing in study abroad has both
major social and individual benefits, and, thus contributes to the development of not only human
17
III. Credits and Acknowledgments
The research team extends thanks to the many people who contributed to make this study a
success over its four-year duration (2006-2010). First, we are grateful to the research participants – the
6,391 alumni of the 23 partner institutions – who took their valuable time to provide us with their
reflections and insights about their study abroad experiences. Ultimately, our respondents made the
study possible. They brought to life for us the impact of study abroad on their careers, later education,
and subsequent global engagement. We are very appreciative.
Second, we are indebted to the 23 partner institutions, particularly the faculty and staff, who
helped us to establish a baseline of global engagement. The following individuals tirelessly assisted us
in this regard: Dennis Dutschke at Arcadia University, Patrick Duffey and Karen Nelson at Austin
College, Elizabeth Brewer and Barbara Spencer at Beloit College, Naomi Ziegler at Carleton College,
Lisa Krieg and Linda Gentile at Carnegie Mellon University, John Tansey at Dartmouth College, Brian
Whalen and Walt Chromiak at Dickinson College, Kathleen Sideli at Indiana University, Jill Wright at
the Institute for Shipboard Education/Semester-at-Sea, Lee Sternberger and Judy Cohen at James
Madison University, Anne Dueweke at Kalamazoo College, Liz Ross at Middlebury College, Barbara
Colyar at Santa Clara University, Alejandra Pallais at the School for International Training/World
Learning, Rosemary Sands at St. Norbert College, Eric Lund and Scott Johnson at St. Olaf College,
Mark Beirn at Tulane University, Jodee Ellett and Charles Lesher at the University of California,
Davis, Lynn Anderson at the University of California, San Diego, Kim Kreutzer at the University of
Colorado, Boulder, Sophie Gladding at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Susan Lochner at the
University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, and Natalie Mello at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Special thanks go to the Forum on Education Abroad, which served as a core partner of the
SAGE project. Under the leadership of Brian Whalen, the Forum created a SAGE/Forum Advisory
Group consisting of: Brian Whalen - Dickinson College, Natalie Mello – Worcester Polytechnic
Institute, Mell Bolen - Brethren Colleges Abroad, Jim Citron - Colby College, Kate Darian-Smith University of Melbourne, Darla Deardorff - Duke University and Association of International
Education Administrators, and Dennis Gordon - Santa Clara University. The Advisory Group
reviewed the initial draft of the Global Engagement Survey (GES) instrument and participated in a two
follow-up focus group interviews to discuss the instrument.
We also want to extend our sincerest thanks to Dickinson College for agreeing to pilot test the
Global Engagement Survey. The pilot was a very important step in finalizing the instrument for the
SAGE study.
Bruce LaBrack, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and Sociology at the University of the
Pacific, served as our external research consultant throughout the four years of the project. His
insightful commentaries on the research design, the GES instrument, project timetable, pilot phase, and
many other aspects of the project were invaluable. Many, many thanks.
We had invaluable contributions from several Research Assistants over the years. We are
grateful to Shelly Fisher and Julia Clark for their assistance in researching and writing the grant
proposal; to Andrew Williams for his conceptual thinking about and research on the original variables;
and to Aaron Horn for his assistance in constructing the survey, contacting partner institutions, and
conducting initial quantitative analyses. Our core research associate team – Elizabeth Stallman, Jae18
Eun Jon, and Jasmina Josić – worked tirelessly on the SAGE project in virtually every capacity from
helping manage the many details of the grant to data collection and data analysis.
SAGE Principal Investigators
R. Michael Paige, Ph.D. in International Development Education, is a professor of international
and intercultural education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He is an internationally
recognized scholar on intercultural education and training, the lead author of two volumes on language
and culture learning strategies for study abroad (Maximizing Study Abroad: A Students’ Guide to
Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use, 2002; Maximizing Study Abroad: A Program
Professionals’ Guide to Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use, 2003), and coprincipal investigator (with Andrew Cohen) of the three-year Maximizing Study Abroad research
project sponsored by a Department of Education Title VI International Research and Studies Program
grant. He has also edited Education for the Intercultural Experience (Intercultural Press, 1993) and is
the co-editor with Dale Lange of Culture as the core: Perspectives on culture in second language
learning (2003, Information Age Publishing). Dr. Paige has more than 35 years of experience as a
professional international educator, scholar, teacher, and program administrator.
Gerald Fry, Ph.D. in International Development Education, is Distinguished International
Professor and a professor of international and intercultural education at the University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities. Dr. Fry is a former director of International Studies and the Center for Asian and Pacific
Studies at the University of Oregon. Professor Fry‘s specialty is international and intercultural
education. For the past 17 years he has been leading overseas study programs for a wide variety of
institutions such as the East-West Center, Stanford University, the University of Oregon, and the
University of Minnesota. He recently evaluated CIEE‘s study abroad program in Thailand. Among his
many publications is the monograph: International Cooperative Learning: An Innovative Approach to
Intercultural Service, the culmination of a 10 year project which annually took multicultural groups to
Southeast Asia for intensive research fieldwork and intercultural learning. Professor Fry was an editor
and advisor for the Encyclopedia of Global Perspectives on the United States, commissioned by the
Congressional Quarterly (CQ) Press, Among his recent publications are an anthology of many of his
major research studies, Understanding Thailand and Its Neighbors: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
(2005), The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (2008), and The Transformative Power of Study
Abroad (2009), with R. Michael Paige, et al. Professor Fry also serves on the editorial board of the
Journal of Studies in International Education.
SAGE Research Associates
Elizabeth Stallman, Ph.D., received her doctorate in comparative and international development
education at the University of Minnesota. She is the lead research associate on the SAGE project. Her
research interests are racial and ethnic identity, intercultural competence, college student development,
and internationalization of the campus. She received her M.A. in international educational
development from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she also served as assistant director
of International Services. She received her B.A. in international politics from Penn State University.
From 1994 to 1996 she was a JET Program participant for which she taught English to Japanese high
school students in Shizuoka, Japan.
Jae-Eun Jon, Ph.D., completed her doctorate in the comparative and international development
education from the Educational Policy and Administration program at the University of Minnesota. She
is a research assistant on the SAGE project. Her previous involvement in research projects at the
University of Minnesota includes the Georgetown consortium project and the study on a long-term
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study abroad impact sponsored by the Council on International Educational Exchange. Her research
interests include the internationalization of higher education, intercultural competence, intercultural
friendship, and international educational development. Before she came to the U.S. for her doctoral
degree, she received B.A. in linguistics and M.A. in international area studies from Seoul National
University in South Korea. Her passion in international education grew from her year-long study
abroad experience at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in Japan as an undergraduate.
SAGE Graduate Research Assistant
Jasmina Josić is a research assistant on the SAGE research project and a Ph.D. candidate in
comparative and international development education at the University of Minnesota. Her research
interests are in the areas of citizenship education in multicultural societies, dynamics of educational
policies in urban environment, gender equity in education, organizational aspects of
internationalization of higher education, and development of intercultural competence. Jasmina holds
M.B.A. and B.A. in international business/economics from Ramapo College of New Jersey, where she
also served at different professional positions in international education and student affairs offices.
SAGE Research Consultant
Bruce La Brack, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of anthropology and international studies at the
School of International Studies, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, USA. He has traveled to over
eighty countries and has twice been a Fulbright scholar (India and Japan). At UOP, he served as chair
of the Pacific Master's of Arts in Intercultural Relations (MAIR) program, director of the Pacific
Institute for Cross-Cultural Training (PICCT), and Coordinator of Cross-Cultural Training where he
was responsible for origination, design, coordination, and facilitation of both orientation and reentry
training for study abroad students. He has been, researching, writing about, and providing training
related to international transition issues for thirty years in South Asia, North America, and East Asia
including reentry research in India, Japan, Uganda, and England. He is the Training Section co-editor
and a reviewer for the International Journal of Intercultural Relations and a senior faculty member at
the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication, Portland, Oregon. His "What's Up with
Culture?" Web site, an online cultural training resource for US-American study abroad students, was
developed as part of the three-year FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education)
project.
IV. Introduction
(SAGE) – was designed to examine the relationship between intercultural/international experiences and
subsequent global engagement. Intercultural/international experiences were represented by
participation in U.S. study abroad programs during a person‘s college years. Global engagement was
conceptualized as a post-study abroad set of behaviors organized into five distinct categories: civic
1. To what degree and in what ways do former study abroad students become globally
2. To what degree do former study abroad students attribute their globally engagement to
their having studied abroad?
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3. What are the relationships between the global engagement outcomes and specific
aspects of study abroad (duration, depth, destination, and student demographics)?
study of program alumni who had studied abroad between 1960 and 2007, a nearly 50 year time span.
The project generated survey data from 6,378 former study-abroad and 6,000 non-study abroad
participants representing 20 U.S. colleges and universities, and, for study abroad students, two
additional education-abroad providers. SAGE was funded by a four-year grant from the US Department
of Education, Title VI: International Research and Studies Program.
internationalizing higher education. Many colleges and universities are investing heavily in a variety
of activities intended to create a ―global campus‖ environment; these include, among other things,
international education and exchange agreements, bringing international students and scholars to the
campus, conducting international collaborative research, internationalizing the curriculum, and offering
study abroad opportunities to their students. Indeed, during the past 20 years, study abroad has become
a centerpiece of many internationalization efforts and the growth in study abroad participation has been
notable. The 2009 (IIE, 2009b) report shows that there was an increase of 8.5% from the previous year
in the number of Americans studying abroad (262,416), a fourfold jump since 1987-88. Similarly,
ERASMUS data show a dramatic increase in EU student mobility from a mere 3,244 in 1987–88 to 2.2
million by mid-2010 (European Commission – Education and Training, 2010).
One component of this overarching internationalization context is the increased interest in
globally-oriented learning outcomes. Terms such as global competence, global citizenship, and global
engagement are commonly mentioned as the expected benefits of study abroad. Yet, when this study
began, these terms were loosely defined and there was little solid empirical research on global learning
and engagement. Hence, a fundamental purpose of this study was to conceptualize global engagement,
empirically validate that conceptual model, and then examine the relationships between study abroad
and global engagement.
SAGE was inspired by the well-known book, The Shape of the River (Bowen & Bok, 1998), a
powerful account of the long-term effects of affirmative action policies on the recipients, their
academic institutions, and society at large. The authors used a retrospective tracer study research design
that informed our work. In a philosophical sense, we were influenced by Putnam‘s (2000) Bowling
Alone, Coleman‘s (1994) Foundations of Social Theory and article, ―Social capital in the creation of
human capital‖ (1988, American Journal of Sociology) and Bellah‘s (1985) Habits of the Heart, all of
which expressed deep concern about the decline of social capital, civic engagement, and commitment
to the public good. Our view was that globally engaged behavior contributes to social capital
formation; hence is worthy of serious study. Our basic hypothesis is that study abroad has social
benefits that go beyond private benefits to individuals. This is what economists terms positive
externalities. If such benefits can be substantiated empirically, then this provides an important
rationale for public investments in expanding study abroad such as that represented by the Simon Study
Abroad Foundation Act. Moreover, there was considerable anecdotal evidence that those who have
studied abroad feel that the experience was transformative and changed the ways that they engage with
the world in later years. However, there was little solid empirical evidence to support this idea. The
SAGE project thus was designed to build on the existing body of knowledge regarding the personal and
professional impact of study abroad and expand upon it by conceptualizing and then studying global
engagement as it unfolds throughout a person‘s life.
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SAGE was conducted over a four-year period from 2006 to 2010. Using a mixed methods
approach, the study generated both survey and qualitative interview data from 6,378 study abroad
participants, 63 study abroad interviewees, and 5,924 non-study abroad participants from five decades,
1960–2005. The information provided by these respondents – through the analysis of different study
abroad variables and their relationship with global engagement outcomes – constitutes valuable data of
relevance to higher education institutions and beyond. By adding educational decisions and career
choices as outcomes, we expanded the study to include important elements of the respondent‘s life
histories to complement our central focus on global engagement. In all, we were mapping critically
important relationships among study abroad and these key outcomes.
The SAGE research project progressed through three phases. In phase one (AY 2006-07), the
team first focused on the conceptual model of global engagement, then went into a lengthy instrument
development process that included (1) creating a draft instrument, (2) vetting the draft Global
Engagement Survey instrument via focus group discussions with an advisory council of study abroad
experts/professionals (who were members of the Forum on Education Abroad board members), and,
lastly (3) conducting a full fledging pilot test of the instrument with one university. In phase two (AY
2007-2009), the core activities were (1) administering the Global Engagement Survey to 24,019 alumni
from the 22 partner institutions who had studied abroad as undergraduates between 1960 and 2007, and
(2) analyzing the data and disseminating the results at professional association meetings and through
publications. During this phase, the conceptually-generated global engagement data were empirically
analyzed. This produced a similar but more refined set of six new global engagement variables that
have strong validity and reliability. In phase three (AY 2009-2010), by means of a no-cost extension to
the grant, the team was able to (1) sample a non-study abroad comparison group, (2) administer a
slightly revised version of the Global Engagement Survey to this audience, and (3) analyze the
findings. The results of phase three will be disseminated in the future via conference presentations and
publications.
Review of Related Literature
Recharging our civic batteries is no simple task, but studying abroad
gives students and faculty a chance to learn more
about the rest of the world and almost inevitably
that stimulate interest in our government and its policies.
The late Senator Paul Simon (Durbin, 2009).
While research literature on outcomes of study abroad has emerged, the overwhelming focus to
date has been on immediate and short-term outcomes. This study will address near-term (which we
define as one to five years post study abroad) and long-term (six or more years post study abroad)
impacts of the study abroad experience. In terms of near-term assessment, these studies serve a great
purpose, for example, for higher education institutions to determine goals for student learning and
institutional investment. This would seem to suggest that the benefits of study abroad are limited in
scope or ―expire‖ after a short time. Even the literature pertaining to intermediate or long-term
outcomes has focused primarily on one: job history and trajectory (Abrams, 1979; Burn, 1982;
American Institute for Foreign Study, 1988; Carlson, Burn, Useem, & Yachimowicz, 1990; Starr,
1994; Wallace, 1999; Whalen, 2001; Alred & Byram, 2002; Fagan & Hart, 2002; McMillan & Opem,
2004; Browne, 2005). Some of these studies examine a single institution or unspecified professional
development outcomes (Abrams, 1979; Burn, 1982; Whalen, 2001; Browne, 2005).
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Some studies have undertaken a long-term analysis of study abroad participants from various
institutions. The Carlson, et al. (1990) study, while long-term (5-20 years post-graduation) and across
four institutions (three of which were large research institutions), only had 76 respondents. This study
makes some intriguing suggestions (that studying abroad results in decreased gender gap, increased
educational attainment, and influence on career direction and practices) and yet notes the lack of
information on how study abroad affects personal and civic life. Further, the researchers clearly state
that their small sample size limited their ability to do statistical analyses or to generalize beyond their
sample. Another longitudinal study was conducted by Wallace (1999), who contacted Pomona College
study abroad alumni ten years after their participation in order to assess the impact on career, volunteer
activities, and world and personal perspectives. This study indicated that length of time abroad may
have affected individual outcomes. Like the Carlson, et al. (1990) study, the Wallace (1999) study had
a small number of respondents (n=48), leaving the findings of both studies impossible to generalize to
the larger study abroad alumni population. Dukes, Lockwood, Oliver, Pezalila, & Wilker (1994)
contacted Semester at Sea alumni of ten years to determine any long-term effects of their experience.
The researchers reported unspecified attitudinal outcomes related to global perspective and personal
growth. Overall, their results hinted at higher educational attainment as a result of study abroad and that
studies investigating participants more than 10 years after studying abroad are necessary. Lastly, a
study conducted by the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) (Akande & Slawson,
2000; Dwyer & Peters, 2004; McMillan & Opem, 2004) took a longitudinal analysis over 50 years of
alumni who studied abroad on IES programs. This study researched professional and personal
outcomes of participants on semester or academic year programs. Although the age range of the sample
was 22-67 and the number of respondents large (n=707), the median age of the respondents was 26,
making this a study mainly of those alumni 5-10 years post-graduation. Further, Akande and Slawson
(2000) note the limitations of their study and call for ―a larger scale, more comprehensive survey based
on a more representative sample of all study abroad students‖ (p. 8).
During the past five years (2005-2010), the literature on various aspects of study abroad has
grown considerably. The major study of this period was the report of the bipartisan Abraham Lincoln
Commission for Study Abroad inspired by the work and commitment of the late Senator Paul Simon
cited at the beginning of this section. His legacy and impact appears to be similar to that of the
visionary Senator William J. Fulbright. The main thrust of that report was recognition of the critical
need for Americans to understand more deeply the rest of the world. To facilitate that vision, the
Commission proposed to expand, diversify, and democratize study abroad and create a Simon Study
Abroad Foundation to carry out that mission. More recently David Comp (2010) of the University of
Chicago has done an excellent overview of the evolution of U.S. international education policy over
time. He argues that in terms of national policy there has been a shift during the past twenty years to
give priority to study abroad. This is certainly reflected in the legislation before Congress to establish
and fund the Simon Study Abroad Foundation.
Related to the issue of diversifying and democratizing study abroad, Jinous Kasvari (2009)
studied students of color who did study abroad to discover how they had overcome the traditional
barriers facing such students. Elizabeth Stallman (2009) in another valuable study looked at how
study abroad affects racial attitudes and identities. Her work relates to the classic theoretical work of
Gordon Allport discussed below related to the reduction of prejudice. Kyoung-Ah Nam (2010) in a
comparative mixed methods study (Europe and Southeast Asia) looked at the impact of short-term
study program. She found that even short-term abroad can be impactful if done well and with creative
interventions to optimize student cultural immersion experiences.
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In late 2009, the results of the major Georgetown research on study abroad (Vande Berg, et al.,
2009) were published. This was an extensive study involving 54 institutions and over 1,000 student
participants that looked systematically at learning outcomes in terms of intercultural competence and
language proficiency. The major finding was that systematic program intervention and careful program
design were important factors contributing to student learning. Also in 2009, R. Lewin produced an
extensive anthology of research on study abroad and best practices as they relate to the development of
global citizenship.
With a strong interest in documenting how study abroad influences students‘ personal and
professional development, CIEE commissioned a major study of the long-term impact of study abroad.
Unlike our SAGE project where the focus is on the impact on the common good, the CIEE focused on
benefits to individuals. For the most part, the research clearly confirmed that for many study abroad
was indeed a transformative experience and the best thing that had ever happened to them (Fry, et al.,
2010).
Joshua McKeown (2009) in a recent study using a rigorous pre and post-test design examined
the impact of study abroad on specific learning outcomes, that is, students‘ intellectual development.
He operationalizes intellectual development as being able to think in complex ways, to interpret and
analyze phenomena in a pluralistic context, and to embrace multiple and relativist perspectives. This
research has resulted in what has been called ―the first time effect‖ based on the finding that those
experiencing study abroad for the first time show significant gains in intellectual development relative
to their peers. Nam and Fry (2010) completed a major meta synthesis of the literature on intercultural
competence and global literacy which has direct relevance to thinking about the learning outcomes of
study abroad.
Thus, the limited scope currently present in the literature provides little indication of the impact
that study abroad has had across various areas of an individual‘s life over time. Further, the literature is
lacking a cross-institutional, cross-generational study of any kind with regard to study abroad
outcomes.
Theoretical frames
Though the major focus of this study is practical and policy-related, it can also inform important
theoretical thinking and constructs. Three bodies of literature are particularly relevant to this study.
The first is the work of the late Harvard social psychologist, Gordon Allport, who developed social
contact theory and authored, The Nature of Prejudice (1954). Interestingly, Allport as an
undergraduate at Harvard did what was not common in his day and age, especially at Harvard. He
spent time in Greece having Peace Corps-type experiences, which obviously had a major impact on his
subsequent career, knowledge production, and life-long research interests. Basically, Allport argues
that if certain conditions are met, then contact among different ethnic or racial groups will reduce
prejudice and enhance mutual understanding. Thomas Pettigrew and Linda Tropp (2000, 2006) in a
major metaanalysis find solid support for Allport‘s theory, even when his strict scope conditions are not
met. If Allport‘s theory is indeed valid, then study abroad should have significant long-term impact on
the reduction of prejudice and ethnocentrism and in turn enhance cultural understanding and global
citizenship.
A second theoretical framework is presented by the psychologist-political scientist Robert J.
Lifton, who introduced the construct of the Protean individual (1993). Proteus was the Greek god who
could change forms readily and easily. Thus, the Protean individual can successfully integrate values
from different world views and move easily from culture to culture. Lifton‘s concept of the Protean
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individual also relates to a body of research developed by scholars such as Bennett (1993), Rosen,
Digh, Singer, & Phillips (2000), and Hofstede & Hofstede (2005). Lifton‘s Protean individual is
similar to an individual being highly ethnorelative on the Bennett‘s‘ scale of intercultural development
and sensitivity, with a well developed ―software of the mind‖ in terms of the Hofstedes‘ construct, and
a high level of global literacy (Rosen, et al. 2000). Given this second body of literature, our
proposition is that study abroad should contribute to individuals‘ having higher levels of cultural
competence and proficiency, an important part of civil society and global citizenship (Cogan &
Derricott, 1998). Related to this important construct, Earley & Ang, (2003), have written extensively
about the growing importance of enhancing cultural intelligence. Robert Rosen et al. (2000)‘s
extensive empirical research on global literacies emphasizes the importance of having leaders
―courageous enough to learn from the rest of the world.‖ Long-term U.S. international competitiveness
will depend importantly on having globally literate business leadership. Again, it is our basic
proposition that study abroad has contributed significantly to such leadership; however, that needs to be
empirically demonstrated, one of the major purposes of the research project being proposed.
A third relevant theoretical framework derives from the recent controversial work on
globalization by the journalist, Thomas L. Friedman (2005) and his important construct of the ―flat
world.‖ His work has profound implications for both the United States and its educators. In a ―flat
world,‖ it is imperative that students in the U.S. prepare more effectively for the increasingly complex
international/intercultural context of globalization 3.0, in which those countries having the greatest
number of creative knowledge and innovation workers will have distinct comparative advantages.
Friedman contrasts globalization 3.0 with globalization 1.0 (countries globalizing) and globalization
2.0 (companies globalizing). The defining feature of globalization 3.0 ―is the newfound power for
individuals to collaborate and compete globally.‖ Friedman defines the most important new feature of
globalization 3.0 as the ―empowerment of individuals to act globally,‖ to which study abroad should
contribute significantly.
It is our basic proposition that those having had study abroad experiences will be better
prepared to cope with the complex challenges of this third era of globalization than those not having
had such international opportunities. This was a major reason why Stanford, as part of a consortium of
key U.S. universities, established a special study abroad center in Kyoto, Japan, oriented to high
technology. A major goal of the Stanford initiative was to encourage students involved in high
technology fields to have important international experience.
With a major grant from the Bush Foundation, the University of Minnesota developed a highly
successful curriculum integration approach, which involves efforts to encourage students in all fields,
not just the humanities and social sciences, to study abroad (Anderson, 2005; Woodruff, 2009) . ―The
‗Minnesota Model‘ of study abroad curriculum integration is based on partnering with academic units
to effectively meet institutional goals to internationalize the curriculum. This model spreads the
ownership for international education throughout the institution.‖ (LAC, 2010).
A fourth theoretical area relates to the complex relationships among study abroad, language
study, the multilingual mind, and creativity. We will hypothesize that those having done study abroad
may also be more creative. The European Union (2010) recently commissioned an important study
which found a positive relationship between language learning and creativity. Since language study is
often an important part of study abroad, then enhanced creativity may well be an important outcome of
study abroad. Tohuhama-Espinosa (2003) has provided important insight into the nature of the
multilingual mind. William Maddux and Adam Galinksy (2009) of the Kellogg School at
Northwestern addressed directly the link between living overseas and creativity. Based on five
25
empirical studies, they found a positive link between study abroad and enhanced creativity. This fourth
theoretical area primarily relates to two dimensions of global engagement, namely, knowledge
production and the creation of new organizations serving the common good by social entrepreneurs.
Given the dramatic globalization occurring across the global and the many challenges it
presents, it is both ironic and surprising that there has been little significant new literature on global
engagement during the five past years. Of the studies that have been conducted one of the most
relevant and insightful is that of Kwame Appiah (2006) related to the construct of the cosmopolitan
ethic which relates directly to several dimensions of our global engagement construct. Appiah seeks
common ground between the extremes of Huntington‘s clash of civilizations and complete cultural
relativism. Most relevant to our SAGE study, he introduces the construct of ―obligation to strangers‖
which relates, for example, to our philanthropy and civic engagement variables. A key ethical question
he raises is how committed should we be to enhancing social justice and the quality of life across the
globe. Our participants who made purchasing decisions such as buying ―fair trade‖ coffee or
contributed significantly to UNICEF or Care International are demonstrating the cosmopolitan ethic.
V. Aims of the Study and Research Questions
The primary purpose of the SAGE research project was to conceptualize and measure global
engagement, and then analyze the relationship between earlier study abroad experiences and
subsequent forms of global engagement. The conceptualization of global engagement was in our view
an absolute necessity and essential first step to realizing the project‘s overall research goal. Our earlier
literature review, conducted while we were formulating the grant proposal, had indicated that while
there was much discussion about the importance of having a globally engaged citizenry, there was little
agreement on what constituted global engagement itself. Our first research objective, then, was to
develop a conceptual model of global engagement, one that would be multifaceted and behavioral in
nature. The measurement of global engagement was the second research objective and that was realized
in two ways, through the creation of the conceptually-driven Global Engagement Survey and the
subsequent empirical analysis of the survey data to generate a set of related scales with empirical
validity and reliability. Having created the scales, the third objective was to analyze the data to
examine and describe global engagement itself as well as study the influence of study abroad on this
key outcome variable.
The overarching research question was:
What is the long-term impact of study abroad on alumni’s patterns of global engagement, future
professional development, and future educational choices as perceived by the alumni themselves and as
assessed by a set of external measures?
The specific research questions were:
1. What does global engagement mean and how can it be measured?
2. What are the patterns of global engagement, professional development, and educational
choices following a study abroad program?
3. How important is study abroad in comparison to a variety of other experiences during
the college years (e.g., courses, peers, and faculty)?
4. From the study abroad participants‘ perspectives, how important is study abroad in
terms of its influence on their global engagement?
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5. To what degree are specific study abroad factors (program duration, destination, and
depth of experience) and student characteristics (demographics) associated with the
outcome variables of global engagement, professional development, and academic
choices?
VI. Research Design
A. Participants
Institutional participants. Our goal was to attain a large, diverse, nationwide sample within four
institutional types: Doctoral-granting, Masters-granting, Baccalaureate, and Historically Black
Colleges and Universities (HBCU). We aimed to partner with four institutions within each type for a
total of 16 institutional partners. Obtaining institutional partners was fundamental to this nationwide
study as only institutional representatives have permission to access alumni contact information. As
participating in the study would require time and resources for the institutional partners, we offered
monetary incentives of $2,000 to each institution, paid in two installments. We also offered each a
complete set of the institution‘s survey data. All final payments and materials were sent to the
institutions in July 2008.
In December 2006 we contacted The Forum on Education Abroad about partnering with is/ We
felt the Forum was highly relevant to the SAGE project due to its large and diverse membership, its
standing in the field as a leading professional association, its mission to encourage and support research
initiatives exclusively in the area of education abroad. The Forum became a key partner in the early
part of the SAGE study. In February 2007 we held two focus groups with members of the Forum
Council (the SAGE/Forum on Education Abroad Advisory Committee) in order to review and critique
the first complete draft of the online survey. Also in that month we began recruiting for institutional
partners at the Annual Forum on Education Abroad Conference and via the Forum membership
listserv. In April 2007, we extended our recruitment to the larger education abroad community via the
SECUSS-L listserve. From this method we received additional applications. During this time we also
contacted a number of HBCUs in order to encourage their participation. Despite our efforts (which
continued into summer 2007), we were unable to recruit any HBCU institutions. Due to this limitation
and since we had received applications from two education abroad providers, we revised our
institutional classification to include this latter category.
We initially accepted 24 institutions. Twenty-two ultimately remained with the study and are
listed in Table 1. In consultation with the SAGE research team, representatives1 of each partner
institution sent recruitment letters by email to all study abroad alumni in their institutional sample. For
more detail regarding participant recruitment, please see the section on Data Collection Procedures.
In November 2009 and January 2010 we collected data from a comparison group. We invited
all 22 institutions, plus the pilot institution (Dickinson College), to join us in this final phase of data
collection. Fourteen institutions joined us and are indicated in Table 1 below.
Representatives included those in offices of Education Abroad, International Education,
Alumni Affairs, or Information Technology.
1
27
Table 1
Participating institutions/organizations (by type)
Doctorate-granting colleges and universities (9):
Carnegie Mellon University
Dartmouth College
Indiana University
Tulane University
University of California, Davis
University of California, San Diego
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Masters colleges and universities (4):
Arcadia University
James Madison University
Santa Clara University
University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
Baccalaureate colleges (7):
Austin College
Beloit College
Carleton College
Kalamazoo College
Middlebury College
Saint Norbert College
Saint Olaf College
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Education Abroad Providers (2):
Institute for Shipboard Education (Semester-at-Sea)
School for International Training/World Learning
Individual Participants. Out of 21,569 study abroad alumni who received the online survey invitation,
we achieved 6,378 individual responses for a response rate of 29.6%2. All had studied abroad with one
of the partner institutions between 1960 and 2005. The average age of the respondents was 33, and
67.1% were female and 32.9% were male. This gender distribution parallels the distributions of study
abroad participants reported in Open Doors (2003, 2005, 2008, 2009a) reports over the same period of
time.
The majority of the respondents identified as Caucasian (87.5%); the remaining respondents
identified as multiple ethnicities (4.0%), Asian American (3.3%), Hispanic (1.7%), African American
(1.1%), Native American or Native Alaskan (0.1%), Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (0.1%), or
Other (1.4%). In comparison to 2007-2008 data (IIE, 2009), our sample has a somewhat higher
Caucasian representation, whereas the gender distribution is very consistent with current national data.
Since 1993, the first year that the Institute of International Education reported the racial/ethnic profile
of American study abroad students, Caucasian representation has fluctuated between 85.0% in 1998/99
and 81.9% in 2006/07. Also, since the 1990s the field of study abroad has made ethnic diversification
of students going abroad a major priority. Recalling that the SAGE respondents studied abroad as far
back as 1960 and that Caucasian students dominated the study abroad ranks in even larger numbers
from 1960 to 1990, it becomes clear that the ethnic breakdown of the SAGE respondents are likely
representative of the study abroad population during this time period.
B. Instrumentation - Online Survey
At the outset of the SAGE project, no instrument existed that examined global engagement the
way we were defining it. We spent the first year, therefore, in researching, developing, designing, and
testing our own instrument: the Global Engagement Survey. A necessary component of that effort was
a deeper exploration of the various literatures that might inform our understanding of global
engagement. Co-principal investigators Paige and Fry had earlier identified four main dimensions of
global engagement: civic engagement, knowledge production, philanthropy, and social
entrepreneurship (Fry & Paige, 2001). Thus, we began with the literature regarding those four
concepts.
The knowledge production literature, for example, expanded our understanding to include not
only traditional means of producing knowledge – such as books and journals and newspaper articles –
but also non-traditional modalities such as websites, musical productions, and artworks (Fry, Nam, &
Kasravi, 2008; Wickham & Collins, 2006). Our further investigation of social entrepreneurship yielded
a dual understanding of the concept. The first meaning is the act of creating organizations that have
serving the common good as their primary purpose, and the second refers to influencing an existing
organization from within to be more socially responsible (Leggett, 2007; Makino, Yamada, & Fry,
‘NAFSA presentation - May 27, 2008 (updated May 27).pdf’. other data in this paragraph from
‘SAGE Presentation - NAFSA 5-29-09.pdf’
2
29
2005). Our review of the civic engagement literature revealed that there is a considerable body of
knowledge on citizen characteristics (Cogan, 1997), political participation (Annette, 2005; Ikeda &
Richey, 2005; Kim, 2006; Wagle, 2006), social capital and capacity building (Bellah, 1985; Elgin,
1993; Middleton, Murie, & Groves, 2005; Morse, 2006; Putnam, 2000; Ray & Anderson, 2000).
These literatures led us to make an important distinction between behavior directed toward domestic
issues and behavior focused more on international issues. Second, this literature provided us with a
number of indicators of civic engagement. The philanthropy literature led to another important
conceptual distinction between volunteerism and monetary donations as philanthropic acts.
Though we didn‘t yet have our construct, we felt that one aspect of global engagement would
be a commitment to environmental sustainability, a concern for the earth‘s resources. In their classic
volume, Variations in Value Orientations, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1964) identified relationship to
nature as one of five problems facing all human communities and living in harmony with nature was
one of the possible value orientations. Gerald Fry suggested that we use the concept of voluntary
simplicity, which means adopting a life style that conserves natural resources, among other things.
The literature on voluntary simplicity goes back to Gregg‘s (1936) essay and has been popularized
more recently by Elgin (1993) and others (Ray and Anderson, 2000).
We also gained insights from existing surveys of college alumni that investigated civic
engagement (UCLA Higher Education Research Institute, 2007c; University of Minnesota Foundation,
2007), philanthropy (UCLA Higher Education Research Institute, 2007c; University of Minnesota
Foundation, 2007), social entrepreneurship (University of Minnesota Foundation, 2007), the study
abroad experience (UCLA Higher Education Research Institute, 2007c; Whalen, Pillemer, &
Chromiak, 2006), and demographic questions (Lee, 2004; UCLA Higher Education Research Institute,
2007a & 2007b).
Based on our literature review, we conceptualized global engagement: (1) in behavioral terms,
and (2) as a multifaceted construct consisting of five dimensions: civic engagement (domestic and
international), philanthropy (volunteer work and monetary donations), knowledge production
(traditional and non-traditional), social entrepreneurship, and voluntary simplicity. The draft instrument
was then created, reviewed by the Advisory Committee, and pilot tested at Dickinson College as
described in more detail below.
Online Survey
Our main means of data collection was via an online survey. There are disadvantages to
contacting respondents in this manner which include: the exclusion of any person in the population
without an email address (or who has not provided one to their alma mater), ―spam‖ filters that delete a
message, and varying levels of Internet access (Dillman, Smyth, & Christian, 2009). The advantages
include low cost, ease of data entry, ability to contact large numbers, increasing use of email as a
means to contact college alumni, and ability to tailor survey to respondent answers. Emerging research
shows that college-educated respondents are more likely to have Internet access (Dillman et al., 2009);
further, all messages were sent by the recipients undergraduate alma mater. We weighed the risks
against the advantages and determined that an online survey would be the best, perhaps the only way,
to collect data from this population.
30
Survey Provider
We reviewed four online survey providers3. Three – Survey Monkey, Zoomerang, and Vovici
(formerly WebSurveyor) – charged fees, and one – at the University of Minnesota in the College of
Education and Human Development‘s Online Survey Tool, or COST – was free. For reasons of
reliability, accessibility, availability of technical support, and customizability, we selected Vovici.
Comparison Group
In September 2009 we contacted Vovici again to inquire about hosting our comparison group
survey. We learned that their fees had risen to a level that we could not afford. We also learned that
the online survey portal housed in our College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) had
been revamped and was a more robust and reliable instrument. We decided to use the CEHD online
survey portal to collect data from the comparison group. The differences between the two portals were
minimal and we could recreate nearly the exact instrument as before.
Instrument Testing
We contacted the Forum Council, an advisory body to The Forum on Education Abroad, to
coordinate a focus group of education abroad experts. These experts also provided sensitivity review
of the items. Two focus groups of five and six people each were held in February 2007. The groups
helped to clarify language, align questions and sections, and pare down the overall length.
Instrument development and refinement continued until October 2007, when we conducted
individual ―think-aloud‖ tests and launched a pilot of the instrument and of the procedure. The thinkaloud tests were conducted with two study abroad alumni and current graduate students at the
University of Minnesota. The process entailed sitting next to the respondent as he or she completed the
online survey and having the respondent say thoughts aloud as he or she read and responded to the
directions and items. The purpose is to discern the thought processes as the respondent works through
the items and have an indication of how the respondent interprets the items. Familiarity of survey style
throughout the instrument was helpful to these respondents. Dickinson College agreed to be the site for
the pilot test. We piloted the online instrument and the four-message procedure of contacting the
alumni. The pilot launched on October 12, 2007, and ended October 31, 2007. The main outcomes of
these think-aloud and the pilot tests were that we simplified the survey answer options for the items in
Civic Engagement, Knowledge Production, and Philanthropy and clarified and reduced demographic
items. We also added a final, open-ended question where we asked about the overall impact study
abroad had on the respondent‘s life.
Survey Procedure - Study Abroad Group
We made final adjustments and launched the final instrument to the Study Abroad group in
November 2007 with eighteen institutions. A second round was launched in January 2008 with the
remaining four institutions. We ended data collection and closed the Study Abroad survey in April
2008.
Survey Procedure - Comparison Group
In September 2009 we contacted all partners except two from the Study Abroad data collection
round to invite them to participate in this survey of a comparison group. Since they only have alumni
3
SAGE\Instruments+ Procedures\ Online survey instrument providers.doc
31
who studied abroad, we did not invite the education abroad providers. Fourteen of the original twenty
higher education institutions joined in this second round (see Table 2). The Comparison Group survey
was launched in November 2009 and closed in February 2010.
Table 2.
Participating institutions, study abroad and comparison group
Institutional Type
Institution Name
Doctorate-granting colleges and
Carnegie Mellon University *
universities (9)
Dartmouth College *
Indiana University *
Tulane University
University of California, San Diego *
University of Colorado, Boulder *
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities *
Worcester Polytechnic Institute *
Masters colleges and universities (4)
Arcadia University
James Madison University *
Santa Clara University *
Baccalaureate colleges (7)
Austin College *
Beloit College *
Carleton College
Kalamazoo College
Middlebury College
Saint Norbert College *
Saint Olaf College *
Dickinson College *
Education Abroad providers (2)
All institutions participated in the study abroad alumni group.
32
*Institutions that participated in the comparison (non-study abroad alumni) group.
Dickinson College participated in the comparison group and as the pilot institution in the
experimental group.
The procedures we followed to implement the surveys for both the Study Abroad and
Comparison groups were largely taken from Dillman‘s Tailored Design Method (2000). We wrote a
series of four messages to be sent by e-mail: 1) a pre-notice message, 2) an invitation to complete the
survey, 3) a thank you and first reminder, and 4) final thank you and reminder. We did not offer any
incentive to the respondents. All messages contained a hyper link to the survey location and were sent
via e-mail by a representative of the respondent‘s alma mater. This was primarily in order to respect
privacy. In addition, we hoped that respondents would have loyalty to their alma mater and would
therefore welcome a request to participate in a survey if sent by its representative.
C. Data Collection Procedures
Interviewee Selection
Among the 2,982 survey respondents who agreed to participate in the interview portion of this
study (JE needs to check from which stage of data cleaning this number came from), 125 interviewees
were randomly selected. Targeting to complete 100 individual interviews, 25 extra participants were
chosen. While in general this sample of 125 participants represented the overall distribution of ethnicity
in the total sample, only a few Asians and Hispanics were included and no African-Americans.
Accordingly, 10 African-Americans were purposively sampled separately using random selection
among 50 African Americans who agreed to be interviewed. Among 135 participants contacted, a total
of 54 individual interviews were completed, who were originally from the SAGE survey pool. Prior to
these interviews, nine pilot interviews were conducted and four of them did not participate in the
SAGE survey portion. Pilot interviewees were chosen deliberately in terms being exemplary in
representing the impact of study abroad on global engagement.
Online Survey Data Collection procedure
The online survey was administered using Vovici online survey services. The survey was
administered in two cohorts, due to the schedule of partner institutions and their ability to obtain
contact data on their alumni. The survey participants were identified by their alma matter and were
contacted directly from those institutions via email messages. The participants were contacted through
multiple contacts method, which improves survey response rates (Dillman, 2000). This method
involves four different notices while contacting the participants, including: pre-notice letter,
administering the survey (along with the recruitment letter), the first reminder (with a thank you note),
and a final contact or final reminder.
According to social exchange theory (Dillman, 2000), the pre-notice procedure provides an
opportunity to send a message that does not ask for immediate action, but builds interest and
anticipation. With the goal to prepare the participants for the survey and develop the notion of that
something important is about to be sent to them, the pre-notice message was sent only several days
prior to administering the survey. Several days later a recruitment message including the survey link
and IRB notice was sent to the participants. As it was anticipated that only a portion would complete
the survey with the recruitment letter, the first reminder that included a thank you note and the survey
link followed a week later. Lastly, in order to gather responses from all other alumni who had not yet
33
got a chance to complete the survey, a final reminder was sent two weeks after the recruitment letter
indicating urgency and usefulness of their response.
In preparing the timeline for administration of the survey, the suggestions made by Dillman
(2000) were used to maximize the likelihood for receiving more responses from partner‘s alumni.
Therefore, the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays was avoided.
The first round of the survey was administered in November and the second in January. Table 3
illustrates a list of tasks and the specific timeline that the administration of surveys involved:
34
Table 3
Survey implementation timeline
Round 1
Send materials to the Partner
institutions
October 31
Pre-notice Letter
November 2 (Fri)
Administering Survey
November 5 (Mon.)
Incl. (IRB notice in the Rec. Letter)
1st Reminder/Thank you Note
November 12 (Mon.)
2nd Reminder
November 19 (Mon.)
Round 2
Send materials to the Partner
institutions
Pre-notice Letter
Administering Survey
Incl. (IRB notice in the Rec. Letter)
1st Reminder/Thank you Note
2nd Reminder
End of Data Collection
May, 4, 2008
35
D. Data Analysis Procedures
Quantitative Analysis Procedures: Variables and Measures
Creating Destination and Depth Indices
The Destination Index and Depth Index were created to be used as key explanatory variables.
Destination Index. The Destination Index was generated conceptually by using three previous
studies in which the degree of cultural and socioeconomic difference from American culture had been
empirically determined. The index was created from three constructs: cultural similarity-dissimilarity
(Vande Berg, Conner-Linton, & Paige, 2009), cultural distance based on Hofstede‘s four cultural
dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism-collectivism, and masculinityfemininity (Kogut & Singh, 1988), and socioeconomic development as measured by the Human
Development Index (UNDP, 2008). Each component represents an individual country‘s difference or
deviation from the U.S. score on each of these three values and then a composite score is generated.
Details of the Destination Index are presented in section VIII.D.
Depth Index. A composite variable was created to represent the depth of the study abroad
experience. This Depth Index was comprised of eight components that typically reflect the intensity of
an experience abroad. Some items were included based on our own findings within this research
project, such as multiple genres and multiple study abroad experiences having an impact on global
engagement. Other items were included based on findings from other studies (length and language of
study abroad) and assumptions that have been informing the education abroad field for some time (type
of study abroad program and less-common destination).
Duration. Duration indicates the number of months that participants studied abroad. If they
studied abroad multiple times, they were asked to choose the most significant one to answer the
question.
Background demographic variables. Gender, age, socioeconomic status, prior international
experience, and ethnicity variables were also included as background demographic variables. A
variable for socioeconomic status was accounted by the levels of parents‘ education, and a variable for
prior international experience came from the number of years living abroad prior to the age of 18.
Analyses.
After creation of key variables for this study (see section VIII) – the Global Engagement
Indices, Destination Index, and Depth Index –correlation analyses were conducted. Correlations
between the Global Engagement and the explanatory variables – Duration, Destination, and Depth –
and correlations among explanatory variables were examined.
After checking the relationships between explanatory and dependent variables –Global
Engagement Indices, multiple regression analyses were performed. Based on the results of correlation
and regression analyses, path model was constructed tested. In addition, logistic regression for
education and career related variables were conducted.
Lastly, the different levels of global engagement between study abroad and comparison groups
were compared using the original survey items for global engagement variables: civic engagement,
philanthropy, knowledge production, and social entrepreneurship.
36
VII. Quantitative Findings and Interpretations
A. Descriptive Statistics
Demographic characteristics of the sample
The sample consisted of 6,378 respondents from 20 U.S. colleges and universities, and two
education abroad providers. As is the case with study abroad nationally, Table 4 shows that women
were overrepresented (67.1%) compared to men (32.9%). The average age of the respondents was 33
years, which is far above normal but is a function of the 50 year time span from which we had sampled.
Table 6 shows Caucasians were the most highly represented in the sample (87.5%) followed by those
who referred to themselves as ―multiple ethnic‖ (4.0%), Asian Americans (3.3%), Hispanics (1.7%),
and African Americans (1.1%). The figures for students of color in the SAGE sample are substantially
lower than 2007-08 national statistics (Institute of International Education, 2009), which is attributable
to the fact that in the earlier decades from which we sampled, Caucasian students represented an even
greater majority of study abroad participants. With respect to family background, Tables 6 and 7 show
the majority came from homes in which their parents were highly educated. 67.9% of mothers and
76.5% of fathers had bachelors, masters, professional or doctoral degrees.
Table 4
Gender
Male
Female
Missing
Total
Frequency
2094
4263
21
6378
Percent
32.9
67.1
.3
100.0
37
Table 5
Ethnicity
Frequency
African American
Asian
Caucasian
Hispanic
Native American or Native Alaskan
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Multiple Ethnic
Other
Missing
69
209
5580
109
8
7
255
87
54
6378
Total
Percent
1.1
3.3
87.5
1.7
.1
.1
4.0
1.4
.8
100.0
Table 6
Mother‘s education
8th grade or less
Some high school
High school graduate
Some college no degree
Associate or technical
degree
Bachelors degree
Masters degree
Professional or Doctorate
degree
Missing
Total
Frequency
57
72
701
643
Percent
.9
1.1
11.0
10.1
564
8.8
2141
1654
33.6
25.9
534
8.4
12
6378
.2
100.0
38
Table 7
Father‘s education
8th grade or less
Some high school
Some college no degree
Associate or technical
degree
Bachelors degree
Masters degree
Professional or Doctorate
degree
Missing
Frequency
92
110
505
471
Percent
1.4
1.7
7.9
7.4
296
4.6
1703
1383
26.7
21.7
1795
28.1
23
6378
.4
100.0
Total
We were also interested in their prior international experiences. While the vast majority
(93.7%) were born in the U.S., as Table 8 indicates, 11% had lived abroad as a child with the majority
between 1 – 4 years.
Table 8
Lived abroad as a child
No
Yes
Missing
Total
Frequency
5657
709
12
6378
Percent
88.7
11.1
.2
100.0
Characteristics of the study abroad program
Our respondents came from 20 different colleges and universities representing three types of
institutions (bachelor granting, masters granting, and doctoral granting) as well as two study abroad
provider organizations. Table 9 shows that the largest number came from bachelor granting institutions
(34.5%) and doctoral granting institutions (24.6%), followed by providers (21.3%) and masters
granting (19.2%).
39
Table 9
Type of institution
Bachelor granting
Masters granting
Doctoral granting
Provider
Other
Missing
Total
Frequency
2198
1224
1570
1361
10
15
6378
Percent
34.5
19.2
24.6
21.3
.2
.2
100.0
40
Table 10 presents the data on the number of respondents by college and organization, i.e., the
institution from which they received the survey
Table 10
Institution/provider organization participation data
Arcadia
Austin
Beloit
Carleton
Carnegie
Dartmouth
Indiana
SAS
JMU
Kalamazoo
Middlebury
Santa Clara
SIT
St. Norbert
St. Olaf
Tulane
UC Davis
UC San Diego
U Col Boulder
UMN
Univ WiscEau Claire
WPI
Total
Missing System
Total
Frequency
54
101
138
578
127
451
411
913
90
489
413
172
448
95
797
45
148
196
225
270
Percent
.8
1.6
2.2
9.1
2.0
7.1
6.4
14.3
1.4
7.7
6.5
2.7
7.0
1.5
12.5
.7
2.3
3.1
3.5
4.2
44
.7
148
6353
25
6378
2.3
99.6
.4
100.0
Table 11 presents respondent data by five year time periods. While the numbers are much
lower for the 1960s, we were still pleased to have 185 respondents from that time period. For each
subsequent decade, the number of respondents rises, not surprisingly: 1970-79 (n = 474), 1980-89 (n =
877), 1990-99 (n = 1624), and 2000-07 (n = 3,075).
41
Table 11
Study abroad by time period
1960-1964
1965-1969
1970-1974
1975-1979
1980-1984
1985-1989
1990-1994
1995-1999
2000-2004
2005-2007
Missing
Total
Frequency
44
145
230
244
404
473
612
1012
1671
1404
139
6378
Percent
.7
2.3
3.6
3.8
6.3
7.4
9.6
15.9
26.2
22.0
2.2
100.0
Duration. The average length of stay in their study abroad programs was 4.89 months. It is
notable on Table 12 that 87.2% of our respondents studied abroad for 3 or more months and only
10.6% went on short term programs of two or fewer months. These duration data stand in stark
contrast to current study abroad patterns. In 2007-08, 56.3% of U.S. students went on ―short term‖
programs in 2007-08 (IIE, 2009b). As education abroad professionals know, the trends for some time
have been (1) a rapid increase in study abroad participation and (2) the sizeable growth of participation
in short term study abroad. The interesting issue here is whether or not short term study abroad reduces
the potential for these programs to have an impact on their students. Our data on duration, destination,
and depth suggest that at least with respect to global engagement, duration is not the principle
explanatory factor.
42
Table 12
Duration of study abroad program (in months)
# of Months
Frequency
Percent
.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
7.00
8.00
9.00
10.00
11.00
12.00
13.00
Missing
Total
Mean
S.D.
1
346
333
1398
1611
790
720
120
106
358
266
93
153
54
29
6378
.0
5.4
5.2
21.9
25.3
12.4
11.3
1.9
1.7
5.6
4.2
1.5
2.4
.8
.5
100.0
4.89
2.64
Program type, program description. We were very interested in learning about the nature of
their study abroad programs. We posed the question, ―What was the predominant nature of your study
abroad program?‖ and provided five response choices based on common classifications of study abroad
programs. Table 13 presents the participation rates in each of the six types of programs, with the
highest percentage students being in ―classes designed for study abroad students‖ (37.1%). No other
program type had more than 20% of the students in the sample.
43
Table 13
Program type
Classes designed for SA students
Mixture of two or more
Regular classes alongside host country students
Travel seminar or shipboard
Field research or internship
Campus of US institution in another country
Missing
Total
Frequency Percent
2366
1255
1135
37.1
19.7
17.8
1006
421
182
13
6378
15.8
6.6
2.9
.2
100.0
We also asked the students to describe their program and they could indicate as many of the
seven descriptors as they wished. As shown in Table 14, the three most frequently mentioned were (1)
area studies (56.0%), theme-based (52.6%), and (3) language instruction (45.8%) programs. Research,
service learning, internships, and work abroad had much lower participation rates.
Table 14
Program description
Area studies
Yes
56.0%
No Total %
44.0%
100%
Theme-based
52.6%
47.4%
100%
Language instruction
45.8%
54.2%
100%
Research
14.5%
85.5%
100%
Service learning
10.4%
89.6%
100%
Internship
5.1%
94.9%
100%
Work abroad
2.9%
97.1%
100%
Total
6378
44
The impact of study abroad on global engagement
There were several approaches that we used to determine the impact of study abroad. The first
was to have respondents tell us about the impact of a wide variety of college experiences, including but
not limited to study abroad. As table 15 shows, study abroad was far and away the most impactful
experience; fully 83.3% said that study abroad had a ―strong impact.‖ Study abroad was followed by
―friendships/student-peer interactions‖ (73.4%) and coursework (65.9%). No other type of college
experience had more than 30% of the respondents rating is as having a ―strong impact.‖ For the SAGE
team, this is a striking finding.
Table 15
Impact of college experiences
Strong Some
Impact Impact
Little
Impact
No
Impact
Not
Applicable Total
Athletics/
Intramural sports
16.8%
21.8%
22.1%
16.2%
22.0%
100%
Community service/
volunteer work
22.4%
37.1%
23.2%
6.6%
9.6%
100%
Coursework
65.9%
30.0%
3.1%
2.0%
4.0%
100%
8.8%
7.8%
5.9%
11.1%
65.2%
100%
Friendships/student-peer
interactions
73.4%
21.7%
3.8%
5.0%
1.0%
100%
Interaction with faculty
37.8%
43.4%
16.1%
2.1%
2.0%
100%
Internship (in the U.S.)
20.9%
20.5%
9.0%
5.6%
43.1%
100%
Religious organization
7.6%
12.8%
14.9%
22.3%
41.6%
100%
13.2%
28.5%
29.1%
12.2%
16.1%
100%
2.2%
6.7%
16.6%
28.7%
44.4%
100%
Study Abroad
83.3%
14.8%
1.4%
1.0%
1.0%
100%
Work/employment during
college
27.2%
36.9%
19.5%
5.2%
10.2%
100%
Fraternity-Sorority
Student clubs
Student government
Total
6378
45
The second approach was to ask respondents about how influential their study abroad
experience had been regarding their involvement in each of the eight global engagement areas (note:
philanthropy, civic engagement, and knowledge production were divided into two subcategories in the
survey). Table 16 presents the results. Over 20% of the respondents said that study abroad influenced
their participation to ―a large degree‖ regarding three global engagement variables: (1) international
civic engagement (27.1%), (2) voluntary simplicity (26.6%), and (3) knowledge production- print
media (21.8%). For six of the eight global engagement variables, over 50% said study abroad had
influenced their involvement when we combined ―to a large degree‖ and ―to some degree.‖ We feel
these findings provide additional support that students perceive study abroad to have been impactful on
their subsequent global engagement activities.
Table 16
Impact of study abroad on global engagement
My level of involvement in the
To a large
To some
Very
Not at
following categories was
degree
degree
little
all
Missing
Skipped
influenced by my study abroad
experience
International civic engagement
27.1%
33.3%
18.6%
20.5%
.5%
n.a.
Voluntary simplicity
26.6%
41.8%
19.6%
9.3%
.3%
2.4%
Knowledge production - print
21.8%*
29.9%*
24.4%*
23.8%*
.1%*
60.9%
Social entrepreneurship –
19.3%*
42.1%*
25.6%*
12.4%*
.6%*
74.8%
Knowledge production – other
17.4%*
38.6%*
26.6%*
17.0%*
.3%*
61.3%
Domestic civic engagement
12.7%
42.2%
28.1%
16.6%
.4%
n.a.
Philanthropy – volunteer work
10.8%
34.3%
31.4%
23.0%
.5%
n.a.
Philanthropy – monetary
8.5%
28.9%
32.0%
30.0%
.6%
n.a.
influencing organization from
within
donation
Total
6378
* Subsample percentages by global engagement variable (total = 100%)
The nature of global engagement
Domestic and international civic engagement. One of the central goals of the SAGE study was
to conceptualize and then measure global engagement. We were very interested in learning about the
degree to which our respondents became involved in various global engagement activities. For civic
engagement (around domestic and international issues), we identified nine types of behavior, listed in
46
Tables 17 and 18 below. Table 17 shows that ―voting in an election‖ (77.7%) was far and away the
most frequent form of domestic civic engagement, followed by ―purchasing decision‖ (32.5%),
―playing a leadership role in improving the quality of life‖ (20.4%), and ―using the internet to raise
awareness about social and political issues‖ (11.2%). Over 30% of the respondents were ―frequently‖
or ―sometimes‖ involved in seven of the nine activities
Table 17
Domestic civic engagement
On issues of domestic
(local, state, or national)
importance I have:
Frequently
voted in an election.
made a purchasing
decision because of the
social or political values
of a company.
played a leadership role in
improving quality of life.
used the internet to raise
awareness about social
and political issues.
contacted or visited a
public official.
organized or signed
petitions.
given formal talks or
demonstrations.
been involved in protests,
demonstrations.
written letter(s) to the
editor.
Total
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Missing
Total %
77.7%
31.5%
15.8%
41.1%
2.7%
16.2%
3.1%
10.4%
.7%
.9%
100%
100%
20.4%
34.2%
22.2%
21.7%
1.4%
100%
11.2%
24.1%
25.5%
38.0%
1.2%
100%
8.5%
26.1%
30.1%
34.1%
1.3%
100%
8.4%
35.8%
31.6%
23.0%
1.2%
100%
7.5%
22.7%
20.0%
48.2%
1.5%
100%
2.8%
17.1%
24.5%
53.8%
1.8%
100%
2.1%
13.2%
23.1%
59.9%
1.7%
100%
6378
International civic engagement shows a lower frequency of participation with only ―purchasing
decision‖ and ―voting‖ being engaged in ―frequently‖ by more than 20% of the respondents (Table 18).
Interestingly, though, the top four activities were the same (though not in the same order or level of
frequency) for both domestic and international civic engagement.
47
Table 18
International civic engagement
On issues of international
importance I have:
Frequently
made a purchasing
decision because of the
social or political values
of a company.
awareness about social
and political issues.
demonstrations.
organized or signed
petitions.
contacted or visited a
public official.
demonstrations.
written letter(s) to the
editor.
Total
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Missing
24.5%
33.2%
14.4%
24.5%
3.4%
Total %
100%
21.0%
8.6%
5.2%
18.2%
2.7%
18.7%
65.6%
52.6%
5.5%
3.8%
100%
100%
8.0%
18.2%
18.8%
50.9%
4.0%
100%
5.0%
15.3%
15.4%
60.9%
3.4%
100%
4.3%
19.4%
20.0%
52.9%
3.4%
100%
4.3%
13.1%
18.5%
60.2%
3.9%
100%
1.7%
11.4%
15.1%
68.2%
3.7%
100%
.8%
5.0%
11.4%
79.1%
3.7%
100%
6378
48
Philanthropy. We divided philanthropy into two forms: donating money and doing volunteer
work. We then identified eleven types of organizations and asked the respondents to indicate how
frequently they had made monetary donations and volunteered their time to those different types of
organizations. As seen in Table 19 respondents said they made monetary donations ―frequently‖ to
organizations focusing on education (20.5%) and religion (18.2%). More than 30% gave ―frequently‖
or ―sometimes‖ to seven of the eleven types of organizations.
Table 19
Philanthropy- monetary donations: type of organization by frequency of donations
Frequently Sometimes Rarely
Never
Missing
Education
20.5%
27.2%
18.7%
30.6%
3.1%
Religion
18.2%
13.6%
13.2%
52.4%
2.7%
Poverty (e.g., food bank,
14.4%
31.3%
22.0%
29.5%
2.7%
construction and repair)
Community (e.g., board
12.2%
24.1%
19.6%
40.6%
3.6%
service)
Environment
11.6%
26.0%
23.1%
36.3%
3.0%
Health
10.5%
23.0%
20.6%
42.0%
3.9%
Arts
10.3%
24.6%
22.9%
39.7%
2.6%
Youth Organizations (e.g.,
10.0%
19.3%
21.9%
45.9%
2.8%
Scouts, athletic teams)
Human Rights (includes
8.8%
20.2%
21.7%
46.4%
2.9%
women, minority groups,
and GLBT)
Social Justice
7.0%
17.2%
21.1%
51.4%
3.3%
International
Development
Total
6.1%
16.9%
20.8%
53.0%
3.2%
Total %
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
6378
49
The philanthropic patterns of volunteerism were quite similar, as seen in Table 20. In terms of
greatest frequency of volunteering work, organizations for education, religion, and community were
still in the top five, but poverty and environment were replaced by youth organizations and health.
Here, more than 30% of the respondents volunteered their time ―frequently‖ or ―sometimes‖ to five of
the eleven organizations.
Table 20
Philanthropy-volunteer work: type of organization by frequency of volunteerism
Never
Missing
Education
23.6%
31.0%
21.2%
22.3%
1.9%
19.1%
28.7%
21.4%
28.7%
2.1%
service)
13.8%
20.3%
20.9%
42.9%
2.0%
Religion
12.8%
13.8%
15.8%
55.4%
2.1%
Health
8.8%
17.0%
24.1%
46.8%
3.2%
8.4%
26.2%
27.5%
35.8%
2.1%
Arts
8.3%
17.4%
24.9%
46.6%
2.7%
7.9%
18.2%
23.5%
48.4%
2.1%
women, minority groups,
and GLBT)
Social Justice
7.4%
16.8%
23.1%
50.1%
2.7%
Environment
7.3%
25.7%
29.1%
35.3%
2.6%
International
5.7%
11.4%
19.2%
62.8%
2.6%
Development
Total
6378
Total %
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Social entrepreneurship. We conceptualized social entrepreneurship either as (1) creating a
new organization that has social objectives as its primary goal and (2) influencing a for-profit
organization, from within, to channel an increasing portion of its surpluses and/or profits for the good
of the community. Respondents were first asked if they had ever been a social entrepreneur. Table 21
shows that 14.3% (n = 911) said ―yes.‖
Table 21
Social entrepreneurship
Have you ever been a
social entrepreneur? Frequency
Valid
Total
no
yes
Total
Missing
5457
911
6368
10
6378
Percent
85.6
14.3
99.8
.2
100.0
50
Of those who responded in the affirmative, Table 22 shows the type of organization that had
been created by the highest percentage of respondents was the community organization (30.7%),
followed by education (30.5%), arts (17.8%), youth organizations (17.3%), and human rights (16.1%).
Table 22
Social entrepreneurship: type of organization created by percent of entrepreneurs
Type of Organization
% of Social
Entrepreneurs
30.7%
service)
Education
30.5%
Arts
17.8%
17.3%
16.1%
women, minority groups, and
GLBT)
Social Justice
15.6%
Health
15.6%
14.9%
International Development
13.7%
Environment
12.8%
Religion
7.5%
Other
15.7%
Total
6378
Voluntary simplicity. As discussed elsewhere in this report, the research team was very
interested in environmental sustainability as a dimension of global engagement. Voluntary simplicity
was defined in the Global Engagement Survey as, ―the effort to lead a more modest, simple lifestyle.
Examples are riding a bike to work, taking a job that pays less but contributes more to the common
good, or being motivated to use recycled products and to practice active recycling.‖ It ended up being
one of the most important forms of global engagement in the study. As seen in Table 23, fully 86% of
the respondents said they practiced voluntary simplicity either ―to a large degree‖ (34.9%) or ―to some
degree‖ (51.1%). No other global engagement dimension had this level of involvement. Moreover, as
shown in Table 16, 68.4 percent said that study abroad had influenced voluntary simplicity ―to a large
degree‖ (26.6%) or ―to some degree‖ (42.8%), the highest combined total of all eight global
engagement variables.
51
Table 23
Practice voluntary simplicity
Valid
Not at all
Very little
To some degree
To a large degree
Missing
Total
Frequency
154
733
3256
2229
6
6378
Percent
2.4
11.5
51.1
34.9
.1
100.0
Knowledge production. We conceptualized two forms of knowledge production: print media,
such as books and magazine articles, and alternative forms of production, such as websites and blogs.
We first asked respondents if they had ever had something published and if they had every engaged in
other types of knowledge production. If they said yes, they were presented with a menu of items and
asked if they had published or produced knowledge in those ways. As seen in Table 24, 39 percent of
the respondents had been published.
Table 24
Had something published
No
Yes
Missing
Total
Frequency
3887
2486
5
6378
Percent
60.9
39.0
.1
100.0
52
Table 25 shows the type of publication by the percentage of respondents. Academic journal articles
(20.5%), newspaper articles (14.8%), magazine articles (13.2%), and educational materials (12.5%)
were the most common types of publications.
Table 25
Publications by percent of respondents
Yes
Novels/works of fiction
2.1%
Magazine articles
13.2%
Academic journal articles
20.5%
Newspaper articles
14.8%
Report (non-governmental or
governmental agencies)
12.2%
Nonfiction book (scholarly)
2.8%
Nonfiction book (trade)
1.5%
Translated work
3.2%
Educational materials, including
curricula
12.5%
Patent awards
1.2%
Works published in another language
2.6%
Publications translated into another
language
3.4%
Works published with a co-author of
another culture or ethnic group
5.1%
Publications with an international or
intercultural orientation
9.2%
Publications that draw upon research
using a language gained in study abroad
4.8%
53
Table 26 delineates other types of knowledge production and shows that 38.5 percent of the
respondents had been involved in one or another of those forms. Among these alternative forms of
publication, websites (18.5%), artworks (15.7%), blogs (14.4%), and digital media (14.0%) were the
most popular.
Table 26
Other types of knowledge production
No
Yes
Missing
Total
Frequency
3908
2456
14
6378
Percent
61.3
38.5
.2
100.0
Table 27
Other types of knowledge production by percent of respondents
Yes
Web-published articles
11.%
Blogs
14.4%
Websites
18.5%
Dramatic productions
6.0%
Films
6.6%
Musical productions
6.15
Artworks (sculptures,
paintings, etc.)
15.7%
Digital media
14.0%
54
Long term impact of study abroad on education, occupation. In addition to the global
engagement variables, we also looked into the impact of study abroad on later education and careers.
First, Table 28 shows that an unusually high percentage of respondents (39.4%) attended graduate
school. This is substantially higher than the national norm for college graduates. Table 29 shows that
of those who continued on to graduate school, 59.5% said that study abroad, ―to a large or some
degree,‖ had an impact on their decision to continue for an advanced degree. Similarly, 55.9% said
study abroad influenced their career choice ―to a large or some degree.‖ Moreover, fully 74.7% of
respondents said that study abroad had helped their career ―to a large degree‖ (35%) or to some degree
(39.7%). And Table 30 shows that a large 37.3% chose a career that was internationally oriented.
Table 28
Attended graduate school
Yes
No
Missing
Total
Frequency
2514
3853
11
6378
Percent
39.4
60.4
.2
100.0
Table 29
Impact of study abroad on education and occupation
Education: Study abroad
To a large
To some
Very
Not at
degree
degree
little
all
Missing
Skipped
26.7%*
32.8%*
20.9%*
19.2%*
0.4%*
39.4%
23.8%
32.1%
24.3%
19.2%
0.7%
n.a.
35.0%
39.7%
18.0%
6.7%
0.6%
n.a.
influenced my decision to
continue for advanced degrees
Occupation: Study abroad
influenced my career choice
Occupation: Study abroad has
helped my career
Total
6378
* Subsample percentages by education and occupation variables (total = 100%)
55
Table 30
Career choice was or is internationally oriented
Valid
Total
No
Yes
Missing
Frequency
3959
2381
38
6378
Percent
62.1
37.3
.6
100.0
Language use. Lastly, we were interested in the long term effects of study abroad on second
language use. We asked them if they are currently speaking their study abroad language and how
frequently. 15.1% said ―to a large degree‖ and 16.7% ―to some degree,‖ which together is almost one
third of the sample. Recent studies linking language capabilities with creativity make this a particularly
important variable (EC, 2010; see also Tokuhama-Espinosa, 2003).
Table 31
Currently speak study abroad language
Not at all
Very little
To some degree
To a large degree
Missing
Total
Frequency
1674
1753
1066
961
924
6378
Percent
26.2
27.5
16.7
15.1
14.5
100.0
B. Variable Construction
The variables used in this study were derived principally from the conceptual, theoretical, and
empirical literatures. Early on, the research team determined that the global engagement concept
would be a behavioral nature; what mattered to us was the actual behavioral demonstrations of
commitment to the public good rather that attitudes or values regarding those commitments. In other
words, we were most interested in what our respondents did in the years following their study abroad
programs. A second decision, made while we were conceptualizing global engagement for the grant
proposal, was that it was a multifaceted construct. No single factor could adequately capture global
engagement in our view and many different aspects of it had been discussed in the literature. In
selecting the five original dimensions of global engagement, we sought out those factors that would
have obvious face validity as behaviors that could be seen as serving the larger public good.
56
With those criteria in mind, we decided upon a five factor model that included the following
dimensions: civic engagement (domestic and international), philanthropy (volunteering time and
donating money), social entrepreneurship (creating new organizations or encouraging existing ones to
serve the public good), knowledge production (produced by traditional and new media), and voluntary
simplicity (a life style committed to environmental sustainability). For civic engagement, the research
team identified nine specific behavioral examples of citizen involvement that could be directed toward
domestic and international issues. The philanthropy variable not only studied the volunteering of time
and donating of funds but also identified eleven different types of organizations that might be the
recipients of those contributions. This gave us a much richer picture of philanthropic contributions.
The social entrepreneurship variable had several dimensions including the type of organization created,
the number of organizations created, and the percentage of profits or surpluses reinvested for the good
the community. Knowledge production asked if the respondents had produced knowledge using one or
more of 15 more traditional and eight more contemporary media outlets. Finally, the voluntary
simplicity variable asked respondents the degree to which they practiced, ―a more modest, simple
lifestyle. Examples are riding a bike to work, taking a job that pays less but contributes more to the
common good, or being motivated to use recycled products and to practice active recycling.‖
The explanatory variables were selected based on the theoretical and empirical possibility that
they might be associated with different degrees of global engagement. A set of program variables was
identified including program type, duration, destination, and depth. Destination and depth were
reconstituted into more complex indices that are described elsewhere in the report. Student
demographics were also incorporated into the explanatory model and included: age, gender,
socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and prior intercultural/international experience.
We also incorporated career and academic futures as outcome variables in the study. The career
variable asked about current occupation and the degree to which study abroad influenced as well as
helped their career. The education variable asked if and what advanced degrees the respondents had
completed, the degree to which study abroad influenced their educational plans, the academic field in
which they studies, and whether or not their academic program was internationally oriented.
The interview schedule, to be described later, was designed to go into much greater depth
regarding the core questions and provide rich narratives and more nuanced accounts of the study
abroad and global engagement.
C. Factor Analysis: Creating Global Engagement Variables Empirically
Once the survey data had been collected, exploratory factor analysis was conducted (using
principal components extraction and orthogonal rotation methods) to test the conceptual model of
global engagement empirically and produce valid and reliable global engagement variables. Principal
component analysis was chosen because the research team was interested in ―reducing a large number
of variables down to a smaller number of components.‖ (Tabachnik & Fidell, 2001). A total of 41
original items from survey responses was included in this analysis.
In creating new Global Engagement indices based on the results of factor analysis, the research
team decided to create ―factor-based scales‖ instead of using factor scores estimated by the SPSS
program (Pett et al., 2003, p.221; Pedhazur & Schmelkin, 1991). This method of creating ―factor-based
scales‖ involved selecting only the items which loaded high and yielded high coefficient alphas, instead
of using estimated factor scores, which include all the items for each component. The latter method to
estimate factor scores include all the items for each component, including those with low factor
57
loadings or deleted for a higher value of coefficient alpha. However, this study decided to include only
those that loaded greater than .45 and satisfied reliability test results as well as conceptual
understanding of each component by the research team. Subsequently, items chosen for each
component were aggregated. For example, the first Global Engagement variable, Philanthropic
Donations, was created by adding the ten survey items shown in Appendix I: philanthropic donations
related to health, environment, poverty, human rights, education, international development,
community, social justice, youth organizations, and arts.
This process yielded six new ―factor-based‖ Global Engagement‖ scales, as shown in Table 32:
philanthropic donations, volunteerism-social justice, international civic engagement-political, global
values, global leadership, and domestic civic engagement-political. A seventh factor, volunteerismsocial engagement, did not meet all our criteria for inclusion. Table 29 also shows the number of
original items used, the explained variance, and the reliability coefficient alpha. The new scales had
sound internal consistency reliability and we feel that they are reasonably robust. For more information
on the items and the scales, see Appendix I.
The two additional Global Engagement variables are global knowledge production and social
entrepreneurship. The original knowledge production variable was binary and the results of knowledge
production- traditional (15 items) and non-traditional (8 items) were aggregated to produce the new
global knowledge production variable.
Social entrepreneurship was dummy coded to indicate whether a participant is a social
entrepreneur or not, and was also scaled as an ordinal variable for a participant‘s intensity of
involvement within the organization. Furthermore, these two items were merged into one final social
entrepreneurship variable indicating three levels: no involvement, participating in one form of social
entrepreneurship (created an organization or changed an organization from within), or engagement in
both types of social entrepreneurship activities.
Table 32. Global engagement factors
Number of
Items
% Explained
Variance
Coefficient
Alpha
1. Philanthropic Donations
9
25.3
.87
2. Volunteerism: Social Justice
5
9.9
.79
3. Civic Engagement - International: Political
6
5.7
.76
4. Global Values
3
4.2
.73
5. Global Leadership
4
3.8
.75
6. Civic Engagement - Domestic: Political
4
3.5
.72
N=4649
58
D. Destination Index
The purpose of the Destination Index was to create a multifaceted variable that would
distinguish various study abroad destinations from each other and from the U.S. The degree of cultural
difference from American culture, as well as the degree of difference in the levels of social and
economic development was considered in creating this index. The index was developed from three
components:

Cultural Dis/Similarity (Vande Berg, Conner-Linton, & Paige, 2009),

Cultural Distance (Kogut & Singh, 1988), and

Human Development Index (UNDP, 2008).
The Destination Index is a composite score that represent an individual country‘s degree of
difference from the U.S. on these three values.
The Cultural Dis/Similarity component has emerged in the Georgetown Consortium Project
(Vande Berg, Conner-Linton, & Paige, 2009). It represents the U.S. study abroad students‘ perceptions
of the amount of cultural similarity or dissimilarity of their destination countries compared to the U.S.
Study abroad participants in the Georgetown Consortium Project rated how similar or dissimilar they
felt the host culture was from the U.S culture on nine dimensions. Those nine dimensions included
political system, economic system, school system, language, medical practice, communication
practices, customs, physical environment, and lastly, attitudes, beliefs, values. The response format
was: very similar, similar, somewhat similar, somewhat dissimilar, dissimilar, and very dissimilar.
Scoring was from 1 (very similar) to 6 (very dissimilar). These scores were averaged by destination
countries in the Georgetown Consortium Project (n=1175), as shown in Table 33 and Figure 1.
59
Table 33
Countries by degree of similarity/dissimilarity compared to the U.S.
Country
Frequencies
Mean
Australia
83
2.62
Austria
37
3.47
Botswana
1
4.00
Chile
112
3.68
China
20
4.26
Czech Republic
63
4.17
Denmark
1
2.78
Dominican Republic
44
4.33
Ecuador
37
4.04
England
48
2.68
Egypt
9
4.32
France
91
3.73
Germany
130
3.39
Italy
28
3.99
Japan
111
4.09
Lebanon
16
4.24
Mexico
15
3.99
Morocco
7
4.17
Netherlands
1
2.67
New Zealand
2
2.00
Russia
78
4.23
60
Senegal
3
4.00
South Africa
1
4.44
Spain
172
3.89
Tanzania
1
3.11
61
Figure 1. Countries by degree of similarity/dissimilarity compared to the U.S. rank ordered.
Overall, Figure 1 confirms the expectation that U.S. undergraduate students would feel cultural
similarity towards the Western English-speaking countries, such as New Zealand and Australia, but
most dissimilarity towards countries such as China, Egypt, Dominican Republic, and South Africa.
Cultural distance represents a composite index of Hofstede‘s (2001) four indices on cultural
dimensions, namely power distance, individualism, masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance. Cultural
distance (CD) as a composite index was first developed by Kogut and Singh (1988) and has been used
in numerous studies. CD is based on the deviations along countries‘ four aforementioned cultural
dimensions from the U.S. ranking on the same dimensions. In addition, these deviations were corrected
for variation within each dimension. Finally, the four scores were arithmetically averaged into a
62
composite score titled cultural distance. The formula below indicates the steps suggested by Kogut and
Singh for developing this index:
CDj
=
(4) i=j {( Iij
– Iiu)2/Vi}/4
CDj = cultural distance of the j-th country from the U.S.
Iij = the index for the i-th cultural dimension and j-th country,
Vi = the variance of the index of the i-th dimension,
u = the U.S.
The Human Development Index (HDI) represents a composite index measuring social and
economic development in a country by ―combining indicators of life expectancy, educational
attainment and income‖ (UNDP, 2008). The composite index is expressed as a value between 0 and 1.
Similarly to the previous components, the HDI component of Destination Index represents a deviation
of the country‘s HDI score from the U.S. HDI score.
The values of the three components were standardized (z-score), and an arithmetic average was
calculated from the standardized values. The reliability analysis was conducted on the standardized
scores, and as Coefficient Alpha indicates the index holds well together (α = .73). Additionally, the
three components have significant moderate to very moderate correlations among each other, in their
original as well as standardized values. The Destination Index was calculated only for the participants
who did not study in multiple locations (N = 3499), and for the destinations where the scores for all
three components were available. Table 34 provides details on the Destination Index for these
countries, including the scores of the three components.
63
Table 34
Destination Index for select countries in the study and the appropriate values of its three components.
Country
Cultural
Dis/Similarity
CD
Australia
2.62
0.021
Austria
3.47
United Kingdom
Destination
Index
Count
0.015
-1.322
40
1.499
0.001
-1.002
166
2.68
0.082
0.008
-0.974
728
2
0.255
0.006
-0.523
63
Italy
3.99
0.584
0.005
-0.464
327
Ecuador
4.04
3.990
0.143
-0.367
55
Chile
3.68
3.885
0.076
-0.162
68
Japan
4.09
2.758
0.006
-0.099
350
Germany
3.39
0.442
0.01
0.026
652
Spain
3.89
1.881
0.001
0.181
478
Denmark
2.78
2.188
0.002
0.276
20
Lebanon
4.24
2.376
0.154
0.549
98
China
4.26
3.196
0.188
0.849
53
Morocco
4.17
1.653
0.304
0.936
137
Mexico
3.99
3.165
0.108
1.017
1
Netherlands, The
2.67
1.773
0.008
1.274
10
Egypt
4.32
2.376
0.234
1.303
78
France
3.73
1.599
0.005
1.325
9
Tanzania, United Republic of
3.11
2.439
0.447
1.350
34
Czech Republic
4.17
1.009
0.053
1.362
82
Russian Federation
4.23
4.303
0.144
1.499
64
New Zealand
Total
HDI
Index
3513
64
Discussion
The value of the Destination Index is that it reflects study abroad participants‘ subjective
evaluation of cultural similarity-dissimilarity as well as the objective assessments of cultural values and
socioeconomic development.
The example of application (JE)
For example, it has been long assumed in the field of education abroad that the more culturally
different and challenging countries a student studies abroad in, the greater impact the student would
have in intercultural learning and development. This hypothesis could not be tested properly because
study abroad destinations could not be included in a statistical model.
The development of the Destination Index by the SAGE research team can facilitate a deeper
examination of the role and impact of study abroad destinations as one potentially important
component of the study abroad experiences.
E. Assessing the Depth of Study Abroad Programs
One of our four major Ds of study abroad and perhaps the most important is the depth of study
abroad programs. Fry (1987, 2007) introduced the distinction between shallow and deep
internationalism to be thought of in terms of a broad continuum ranging from the shallowest to the
deepest. This distinction influenced our thinking about how to operationalize fruitfully the depth of
study abroad construct. Initially we were thinking of measuring this variable directly with a single
measure such as direct enrollment in a local university program. However, we rather quickly realized
that such an approach was overly simplistic. One of our research team members argued strongly that
we should develop a multidimensional measure of depth of study abroad and that the construct should
be treated as an ―unmeasured variable‖ (Blalock, 1971). It was agreed that this was a reasonable
approach.
In his research on educational and occupational attainment in Thailand, Fry (1980) faced the
challenge of how to assess the quality of Thai secondary schools. Earlier the economist of education
Mark Blaug (1971) in a major rate of return study simply used a dummy dichotomous variable, public
versus private school, as a proxy for quality. This turned out to be overly simplistic, mechanistic, and
misleading. As an alternative Fry developed a multiple criteria approach that produced a convenient
quantitative ratio variable. Schools were ranked on different criteria such as their perceived social
charter (Meyer, 1970), the scores of their students on the national secondary leaving examination, and
the number of ―national merit‖ scholars produced. In ranking the top research universities in the US,
the Center for Measuring University Performance (Capaldi, et al, 2009) uses exactly the same
methodology. They have identified nine key criteria contributing to excellence such as federal research
dollars brought in by faculty, the number of doctorates granted, and the level of endowment assets.
Again as with the Thai study of secondary schools, this methodology yields a quantitative ratio
variable, with universities having scores ranking from zero to a maximum of a full score of nine if they
rank highly on all the criteria.
Committed to seeing depth of study abroad as a multidimensional construct, we decided to use
the multiple criteria approach developed by the Center for Measuring University Performance. We
identified the following seven key criteria:
65
1) Experienced more than one study abroad genre such as studied and worked abroad.
2) Studied abroad in more than one destination.
3) Directly enrolled in an overseas institution and took courses alongside host nationals.
4) As part of their study abroad, they had work, internship, or field research experience.
5) Studied in a non-English speaking destination.
6) Studied in a less common destination.
7) Had more than one study abroad experience as an undergraduate
Thus, the maximum score was seven and the range for this variable is 0-7. Since a key variable
in our study is another D, duration of study abroad in months, we considered using it in the depth
index, but eventually decided to drop it. Otherwise in looking at the relationship between depth and
duration, there would have been an element of tautology. Thus, our depth measure is based on the
major seven criteria identified above which allow us to assess the depth of study abroad on a
continuum of 0 to 7.
F. Research Design: Data Collection Procedures—Study Abroad and Comparison
Groups
Data screening
Prior to conducting quantitative analyses, each group of collected data –study abroad group and
non-study abroad comparison group –was checked for the accuracy of data entry, missing data, and
satisfaction of the assumptions for multivariate analysis, using various procedures. As a result, the final
sample of 6,378 for study abroad group and 5,924 for comparison group were used for subsequent
analyses.
Study abroad group
The collected data with 6,391 study abroad alumni were examined for the accuracy of data
entry, missing data, and satisfaction of the assumptions for multivariate analysis. Those whose
responses were out of range were eliminated, including those who studied abroad in the U.S., or those
who responded twice.
Subsequently, the remaining 6,378 were checked for missing data and the assumptions for
multivariate analysis. As shown in Table 35, several Global Engagement Indices had missing data
greater than 5%, the Destination Index had about 45% missing values. The number of years having
lived abroad prior to college also had as much as 89% of missing data, which was used as a proxy
variable to previous international experience. While there is no rule for the tolerable amount of missing
data, researchers generally agree that less than 5% of missing data from a large data set has little impact
on results and any procedures would produce similar results (Allison, 2002; Peng, et al.,, 2007;
Tabachnick & Fidwell, 2007). It is important that data are Missing Completely at Random (MCAR) or
66
Missing at Random (MAR), which indicates that missing values do not show any patterns, nor are they
associated with particular variables.
Accordingly, various procedures were used to check whether people who are missing on Global
Engagement Indices greater than 10% display any systematic patterns. As discussed in Appendix E,
Technical Notes, some social desirability may be associated with those missing values. However, as
noted in Technical Notes, various preemptive measures were applied in constructing a survey to
address this issue of social desirability, and the SAGE survey seeks behavioral data, not attitudes. With
regard to the number of years having lived abroad, a variable indicating whether a participant lived
abroad prior to college was used as a proxy variable for previous international experience, as it had
only 0.2% of missing data. After the examination of normality, the final sample of 6,378 was used for
further analyses.
Table 35
Basic descriptive statistics and missing data profile for the study abroad group
N
Mean
5650
10.2228
GE 1 Philanthropic Donations
5987
3.9898
GE 2 Volunteerism: Social Justice
5771
3.6460
GE 3 Civic Engagement- International: Political
6135
5.7268
GE 4 Global Values
6003
3.8636
GE 5 Global Leadership
6180
4.0230
GE 6 Civic Engagement: Domestic: Political
5975
5.9018
GE 7 Volunteerism: Social welfare
5405
1.7382
Knowledge Production_GE
6357
.3931
Social Entrepreneurship
-a
6367
Pursued an advanced degree/ Graduate school
-a
6265
Pursued an internationally-oriented degree
-a
6340
Internationally-oriented career
6349
4.9032
Duration
Destination Index
3513
-.1315
Depth Index
6365
2.6404
708
4.5597
Number of years living abroad prior to college
6366
.1114
Lived abroad prior to college
6352
33.1501
Age
6352
32.5061
SES
-a
6357
Gender
-a
6323
Ethnicity
*SD indicates standard deviation; the variable of graduate education is binary.
a
SD
Missing
Count
Percent
7.21798
3.45585
3.75040
2.28304
3.02966
2.75547
3.56468
2.53855
.60736
-a
-a
-a
2.91169
728
391
607
243
375
198
403
973
21
11
113
38
29
11.4
6.1
9.5
3.8
5.9
3.1
6.3
15.3
.3
.2
1.8
.6
.5
.6948
1.4242
2865
13
44.9
.2
4.9437
.3146
10.75154
4.75863
-a
-a
5670
12
26
26
21
55
88.9
.2
.4
.4
.3
.9
Binary or categorical variables were not given their mean and standard deviation scores.
Comparison group
The collected data with 7,194 non-study abroad alumni, or comparison group were examined
for the accuracy of data entry and missing data. Firstly, those who indicated their study abroad
participation during undergraduate were deleted. Those who selected non-participating institutions as
well as responses out of range, such as college graduation years, were also eliminated. As a result,
5,924 were left for checking missing data.
67
As shown in Table 36 , several individual survey items which belong to various Global
Engagement variables had missing data greater 5%. For example, an item for the Civic Engagement on
the issues of international importance, talks and presentations (full item name) was missing for 10.7%,
and an item for the Civic Engagement on the issues of domestic importance, leadership (full item
name) was missing for 9.4%. Similarly to the study abroad group, various procedures were used to
check whether those who are missing on Global Engagement related items greater than 8% show any
systematic patterns.
As discussed in Appendices E, Technical Notes, some social desirability and age may be
associated with those missing values. However, as noted in the above with the study abroad group,
various preemptive measures were applied in constructing a survey to address this issue of social
desirability, and the SAGE survey asks behavioral facts, not an attitudinal questions. After the
examination of normality, the final sample of 5,924 was used for further analyses.
Table 36
Basic descriptive statistics and missing data profile for the comparison group
N
Mean
Civic Engagement (Domestic): Organized or
5537
.3686
signed petition
Civic Engagement (Domestic): Have been
5485
.4830
nvolved in protests, demonstrations
Civic Engagement (Domestic): Played a
5365
.2041
leadership role in improving quality of life
Civic Engagement (Domestic): Made a
5456
.2427
purchasing decision because of the social or
political values of a company
Civic Engagement (Int‘l): Gave formal talks or
5293
.6973
demonstrations
Civic Engagement (Int‘l): Wrote letter(s) to the
5414
.5103
editor
5450
.5752
Civic Engagement (Int‘l): Voted in an election
Civic Engagement (Int‘l): Used the internet to
5440
1.1039
raise awareness about social and political issues
Civic Engagement (Int‘l): Contacted or visited a
5425
.4308
public official
Knowledge Production: Have ever published
5896
.4681
something formally
5676
.8649
Philanthropic volunteering: arts
5577
1.3679
Philanthropic volunteering: environment
5663
.3586
Philanthropic donation: community
5736
.7448
Philanthropic donation: poverty
5846
47.6461
Age
-a
5903
Gender
-a
5912
Pursued an advanced degree/ Graduate school
*SD indicates standard deviation; the variable of graduate education is binary.
a
SD
Missing
Count
Percent
.77402
387
6.5
.80022
439
7.4
.54743
559
9.4
.60319
468
7.9
1.23803
631
10.7
.86849
510
8.6
.90264
474
8.0
1.11602
484
8.2
.79641
499
8.4
.49902
28
.5
1.00758
1.12738
.70330
.94194
13.45864
-a
-a
248
347
261
188
78
21
12
4.2
5.9
4.4
3.2
1.3
.4
.2
Binary or categorical variables were not given their mean and standard deviation scores.
68
G. Multivariate Quantitative Findings and Analysis
Correlations among the Major Variables of the Study
Correlations between the explanatory variables of this study – Duration, Destination, and Depth
Indices, and the Global Engagement dependent variables were examined. Prior to these analyses,
correlations among Global Engagement Indices as well as among Duration, Destination, and Depth
Indices were also analyzed.
Correlations among explanatory variables: Duration, Destination, and Depth Indices
The correlation results among the three key explanatory variables of Duration, Destination
Index, and Depth are shown in Table 37. The relationship between the Duration and the Destination
index is statistically significant but very weak (r= -.04, p<.05). Although this result with minimum
value can be regarded as negligible, this negative relationship may suggest that participants who
studied abroad in a more culturally different and less developed country compared to the U.S. tend to
have a stay of slightly shorter duration.
The relationship between Duration and Depth Index (without duration) is also statistically
significant but very minimal (r=.06, p<.05). While the relationship between Duration and Depth Index
(without duration) can be considered negligible, their positive relationship may suggest that the more
in-depth experience of study abroad is associated with a participant‘s longer stay in a country. When
Depth includes a duration component, the higher moderate relationship between Duration and Depth
Index can be explained by their overlap of duration component, 6 weeks abroad total as an
undergraduate (r=.29, p<.01).
Unlike the two previous results, the relationship between Destination and Depth Indices were
moderate to strong and statistically significant, regardless of involvement of a duration component.
This result indicates that a participant‘s in-depth experience while abroad is positively associated with
studying in a more culturally different and less developed country than the U.S.. This finding has
important policy implications as will be discussed in our concluding chapter.
Table 37
Correlations among explanatory variables: Duration, Destination, and Depth Indices
Destination Index
Depth Index (without duration)
Duration
-.04*
.06**
Destination Index
.49**
Note. (r) indicates the correlation results using Spearman‘s Rho
Depth Index (8)
.29**
.40**
Correlations among Global Engagement outcome indices
The correlation results among the various Global Engagement Indices are presented in Table
38. Overall they show statistically significant positive relationships with each other, which are weak to
moderate. Several relatively strong relationships are considered natural for sharing common
dimensions of global engagement. For example, the second and the seventh Global Engagement
69
variables, Volunteerism: Social Justice and Volunteerism: Social welfare share volunteerism as a
common dimension of global engagement, and showed a moderately strong relationship (r=.60, p<.01).
Similarly, the third and the six Global Engagement variables, Civic Engagement –International:
Political and Civic Engagement –Domestic: Political share civic engagement as a common dimension
of global engagement, and show a moderately strong relationship (r=.60, p<.01).
It is noteworthy that the second Global Engagement variable, Volunteerism: Social Justice has
positive relationships with all other Global Engagement variables at the moderate level. Its statistically
significant correlation coefficients range from .4 to .6.
Table 38
Correlations among Global Engagement Indices
GE Indices
3. Civic Engagement International: Political
4. Global Values
6. Civic Engagement - Domestic:
Political
7. Volunteerism: Social welfare
KP_GE
Social Entrepreneurship (r)
*p<.05
**p<. 01
1
.144**
.224**
2
3
.414** .296**
.499**
.184** .250**
.279** .192**
4
.253**
.409**
.483**
.176**
.186**
5
.285**
.537**
.487**
6
.401**
.540**
.604**
7
.505**
.591**
.250**
.348**
.454**
.474**
.268**
.453**
.387**
.348**
.327**
.260**
.263**
.120**
.268**
Correlations between explanatory and outcome variables
The results of simple bivariate correlations the Global Engagement variables and the three
explanatory variables of Duration, Destination, and Depth are presented in Table 39. The previous
sections in this chapter have discussed how these variables and indices were created.
Overall, the results of correlations between Global Engagement Indices and either Duration or
Destination Index are either statistically significant but very weak, or statistically non-significant at all.
Considering the large sample size, these relationships can be considered negligible. In other words, the
duration and the destination of study abroad program are not meaningfully associated with participants‘
global engagement in various dimensions.
These finding suggest simply placing students in ―exotic‖ locations or sending them abroad for
long periods of time per se may have limited impact. Rather, programs of shorter duration even in
more traditional destinations can contribute significantly to global engagement. These results signify
the importance how study abroad programs are designed. The caveat is, however, not to misinterpret
these results and impose limited impact of duration and destination for global engagement on other
kinds of study abroad impact. For example, duration can be an important factor for language learning
and intercultural development as other studies have shown (Dwyer, 2004; Medina-Lopez-Portillo,
2004; IIE, 2009b).
The depth variable, however, shows considerably stronger relationships with global engagement
outcomes. The relationships of the Depth Index with GE 2: Volunteerism: Social Justice, GE 3 Civic
Engagement-International: Political, and GE 4: Global Values, and GE 5: Global Leadership were
70
relatively stronger and statistically significant at r=.15 or .16 (p<.05). This indicate that the more indepth experience while studying abroad is positively associated with the stronger global engagement in
the dimensions of volunteering for social justice, civic engagement for political issues of domestic
importance, and global leadership.
Table 39.
Correlations between Global Engagement (outcome) variables* and study abroad characteristics
(explanatory) variables
Global Engagement Indices
Duration
.047**
.043**
.096**
Destination
Index
.004
.078**
.070**
Depth Index
(without duration)
-.034*
.147**
.163**
Depth Index (all
8 components)
-.006
.152**
.177**
3. Civic Engagement International: Political
4. Global Values
6. Civic Engagement - Domestic:
Political
KP_GE
.051**
.086**
.051**
.077**
.081**
.011
.153**
.164**
.061**
.156**
.179**
.075**
-.002
.097**
.057** (r)
.040*
-.010
.010 (r)
.058**
.021
.050**(r)
.060**
.050**
.060**(r)
Note. (r) indicates the correlation results using Spearman‘s Rho
*p<.05
**p<. 01
H. Regression and Path Analyses
Path analyses
An initial path model was constructed, which was used as a generic one for nine different
Global Engagement outcome variables: seven Global Engagement Indices, Global Knowledge
Production, and Social Entrepreneurship. In other words, an initial path model in Figure 2 was
performed, and then modified for each Global Engagement outcome variable.
This initial path model shown in Figure 2 was based on the conceptual model of the SAGE
research and also reflects the previous quantitative results. For example, Depth and Destination were
previously shown to be correlated (r=.49, p<.01). Although Hofstede‘s Cultural Difference Index was
used instead of the Destination Index, the correlation between Hofstede‘s Cultural Difference Index
and the Depth Index (r=.49, p<.01) is strong. All demographic variables were also correlated with each
other in the initial path model.
Prior to performing path analyses using a model in Figure 2, confirmatory factor analyses were
conducted for explanatory variables, Depth and Destination Indices, separately, which consisted of
multiple components. These analyses aimed to examine whether they are valid measurement models
for Depth and Destination latent variables. This trial was made as CFA tends to decrease measurement
error (Kline, 2005). However, the results of CFA models showed that they have either a poor model fit
71
or not identified as a model; therefore they could not be included in the model as latent variables (see
Appendix F). Accordingly, in conducting path analyses, the composite Depth Index and one of
Destination Index components, Hofstede‘s Cultural Difference Index, were used for explanatory
variables as were in previous regression analyses.
Figure 2 Initial path model
The following section discusses the results of path analyses for each Global Engagement Index
using the initial path model in Figure 2 as a base model.
1. Global Engagement 1: Philanthropic Donations
The initial path model, Figure 2, was used with the Global Engagement Index, Philanthropic
Donations. Subsequently, the model was modified by deleting non-significant paths. The final model is
presented in Figure 3, and the model fit indices for both initial and modified path models of Global
Engagement 1 are presented in Table 40.
Overall, the results of fit indices indicate a good fit of the initial model and a slightly better fit
for the modified model. First, the statistically significant value of the chi-square associated with
degrees of freedom, (12) =192.03, p=.00 indicates that the model does not fit the sample data well.
However, the chi-square as a fit index can be affected by the sample size as well as the violation of
multivariate normality (Hu & Bentler, 1995; Keith, 2006; Kline, 2005; Schumacker & Lomax, 1996).
Other fit indices were evaluated and they similarly point to a good fit of this initial model. For example,
the RMSEA, which is based on a noncentral chi-square distribution, also suggests a good fit. An
RMSEA value less than .08, or more restrictively .05 represents a good or a reasonable fit, and larger
than .10 represents a poor fit (Keith, 2006; Schumacker & Lomax, 1996). Its value of .049 in this study
suggests a good fit, which has improved from the initial model. The CFI, the standardized fit index also
72
suggests a good fit with its value close to 1. The modified model is only slightly better than the initial
model in their model fit, but the modified model was chosen for further analysis due to its model
parsimony from eliminating insignificant paths.
Table 40.
Model fit indices for Global Engagement 1 models
Model
df
p
RMSEA (90%CI)
CFI
Initial
171.05 2
.00
.115 (.101-.130)
.956
Modified 192.03 12
.00
.049 (.043-.055)
.954
Note. RMSEA= root mean square error of approximation; CFI= comparative fit index
The results of the modified path model are presented in the following Table 41 and Figure 3.
Table 41 shows the direct effects alone from demographic variables and explanatory variables on an
outcome variable, Global Engagement 1: Philanthropic Donations. Results show that the Depth Index
is the only explanatory variable which has significant effect on GE 1. In other words, the depth of study
abroad experience is the only characteristic of study abroad programs, which influence study abroad
participants to be globally engaged to make philanthropic donations. Its magnitude of effect, .04, was
very small. The duration and destination of study abroad programs proved to be non-significant.
On the other hand, all the demographic variables except for previous international experience
have impact on GE 1. Particularly age has a strong direct effect on GE Philanthropic Donations, and
SES and gender also had some degree of effect on GE 1. In other words, the older a study abroad
participant is, the more likely the person is engaged in making philanthropic donations. The higher SES
and being a female were also positively associated with making philanthropic donations. This finding
can be easily understood that those older would be more able to afford to make monetary donations
than those younger.
Table 41.
Direct effects from demographic and explanatory variables on GE 1
Direct effects
Demographic variables
 GE 1 Philanthropic Donations
Previous international experience
Age
SES
Gender
Explanatory variables
 GE 1 Philanthropic Donations
Depth Index
Duration
Destination (Hofstede‘s Cultural Difference Index)
Path coefficients
--.54***
.06***
.10***
.04***
-----
73
Background Demographic
Variables
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
Explanatory Variables
.54
Previous International
Experience
,06
,09
Age
.04
-.15
,03
.17
SES
Depth Index
(without duration component)
.05
Duration
of Study Abroad program
Global Engagement 1
Philanthropic Donations
-.08
Gender
.07
Destination:
Hofstede’s Cultural
Difference Index
.06
.10
Figure 3 Path model of GE 1 philanthropic donations
2. Global Engagement 2: Volunteerism: Social Justice
Similar to GE 1, the initial path model in the Figure 2 was used for the Global Engagement 2:
Volunteerism: Social Justice variable. This model was modified by deleting non-significant paths, and
their fit indices are presented in Table 42. a good fit of the initial model and a slightly better fit for the
modified model. The modified models is only slightly better than the initial model in their model fit;
however, the modified model was chosen for further analysis due to its model parsimony from
eliminating insignificant paths. The statistically significant value of the chi-square associated with
degrees of freedom, (11) =179.41, p=.00 indicates that the model does not fit the sample data well.
However, other fit indices, RMSEA lower than .05 and CFI close to 1 indicate a good fit. Accordingly,
using this modified model, the following results in Table 43 and Figure 4 are discussed.
Table 42
Model
df
p
RMSEA (90%CI)
CFI
Initial
171.4
2
.00
.115 (.101-.130)
.927
Modified 179.41 11
.00
.049 (.043-.055)
.927
Among study abroad program-related variables, the Depth Index and Duration have significant
effect on GE 2: Volunteerism: Social Justice. These results indicate that the in-depth experience of
studying abroad has positive effect on a participant‘s global engagement behavior of volunteering for
social justice after return. The longer duration also has positive effect but its degree of effect is very
weak. For demographic variables, age, SES, and gender were all significant variables for GE 2.
Particularly gender, being a female has a relatively stronger effect on volunteering for social justice
than other demographic variables.
74
Table 43.
Direct effects
 GE 2
Age
SES
Gender
 GE 2
Depth Index
Duration
Variables
Path coefficients
--.08***
.03*
.13***
.15***
.03*
---
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
.08
Experience
,06
,09
Age
Depth Index
.15
-.08
,03
.17
.05
Duration
.03
Global Engagement 2
Volunteerism: Social Justice
SES
-.08
Gender
.07
Destination:
Difference Index
.03
.13
Figure 4. Path model of GE 2: Volunteerism: Social Justice
3. Global Engagement 3: Civic Engagement- International: Political
Similar to GE 1 and GE 2, initial and modified path models were analyzed and compared. Their
fit indices are presented in Table 44. Similar to the path models of GE1 and GE 2, The modified
models is only slightly better than the initial model in their model fit; however, the modified model was
chosen for further analysis due to its model parsimony from eliminating insignificant paths. The
statistically significant value of the chi-square associated with degrees of freedom, (11) =177.9,
p=.00 indicates that the model does not fit the sample data well. However, other fit indices, RMSEA
lower than .05 and CFI close to 1 indicate a good fit. Accordingly, using this modified model, the
following results in Table 45 and Figure 5 are discussed.
75
Table 44
Model
df
p
RMSEA (90%CI)
CFI
Initial
171.64 2
.00
.115 (.101-.130)
.928
Modified 177.9
11
.00
.049 (.043-.055)
.929
The results of explanatory variables in Table 45 are similar to those with GE 2 in the above.
The Depth Index and Duration were significant, but the Destination was not for their relationship with
the Global Engagement 3: Civic Engagement- International: Political. Results indicate that the more indepth experience a participant had during study abroad, the more this person is globally engaged in
civic engagement behaviors for political issues of international importance. The longer stay during
study abroad is also positively associated with GE 3, but its value is relatively low. For the results of
demographic variables, again all three demographic variables except for previous international
experience of living abroad were significant.
Table 45
Direct effects
 GE 3
Age
SES
Gender
 GE 3
Depth Index
Duration
Variables
Path coefficients
--.06***
.10***
.07***
.17***
.06***
---
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
.10
Experience
,06
,09
Age
Depth Index
.17
-.15
,03
.17
.05
Duration
.06
Global Engagement 3
Civic EngagementInternational: Political
SES
-.08
Gender
.07
Destination:
Difference Index
.07
.13
Figure 5. Path model of GE 3: Civic Engagement- International: Political
76
4. Global Engagement 4: Global Values
The same analytical procedures were used with GE 4: Global Values. The results of both initial
and modified models in Table 46 show that the modified model has only a slightly better fit than the
initial model. It has smaller RMSEA value and slightly larger CFI. The modified model was chosen for
further analysis as it is more parsimonious with fewer paths in the model.
Table 46. Model fit indices for Global Engagement 4 models
Model
df
p
RMSEA (90%CI)
CFI
Initial
171.49 2
.00
.115 (.101-.130)
.928
Modified 177.44 11
.00
.049 (.043-.055)
.929
As shown in Table 47 and Figure 6, the results of explanatory variables for their relationships
with GE 4 Global Values are consistent with those of GE 2 and GE 3. The Depth Index and Duration
are meaningfully related but Destination is not. Results indicate that the more in-depth experience
during study abroad has a direct and positive effect on the participant‘s subsequent global engagement
in global values after return. As explained in the previous section, enacting global values in this study
means making purchasing decisions based on the values of a company and practicing a simple and
modest lifestyle. Duration also has a positive and direct effect on the global engagement of global
values but it is as low as .04.
The results of demographic variables for their effect on the GE 4 are different from previous
results in that previous international experience is significant but age is not. Although it is very weak,
previous international experience of living abroad has a positive and direct effect on GE 4 Global
Values. The higher SES and being a female also have a positive and direct effect on GE 4.
Table 47.
Direct effects
 GE 4
Age
SES
Gender
 GE 4
Depth Index
Duration
Path coefficients
.04**
--.07***
.12***
.14***
.04***
---
77
Variables
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
.04
Experience
,06
,09
Age
Depth Index
.14
-.15
,03
.17
.05
Duration
.04
Global Engagement 4
Global Values
SES
-.08
Gender
.07
Destination:
Difference Index
.07
.12
Figure 6. Path model of GE 4: Global Values
5. Global Engagement 5: Global Leadership
Following the same analytical procedures for GE5-Global Leadership, the results of both initial
and modified models in Table 48 indicate that the modified model is only slightly better than the initial
model in their model fit. Nevertheless, the modified model was chosen for further analysis due to its
parsimony with fewer paths in the model.
Table 48.
Model
Df
p
RMSEA (90%CI)
CFI
Initial
171.28 2
.00
.115 (.101-.130)
.927
Modified 178.73 11
.00
.049 (.043-.055)
.928
The results of path analysis for the Global Engagement 5: Global Leadership using its modified
model is presented in Table 49 and Figure 7. The results are similar to those of GE 2 Volunteerism:
Social Justice and GE 3 Global Engagement 3: Civic Engagement- International: Political. Firstly, the
Depth Index and Duration have significant effects on the global engagement with respect to leadership.
In other words, the more in-depth experience a participant had during study abroad, the more likely the
person is globally engaged in playing a leadership role and giving formal talks and presentations on the
issues of both domestic and international importance. Duration also has a positive and direct effect on
GE 5 Global Leadership but it is relatively weak.
78
Table 49
Direct effects
 GE 5
Age
SES
Gender
 GE 5
Depth Index
Duration
Variables
Experience
Path coefficients
.04**
.11***
.03*
--.18***
.05***
---
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
,06
,09
.04
.11
Depth Index
.18
-.15
,03
Age
.17
.05
Duration
.05
Global Engagement 5
Global Leadership
SES
-.08
Gender
.07
Destination:
Difference Index
.03
Figure 7. Path model of GE 5: Global Leadership
6. Global Engagement 6: Civic Engagement- Domestic: Political
The path analysis with Global Engagement 6: Civic Engagement- Domestic: Political again
used the initial path model in Figure 2, and modified it by deleting non-significant paths. The results of
both initial and modified models in Table 50 indicate that the modified model is only slightly better
than the initial model in their model fit. However, the modified model was chosen for further analysis
due to its parsimony for having fewer paths in the model.
Table 50
Model
Initial
Modified
172.15
180.59
Df
2
11
p
.00
.00
RMSEA (90%CI)
.116 (.101-.130)
.049 (.043-.056)
CFI
.926
.926
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The results of path analysis for the Global Engagement 6: Civic Engagement- Domestic:
Political using its modified model is presented in Table 51 and Figure 8. The results with explanatory
variables are noteworthy as Destination using Hofstede‘s Cultural Difference Index proved to be
significant unlike the previous results. Although it is as weak as -.05, this is the first Global
Engagement variable which is significantly associated with study abroad destination. The path
coefficient of -.05 indicates that the more culturally different from the U.S. the study abroad destination
is, the less likely a participant is globally engaged in terms of civic engagement on the political issues
of domestic importance. In other words, a participant who studied abroad in more culturally similar
destination country is more likely to be involved in civic engagement for the domestic political issues.
However, it should be noted that its path coefficient is relatively low and it is significant at the p value
of .05. On the other hand, Duration was not significantly related with GE 6. The Depth Index has a
positive and direct effect on GE 6, which is consistent with the previous results.
With regard to the results of demographic variables, age shows a stronger effect than other
significant demographic variables, SES and gender. The older a participant is, the more likely the
person is likely to globally engaged in civic engagement on domestic political issues. Similarly, the
higher SES and being a female are positively associated with GE 6, while their values are as low as .04
and .05.
Table 51.
Direct effects
 GE 6
Age
SES
Gender
 GE 6
Depth Index
Duration
Path coefficients
--.19***
.04**
.05***
.12***
---.05*
80
Variables
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
.19
Experience
,06
,09
Age
Depth Index
.12
-.15
,03
.05.18
Duration
SES
-.05
-.08
Gender
.07
Global Engagement 6
Civic EngagementDomestic: Political
Destination:
Difference Index
.04
.05
Figure 8. Path model of GE 6 Civic Engagement- Domestic: Political
7. Global Engagement 7: Volunteerism: Social Welfare
The path analysis with Global Engagement 7 Volunteerism: Social welfare used the initial path
and modified models and the results presented in Table 52 indicate that the modified model is only
slightly better than the initial model in their model fit. However, the modified model was chosen for
further analysis due to its parsimony for having fewer paths in the model.
Table 52
Model
df
p
RMSEA (90%CI)
CFI
Initial
171.34 2
.00
.115 (.101-.130)
.931
Modified 179.92 12
.00
.047 (.041-.053)
.932
The results of the explanatory variables, shown in Table 53 and Figure 9 regarding their
relationships with the Global Engagement 7: Volunteerism: Social Welfare are distinguished from the
previous results in that the path coefficient of the Depth Index is low only next to that of GE 1
Philanthropic Donations and Duration have a negative path coefficient. Although they are all very
weak, these results indicate that the more in-depth experience of study abroad is positively related with
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global engagement to volunteer for social welfare, and that the longer stay abroad is negatively related
with it.
The results of explanatory variables with GE 7 are distinct from previous results as the path
coefficient of the Depth Index is low only after that of GE 1, and that of Duration is negative. Their
values are also all very weak. These results indicate that the in-depth study abroad experience is
positively associated with global engagement to volunteer for social welfare, but the longer duration of
study abroad has negative effect on this type of global engagement, volunteering for social welfare.
About the results of demographic variables with GE 7, they also distinguished from the
previous results in a similar way to those of explanatory variables. Firstly, age shows a strong positive
effect on GE 7 only after GE 1 Philanthropic Donations. The fact that both GE 1 and GE 7 concern the
philanthropic activities can be considered for one possible reason. Gender also shows the strongest
relationship with GE 7 Volunteerism: Social Welfare among other GE variables. Lastly, SES is not
significant in its relationship with GE 7. These results indicate that the older the participant is, the more
likely the person is likely to be globally engaged to volunteer for social welfare. Being a female is also
positively related with global engagement of volunteering for social welfare.
Table 53.
Direct effects
 GE 7
Age
SES
Gender
 GE 7
Depth Index
Duration
Variables
Path coefficients
--.24***
--.14***
.09***
-.04**
---
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
.24
Experience
,06
,09
Age
Depth Index
.09
-.15
,03
.18
.05
Duration
-.04
Global Engagement 7
Volunteerism: Social Welfare
SES
-.08
Gender
.07
Destination:
Difference Index
.14
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Figure 9. Path model of GE 7 Volunteerism: Social Welfare
8. Global Engagement: Knowledge Production
The initial path model in Figure 2 was conducted for the Global Engagement: Knowledge
Production. Subsequently, the model was modified by deleting non-significant paths. The results of fit
indices shown in Table 54 indicate a good fit of the initial model and a slightly better fit for the
modified model. Similar to the results of previous other Global Engagement Indices, an RMSEA value
has improved. The modified model was used for the further path analysis.
Table 54. Model fit indices for Global Engagement: Knowledge Production models
Model
df
p
RMSEA (90%CI)
CFI
Initial
172.45 2
.00
.116 (.101-.131)
.927
Modified 178.32 9
.00
.054 (.048-.061)
.927
The results of demographic variables as shown in Table 55 and Figure 10 show that all
demographic variables have significant effect on Knowledge Production. Gender alone indicated a
negative impact relationship with Knowledge Production. This means that male participants tend to be
slightly more active than female participants in producing knowledge, including traditional ways of
writing journal articles and books, and non-traditional ways of digital media and art works. Previous
international experience of living abroad and a higher socioeconomic status were negligible but had a
positive effect on knowledge production. Age was relatively stronger in its effect on knowledge
production that older participants tend to have worked on more knowledge production.
The results of explanatory variables also were all significant but weak on the global engagement
in terms of knowledge production. The Depth Index and Duration had positive effect, but Destination
using Hofstede‘s Cultural Difference Index was negative. These results indicate that in-depth study
abroad experience and the longer duration of stay abroad contribute to participants‘ knowledge
production. However, a participant who studied abroad in more culturally similar destination country is
more likely to be involved in civic engagement for the domestic political issues.
Table 55
Direct effects from demographic and explanatory variables on KP_GE
Direct effects
 KP_GE
Age
SES
Gender
 KP_GE
Depth Index
Duration
Path coefficients
.03*
.17***
.06***
-.10***
.08***
.06***
-.05*
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Variables
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
.03
.17
Experience
,06
,09
Age
Depth Index
.08
-.15
,03
.18
.05
Duration
SES
-.05
-.08
Gender
.07
.06
Knowledge Production
Global Engagement
Destination:
Difference Index
.06
-.10
Figure 10. Path model of Global Engagement: Knowledge Production
9. Global Engagement: Social Entrepreneurship
It should be noted in this path analysis that the Global Engagement: Social Entrepreneurship
consists of three categories by the degree of social engagement. As discussed in Byrne (2001) and
Finney and DiStefano (2006), an ordered categorical variable with a small number of categories may
attenuate the parameter estimates, and using a categorical variable could also be problematic in using
Amos program. Therefore, caution is needed in interpreting the results of path analysis below.
The initial path model in Figure 2 was analyzed for the Global Engagement: Social
Entrepreneurship, and modified by deleting non-significant paths. The results of fit indices shown in
Table 56 indicate a good fit of the initial model and a slightly better fit for the modified model. The
modified model was used for the further path analysis.
Table 56. Model fit indices for Global Engagement: Social Entrepreneurship models
Model
df
p
RMSEA (90%CI)
CFI
Initial
171.61 2
.00
.114 (.101-.130)
.922
Modified 187.10 13
.00
.046 (.040-.052)
.920
The results of path analysis in Table 57 and Figure 11 show that only age, gender, and the
Depth Index were significant in their effects on the Global Engagement: Social Entrepreneurship.
However, the results of gender and the Depth Index were relatively weak. This indicates that the older
and a male a participant is, the more intensely the participant is likely to have been involved in social
entrepreneurship. The more in-depth study abroad experience also appeared to contribute to a study
abroad participant‘s subsequent involvement in social entrepreneurship.
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Table 57. Direct effects from demographic and explanatory variables on Social Entrepreneurship
Direct effects
 SE_GE
Age
SES
Gender
 SE_GE
Depth Index
Duration
Variables
Path coefficients
-.12
--.03
.07
---
Outcome Variables:
Global Engagement
.12
Experience
,06
,09
Age
Depth Index
.07
-.15
,03
.18
.05
Duration
SES
-.08
Gender
.07
Destination:
Difference Index
-.03
Figure 11. Path model of Global Engagement: Social Entrepreneurship
I. Analysis of Differences between the Study Abroad and Comparison Samples
While we are disappointed that on numerous variables the study abroad and comparison groups
were quite similar, there were some areas (and those seem particularly salient to the field of
international education and study abroad), where the two groups diverged significantly. These key
findings are as follows:

In terms of background factors, those of higher socioeconomic status were about 11%
more likely to be in the study abroad group.

In terms of their undergraduate experience, for those who studied abroad friendships and
student-peer interactions were far more important than those who did not study abroad
(73.4% compared to 54.4%). Also community service and volunteer work was more
important for the study abroad group (22.4% compared to 14.1%). For those who
studied abroad 83.3% indicated study abroad as their most impactful experience. For
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those who did not study abroad no undergraduate factor was higher than the 54.4% (for
friendship mentioned above).

Those who had studied abroad were far more likely to make purchasing decisions based
on the values of a company than those who did not (mean of 1.95 compared to a mean
of .24). This is a huge size effect.

Those having studied abroad scored 11 percent higher on our measure of the practice of
voluntary simplicity. Those who studied abroad were 37% higher on the scale of
college having influenced their practice of voluntary simplicity.

Those who studied abroad scored 60 percent higher on a measure of whether they had
published in another language. Also those who had studied abroad scored twice as high
on measure assessing the extent to which they drew upon research in other languages in
their publications.

Those who studied abroad were more three times more likely to have become social
entrepreneurs related to international development.

Those who studied abroad were about three and a half times more likely to pursue an
internationally-oriented graduate degree.
VIII. Qualitative Findings and Interpretations
Qualitative analysis
The Global Engagement Survey (GES) (see Appendix C) represented a focused instrument on
understanding individuals‘ global engagement and measuring the impact of study abroad on that
engagement. In addition, the qualitative interviews complement this effort and provide illustrative
narratives of the role and impact of study abroad on global engagement. However, knowing that we
would not be able to reach all the participants with the qualitative interviews, we provided an
opportunity in the GES to hear from the larger number of survey participants. Therefore, an openended question included at the end of the survey instrument provided a channel to hear from the
participants in their own voices what the overall impact of study abroad has been on their lives. In
addition to this open-ended question, at the end of the survey, the participants could express interest in
participating in the qualitative interviews. Almost all survey participants have offered a comment or
more in the open-ended question, while approximately 50 percent of survey participants expressed
interest in being interviewed for our qualitative data analysis process. Clearly many of our survey
respondents were eager to talk about their study abroad experiences and its impact on them.
The qualitative analysis therefore consists of three stages: analysis of the open-ended questions
on the GES, analysis of 63 qualitative interviews (randomly selected from the large survey sample),
and individual case studies with special richness for understanding the relationship between study
abroad and global engagement.
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A. Open-ended question analysis
The first portion of qualitative analysis has focused on the open-ended question, asking to ―In
your own words, describe the impact that study aboard has had on your life‖ (Paige, et al, 2007). The
participants were free to comment on any impact of their study abroad experience, including a small
number who have mentioned that the experience itself did not have any profound impact on their
subsequent lives. The analysis of the responses to the open-ended question has focused on total of 632
responses; these included 132 responses from the individuals selected for qualitative interviews as well
as additional 500 randomly selected responses after these 132 participants were taken out of the
sample. The comments were coded for the common themes using the analytical software NVivo. The
comments were first read for inductive coding allowing for categories of meaning to emerge;
afterwards, the comments were coded deductively for the codes focusing on the impact of study abroad
on seven concepts examined under global engagement. Finally, the codes were reviewed and grouped
into common themes.
The themes that emerged from our analysis of the open-ended question on the impact of study
abroad on participants‘ lives include:
•
•
Changes in the worldview and values
•
Impact on career and professional development
•
Impact on education and educational decisions
•
•
The themes are listed based on their intensity as well as how they align with SAGE‘s targeted
focus on global engagement.
Overwhelmingly, one theme stood out among the participants‘ comments – the participants
noted that study abroad experience was either among the most influential experiences in their lives, or
was the most impactful life experience. While this theme has been already noted in other studies
focused on evaluating study abroad experiences, the objective of SAGE study was more specific and
targeted. The SAGE study rather focuses on learning about the study abroad impact on one‘s global
engagement and subsequent life experiences or decisions. Acknowledging the importance of the
strongest theme, a number of other the emerging themes among the open-ended answers were very
helpful in understanding the questions SAGE study raises.
Largely, the participants spoke about the impact of study abroad experience on their worldview,
noting increased interest in making an impact or making a difference in the world. Additionally, they
have expressed a desire to become a 'world citizen' or 'global citizen'. Many participants have shared
changing their careers due to solidified interest in working within disadvantaged areas during their
experience abroad. Following survey participants explain this development of interest:
Studying abroad was a life changing experience. I became a global citizen, striving to
understand the impact of my choices and actions on people, cultures and places beyond
the scope of my experience. (ID#7996)
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My college study abroad experiences helped me to begin to understand that world, and
my place in it. My work now with an international humanitarian organization is directly
related to the time I spent studying abroad. Both my ability to cope with challenges of
living in a developing country, and to understand the issues I face on a daily basis,
derive directly from the things I learned while studying in both Morocco and
Switzerland. (ID#2713)
Other themes identify the impact of study abroad experience on the individuals‘ career or
educational paths. Additionally, the participants noted that study abroad has "helped" and "impacted"
their careers, or even assisted in professional development by increasing the understanding of their
career. These impacts are well summarized in the words of this participant:
I was going to become a physical scientist, but after my study abroad experience, I opted
for a 40-year career in international relations, just retiring from the US Dept. of State
several months ago. (ID#1476)
Study abroad was also identified as enriching the participants‘ overall undergraduate
experience, or the educational projects they have undertaken afterwards. In addition, study abroad
experience solidified their decision to apply for international educational opportunities, such as
Fulbright grants, applying to the Peace Corps, or pursuing graduate education abroad. Moreover, as the
participant often reported study abroad impacting their career choices, they also noted that it often
included completing a different bachelor‘s degree or going for a masters degree to hold a current
career. Therefore, the participants have also talked about the impact of study abroad on both categories
- their career and educational decisions.
It spurred me to go to graduate school and earn my Ph.D. Now I am a study abroad
professional--the Associate Director of International Programs. There really has been no
more crucial experience for my professional life than my experience studying abroad. It
has led me to where I am today. (ID#6695)
Going to Botswana was a life-changing event. It opened my eyes to the world. Because
of my experience abroad, I then traveled for several months after graduating, which led
me to join the Peace Corps which led me to get my Master's degree in planning. It had a
significant impact on my life and I don't think I would be in the same place now if it
weren't for my experience in Botswana. (ID#1178)
My study abroad experience was mostly an opportunity for me to see and experience
Europe (mostly Italy)…Doing that on my own gave me the confidence to later go by
myself, without a program, to Central America, and work in orphanages and health care
settings there. THIS later experience convinced me to get my master of public health
and medical degrees. But I don't think I could have done it without [study abroad] and
seeing that I could go to another country, get around on my own, and quickly learn the
language. (ID#4676)
Lastly, the participants talked about the impact of study abroad on their global engagement
activities, particularly various activities within their communities. Often, they have noted a mixture of
activities including civic engagement and community service; the respondents mention engaging into
existing activities at their workplace or in their community, starting new initiatives at work or in the
community, starting new organizations, etc. Participants also talked about their greater focus on
88
leading a simpler life and making daily choices with more concern for the environment. Additionally,
some participants noted that even though they already volunteered prior to study abroad experience,
they have continued these activities after the experience abroad but with a new focus. The following
quotes illustrate this theme of global engagement activities:
I believe that my study abroad experience is a large part of the reason that I try to not to
be "overly consumptive", e.g., recycling much more than most people I know, driving a
small hybrid car, and not being part of the consumer society (I don't buy much outside
the basic necessities, and am very happy with that). (ID#7868)
I realized how challenging and rewarding international study/volunteer/work abroad can
be. Prior to my study abroad, I had been abroad only once before and afterward I am
glad to say that I have been to numerous countries. I will also embark on a yearlong
volunteer program this January. Had I not studied abroad I would have probably never
even thought this a possibility!(ID#2991)
B. Individual interviews
Among findings from the qualitative analysis of individual interviews, two broad categories of
themes are discussed below: 1) impact of study abroad on various dimensions of global engagement, as
well as career and education, and 2) nature of study abroad experience related to its impact. The
interview protocol can be found in Appendix D.
Impact of study abroad experience on global engagement
Civic engagement on the issues of domestic and international importance
Many interviewees related their study abroad experiences to various aspects of civic
engagement. Some could give detailed examples for specific aspects of engagement as listed in the
SAGE survey, while others talked about the overall impact of study abroad experience on their civic
engagement. In the following quote, for example, Carrie explained how she feels study abroad
participation influenced her general involvement in civic engagement:
Yeah, I mean, I don‘t know that I can define it in a simple way. It‘s just, clearly my
time at Carlton and in the study abroad being a significant part of that. I think has
helped me understand political issues and civic issues much more fully. Everything
from how I vote, and thinking about the way the international community looked at the
two presidential candidates, to the products that I buy, I think that‘s influenced me again
very significantly.
As detailed examples of civic engagement, several interviewees said that they delivered
presentations and talks about their experiences abroad and cultural differences. Their audiences
included people at a company they work, students at a school their child goes to, or in the case of
Andrew, students in international economic classes, different universities, and people at civic
organizations and churches.
89
It was also interesting that many had become more cognizant of U.S. politics, foreign policy
and its impact abroad, and felt strongly about voting in presidential elections For example, one
interviewee said that she checks candidates‘ foreign policy or at least their international experience as
she feels ―obligated to think of other countries‖ and how what people in the U.S. do influences other
countries.
Similarly, interviewees expressed their feelings of international connections and interests in the
issues of the regions they visited and people they met while studying abroad. In addition to their active
interests in international issues and critical view of media based on their first-hand experiences in those
areas, interviewees have continued and developed their connections through philanthropic activities.
One interviewee‘s example in the following quote illustrates her engagement in international
philanthropic activities related to her interests in international issues as influenced by her prior
international experiences.
I think I pay more attention to international issues than I would say most of my friends
and colleagues, who I find tend to just focus more on national issues. For instance, I‘m
very interested in following closely what‘s going on Zimbabwe right now. I have
supported, … for a long time by donating money and time to that. I also sponsor a
woman in the Congo through an organization called Women to Women International.
Without traveling abroad, I don‘t think I would be nearly as interested or feel as invested
in the outcomes of international issues as I do now because before I did travel abroad, I
was much more focused on the American issues, like interstate poverty and things like
that. Whereas now, I think my interest is split. I‘m still interested in that, but also am
paying much more attention to what‘s happening internationally.
Philanthropic activities: Donations and volunteering for local and international communities
Interviews with participants also demonstrated their active involvement in philanthropic
activities of making donations and volunteering. Some did this for local communities, and some did it
for international ones. Some could make clear connections of their activities with study abroad
experiences, but some could not. The organizations they supported ranged from Rooms to Read,
National Wildlife Fund, Amnesty International, Heifer International, KIVA –a micro lending
organization, to a museum, and they also made contributions for world hunger or women‘s rights in the
Middle East region. Their kinds of volunteering activities ranged from mentoring students at an inner
city school, tutoring K-12 students, helping Girl Scouts develop international perspectives,
interviewing students for an alma mater, working for multicultural students at a university, to working
with adjudicated youth and homeless, sponsoring girls for their tuition payment in South Africa,
coordinating relief for tsunami, and promoting Fair Trade movement.
Why they volunteer –related to study abroad experience
Particularly regarding their philanthropic involvement, interviewees added explanations about
how their study abroad experience may have influenced those activities.
For example, one interviewee explained that his ―broad exposure to the various challenges in
the world‖ motivated him to donate for international organizations and issues such as Amnesty
International. Another interviewee said that her Semester-at-Sea experience left her with ―a taste‖ that
90
she can do something she enjoys and also makes a difference, for example, when she visited an
orphanage in Fiji. Krista projected her realization of importance to have safe secure housing in Ecuador
to the U.S. and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity domestically. Carrie explained that she realized
that the world is bigger than herself from the overall experience of learning while abroad, which has
kept her values through life.
One interviewee said that she could understand better the impact of donations she makes by
―having been on the ground, in an area, where the populace received those donations.‖ Particularly her
encounter with an old French man in France engraved a lasting impression on her mind and made her
believe in a lasting impact of her contribution.
Just when I was studying in France, in walking around the town and whatever. This
very old man, tiny, little Frenchman came up to my friend and I, and he said, ―Are you
Americans?‖ We said, ―Yes, we are.‖ He went on to just profusely thank us. Here we
are eighteen, nineteen years old, and he was probably in his eighties. Thanking us for
assisting France in World War I. He was so amazing. To walk away from that
conversation and think, you really got the sense that…I, as an individual, and a
representative of everything that is American, in other people‘s eyes.
So, you could be the loud, ugly American. I was there in 1983. I don‘t know,
historically the early 80‘s, the dollar was so incredibly strong against every European
currency. That Americans were just flooding over there on vacation. So, many of them
were the ugly Americans. They were loud. They were, ―If you don‘t understand me,
I‘m just going to speak it louder and more slowly until you understand.‖ I mean there
wasn‘t, you were kind of nervous when people said, ―Oh, are you Americans?‖ ―Oh,
yeah, sorry.‖
So, this exchange with this old man. I mean, it really opened my eyes…that there is a
lasting impact on everything you do. For good or for evil. So, I didn‘t hesitate after that
to give what I could give,…
In addition, Harold, who will be discussed as a case study later in this report, explained how he
became actively engaged in volunteering after his study abroad in early 1970s.
Definitely…well, yes, maybe because…yes. I‘m thinking it definitely made me feel
capable. Let me back up this way. For having seen Spain and having seen Sierra Leone
I realized how wealthy and lucky I am to be here in the United States. So with that
paradigm, with that understanding of how bountiful my plate is, I‘ve always been able to
easily volunteer to assist others with their issues. Had I not seen that, had I not, you
know…if I just used a viewpoint of where I make big social, in a social economic stamp
here in New York with billionaires living here and billionaires…I may have had a
feeling that I needed to get more of those sort of things and not realized how much I
already had. So, I may not have looked anywhere but up in the sense of I need to get
more of, as opposed to, well, I can share more of myself with the world and I have the
time and the ability to do that. I don‘t know if I‘m making sense.
91
Global values: Voluntary simplicity
Another prominent element of global engagement that interviewees demonstrated was related to
their values and philosophy of life that they are willing to lead a simple and modest life and value
common good for a wider community. This was termed as voluntary simplicity in the conceptual model
of global engagement in this study.
For example, many continued lifestyle learned in European countries and Australia, such as
using public transportation, riding a bike or walking instead of driving a car, practicing and valuing
recycling, and using their own bags for grocery shopping. Several mentioned their increased
consciousness about excessive consumerism and overly materialistic lifestyles in the U.S. They were
overwhelmed by the abundance and massiveness of products at supermarkets back in the U.S.; Dana
and Krista called it a ―culture shock.‖ Dana said that she was reminded of people in Ghana and realized
what she has take for granted in the U.S. may be extravagant in other countries. Another interviewee
explained how her time in France made her decide not to spend more than needed, as following:
Then you come back to the United States and you‘re like, ―oh my gosh, we are so
wasteful and we don‘t even know it, and why do I need a washer and dryer this size…
Why do I need this big sport utility vehicle while I‘m driving in the city?... I guess that‘s
one way in which it affected the way that I think about what I purchase
Similarly, some became supportive of local markets and food produced locally, which was also
related to their environmental consciousness from study abroad. One example of supporting local
produce and community is illustrated below:
So, [my husband] and I actually have a crop share. We pay a farmer for his fees and
work the vegetable and he is not certified organic but he brings us vegetables but he
doesn‘t spray and doesn‘t pollute. It is very fun. It is actually really affordable because
he hasn‘t paid for all of the organic certifications. We pay $200 and we split a share
with friends who pay another $200, so it is $400 for the whole summer, which if you got
to the store and buy vegetables it is more than that.
Several described how they made purchasing decisions based on the values of companies, as
Sandra did:
I definitely make purchasing decisions based on the values of the companies that are
producing products, what their aims are, like what types of energy they use. So, any
product that uses sustainable energy or solar energy or sometime like that, I think is
great. I also tend to buy things that are locally made. Part of that is bioenergetics. It‘s
like why would I buy something that was made far away and shipped to me. I mean that
costs so much energy to get that to me when I could just get something locally made
right here, especially from local resources. I mean that‘s extra good because then it‘s
grown here and made here, all that kind of stuff. That was something that I was
introduced to on study abroad.
With regard to these types of lifestyle and values, some tried to explain that it came from their
learning during study abroad that they feel connected to people in other regions and felt responsible for
each other. This is what Appiah (2006) calls the cosmopolitan ethic. One interviewee said:
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I am more aware of the idea that we‘re all connected. That environmentally, socially,
and politically as well but certainly environmentally, that the earth is all connected. So,
what happened in California, my little corner of the world, can actually affect people in
these countries that I visited, and that what they do can affect me. I need to take
responsibility for what I‘m doing to the environment and to the world around me.
Lastly, it was interesting that two lawyers among interviewees explained how their study abroad
influenced their decision to practice law for the public interest and have an immediate impact on a local
community rather than making big money at large firms.
Much of knowledge production was directly related to their study abroad experience. For
example, they shared their own study abroad experience by writing for a journal or creating a DVD
presentation, posted a list of things to prepare for study abroad on the web, or wrote about countries in
which they had studied abroad. Krista said that she and her friends recommended bringing crayons and
stickers to give to children in the villages of South Africa before leaving for a Semester-at-Sea
program.
Impact of study abroad experience on education, career, and personal development
Education
First, it was noticeable that many interviewees (particularly those with pre-collegiate
international/intercultural experience chose their colleges and universities for reasons that they are well
known for supporting undergraduate students‘ studying abroad.
Regarding their educational choices after study abroad, various interviewees explained how the
curriculum and courses offered while abroad worked well for their academic requirements and
interests. For example, they could take courses which are not offered at their home institutions in the
U.S., or fulfill academic requirements for graduation through study abroad opportunities. One
interviewee said that she was happy to take courses in marine biology in Australia, which she could not
get at her college in the U.S. which is not located nearby oceans. She continued to study marine
biology in graduate school. Another interviewee also explained that he could fulfill language and
internship requirements for his international relations major while he studied abroad in Spain. In
addition, interviewees often continued their original international focus on studies after return, and
some tried to go back to the same region for graduate work, or teaching and working abroad.
Another education choice that several interviewees made was changing their undergraduate
academic majors. They confirmed or discovered different academic interests while abroad, and
continued to pursue them after return. For example, one interviewee changed from pre-med to
anthropology, and another interviewee confirmed that he does not want to continue in chemistry.
Another interviewee has changed his major from engineering to archeology, and answered the question
whether he was originally interested in archeology as follows:
Before that, I had given it some thought. Yes. But, you know, I had other interests as
well. After I decided to major in it, then that has led me in sort of a very direct line
where I went on to do graduate work in archeology and then I taught archeology and
ancient history. I am still doing that. So, really, that trip was a major turning point for
me. Yes.
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Career
With regard to the influence of study abroad experience on career, interviewees commented that
their study abroad experience helped them find what they want to do as a career, and imbued
international aspirations and dimensions on what they do. As an example, one interviewee explained
how her study abroad experience was helpful for her working in a global environment, who changed
her major to international relations during study abroad and then went on to graduate work in public
diplomacy.
The switch definitely happened when I started abroad and that just made me so...I kind
of got the travel bug and was just so interested in other cultures. It definitely helps me
now. A lot of the contacts that I made in graduate school who do come from around the
world, we connect because everyone has that same global citizenship kind of a thing.
You sort of form a network and I think I definitely tap into the network all the time in
my job now. Just one of having a global understanding really helps us. I work at a
global PR firm so I‘ve helped clients that are based at Abu Dhabi, that are based in
London, that are based in Switzerland. So just having that awareness, I think is number
one, it‘s huge so that you can wait for them because I think so many people. It‘s
embarrassing, how many people in America don‘t have that. And I think it‘s a real
liability. But having that is huge and then, secondly, being able to call people in
different countries and ask them questions and know what you don‘t know because, at
least, you‘re a little bit more informed.
Similarly, another interviewee explained how her study abroad in Ireland influenced an
international dimension of her career as a nurse.
I‘ve become a nurse since graduating from Carleton. I went onto become a nurse. I
actually yet another bachelor‘s degree and I also got my master‘s in public health and
international health. After starting my travels in Ireland, I realized the importance of the
international community as a whole and that we really are all part of one community and
to learn as much as you can about the health of this county. You also need to learn and
appreciate the health needs of other countries. I went to Haiti as part of a medical team
from John Hopkins, which is where I was working at, at the time. Went there three
times. I didn‘t have to go as part of my job, but it was something that I was able to do as
part of my job. I used vacation hours to do it but I went with colleagues from my job.
The travels to South Africa that was part of an international health job that I had taken a
few years ago, where I had to go set up a few clinics and do some conference work.
That was something that I was paid to do.
When their careers do not necessarily include international dimension, several interviewees
explained how their study abroad experience can be still valuable for their career, especially in
interacting with people from different cultures whether they are Americans or people from different
cultures. One interviewee, for example, said that his broader experience from abroad helps him as a
librarian as he needs to cover beyond his own specialized issues and also works with people from
different countries on campus. As will be discussed in a case study, Andrew worked with legal clients
from South Africa and helped an immigrant family in a town, as he could appreciate their linguistic and
cultural differences from study abroad experience. Erin also pointed out the value of study abroad
experience in interacting with people for her career as follows:
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I think studying abroad got me out of my comfort zone to learn how to interact with
various types of people and to be forced into situations where I didn‘t know anybody
and I just had to fend for myself, which is invaluable in real estate as well.
In addition, language skills acquired from study abroad was mentioned as advantages for career.
There were also several who became to work in the field of international education or try to include
study abroad as the part of their career in education field.
With regard to educational and career choices after study abroad, it was interesting that there
were four lawyers or law students among 58 interviewees, who explained the impact of study abroad
on their law careers. They either decided to go to law school with an international focus, to focus on
international human rights, for example, or decided to opt for less-pecuniary jobs after law school.
Personal development and growth
In addition to global engagement as the impact of study abroad, interviewees also described
their experiences of personal development and growth from study abroad. They include increased
confidence and independence, broader perspectives, as well as interpersonal skills and intercultural
learning. They also mentioned friendships and relationships that they developed, and experience of
exploring their identity and understanding an American self.
Related to interpersonal skills and relationships, several said that after return they could relate
to people from the regions that they visited or people from different cultures better. For example, Krista
liked that she could bond with her doctor from India who operated on her for heart transplant surgery as
she visited India through the Semester-at-Sea program and had to something else to talk about with
him. As will be described in a case study later, Andrew contributed to his study abroad experience that
he could work with clients from South Africa and an immigrant family in his town. Similarly Andy
attributed his ability to communicate with people from different cultures to study abroad experience as
below:
But I think that specifically having had the opportunity to meet a lot of people from
around the globe and learn another language. I think it helped me communicate better
when I‘m on the phone with somebody who‘s in Tel Aviv better than other people
within this Dallas based company when I was working because I could tune by ear to
different accents and I can understand them a lot better than my boss could and so just
the ability to sort of…prior experience of dealing with people from other cultures and
spoke other languages even where communicating in English was a big career boost.
In addition, many of them compared educational systems in the U.S. and countries that they
studied abroad in, which can be considered as the development of comparative learning and thinking.
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Nature of study abroad experience
Cumulative and persisting nature of study abroad influence
The nature of study abroad experience that stood out from interviews was its cumulative,
persisting, and formative influence. It often started with home stay during high school or other
international experiences prior to college. After study abroad, quite a few interviewees returned or
hoped return to countries and regions they studied abroad in. Some studied abroad again during
undergraduate, and others studied abroad for graduate work, or worked abroad. For example, they
taught English or applied to the Peace Corps. Participants also maintained interests in the countries
and regions they visited while residing in the U.S., which sometimes led to their philanthropic activities
in those areas, such as coordinating donation for Tsunami relief and supporting girls‘ education. Or in
general, study abroad returnees maintained interests in international issues, and several mentioned their
critical take of the Western media coverage as they visited the regions, met and talked to people there.
As one example, Danielle explained how her study abroad experience has lived on and carried different
meanings in her life at different stages.
I would just like to say, I guess, that study abroad, all my study abroad experiences live
on. They don‘t end when you finish. They sort of live on and they had meaning then,
they have new meanings now in the context of everything you‘ve lived through. They
are so much a part of you that you can‘t walk away from them. All you can do is share
them and acquire additional experiences. Having had the Semester at Sea experience
has driven me to continue traveling, and to continue learning. I no longer am much of a
vacationer, a person who goes and likes to put my feet up, necessarily. I‘m into the
guidebook, reading about the cultural events, and wanting to immerse myself in any
culture that I come across now…that is a fundamental change that I can attribute to the
travel abroad experience.
Another interviewee explained her multiple international experiences, which started from a
homestay during a summer in Belgium at age 16, led to one after another, and eventually where she is
and what she does. She studied abroad at college in Australia, worked at the study abroad office after
return as an undergraduate peer advisor. After graduation, she worked abroad in Japan, did her graduate
work in international education, and obtained a job at the study abroad office in another institution. She
also added the impact of a short-term program can have as a ―stepping stone,‖ and how each
international experience brought cumulative and impactful change on her life.
So had I not worked in the Study Abroad Office and had I not been in Japan, I‘m not
sure that just the Australia experience would stand alone and would have gotten me to
where I am. It certainly started it and actually, I have to honestly say that back when I
was 16, I spent a summer in Belgium and that is really, what started it. I probably
wouldn‘t have gone abroad for a semester if I hadn‘t had the time in Belgium so it was
that long process. The semester in Australia was what made me feel like I could spend a
year in Japan and got me the job that led to where I am.
It had kind of just been a stepping-stone for me because if I had just at 16 jumped to
being abroad in Japan for two years, I probably wouldn‘t have been very successful. I
had to sort of inch into it coming from a small family and you know, getting on that
plane the first time. So that is why I think when you have the discussions about is it
valuable for students to go for short term. Is it valuable for students to go for long term
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and trying to equate short term equals this and long terms equals something better is a
challenge for me because I am a product of multiple experiences being additive. If you
took Belgium alone. Did it really change me that much? But if you look at the way it
impacted and allowed me to do more, it had a huge impact and so that sort of which is
why I am struggling to tell you what Australia did for me.
Formative nature of study abroad experience
Closely related to the cumulative and persisting nature of study abroad, many interviewees
described its formative nature. They noted the study abroad experience as that which stood out most in
their undergraduate life, and also one that has strong impact on their subsequent lives. One interviewee,
for example, said that his study abroad experience in Brazil led him to become involved in an
organized labor, working as a union attorney. He said, ―I don‘t think it‘s exaggerating to say that it
[study abroad] really shaped who I am now.‖ Another interviewee, who was mentioned earlier, a nurse
having worked internationally, also explained the formative influence of study abroad on her life as
following:
It was probably the most fastest and most intense growing experience of my life,
actually….When I went to Ireland, ….It taught me the importance of being flexible and
being able to adapt to your changing environments and how to grow up a little bit more.
I wasn‘t around all my comforts and all of the things that I understood.…but it showed
me I could do it. While it was hard, it was also extremely worthwhile. I think it has
helped me be where I am today because I was able to get through that experience in a
positive way.
Similarly, another interviewee described her study abroad as the most ―formative year‖ in the
below:
I just think it was so formative. I think the age, going and studying abroad in college, is
the right time to do it because I think that‘s when your mind is open to these
experiences. I really do think that was the most formative year, probably of my entire
education. Because you‘re exposed to so many things so fast and it really makes you
evaluate things from the core. Your language is being questioned when you‘re learning
a new language and then all of the study. The methodologies are completely changed
because people learn differently. It really just makes you reevaluate everything, the way
of doing everything. It makes you think differently, makes you think more globally.
Strong advocate of study abroad
As the interviewee in the previous quote continued to explain how strongly she became to
encourage other students to study abroad, many interviewees became strong advocates of study abroad
after return. She became the president of the study abroad organization. Another interviewee, a
principal at high school and an archeologist, has led trips to Italy and organized trips to Mexico and
France with students. Samantha, who will be discussed as a case study later, explained the benefit of
study abroad for all students especially by being in the country. In addition, it was impressive that
many participants concluded their interviews by expressing their hope that as many college students
study abroad, and if they have children, that that they want their children to study abroad as well.
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Vague articulation and difficulty to pinpoint relationships between study abroad and their
subsequent life choices and global engagement behaviors
On the other hand, however, interviewees also expressed difficulty in explaining the way study
abroad influenced their behaviors and perspectives on global engagement. For example, Carrie noted
that she cannot pinpoint how her volunteering –helping a local community build with landscaping,
mentoring students in an inner city school, and donating for international communities, is specifically
related to her study abroad experience. A couple of interviewees described ―a roundabout way‖ that
study abroad experience influenced their career paths. Several interviewees had multiple international
experiences and could not pinpoint which one may have influenced their specific global engagement
behavior or their current career. Some interviewees said that study abroad experience rather reinforced
what they were already practicing or believed in, like an interviewee as expressed in the following
quote:
It‘s hard to say what comes from that particular experience of studying abroad and what
comes from other life experiences that I‘ve had…. At least part of it is not because of
the study abroad program, I don‘t think it‘s because of it, but I think that reinforced it. It
was already inside me. The experience of being in Brazil, of seeing how peasants live in
parts of Brazil, that don‘t have access to very much in terms of technology, or … and
they seem like they live very meaningful lives. Happiness is not just about
accumulating material possessions. That is something I‘ve always believed, but I think
the experience in Brazil really did reinforce that.
In addition, many who described their global engagement behaviors did not necessarily
associate those with their study abroad experience, unless they were explicitly asked about relationship
between study abroad and their behaviors.
This may indicate that study abroad experience can be indirectly related to participants‘ global
engagement through other important international or life experiences. Or study abroad could have
simply reinforced what they were already doing and believed in. It is also possible that study abroad
has no relationship to their global engagement. What this means to this study is that it acknowledges
factors other than study abroad which can influence participants‘ global engagement, and does not
attempt to conclude that study abroad always necessarily leads to global engagement. In addition, this
may also explain minimal size effects found when examining the relationship between study abroad
program characteristics and global engagement in our quantitative results.
C. Individual Case Studies
As a major part of our mixed methods strategy and our goal to triangulate our data as much as
possible, we are also reporting on eight individual case studies that were purposively selected because
of their richness in showing how study abroad influences global engagement (Yin, 2009). Also using
Merriam‘s (2009) principle of maximum variation sampling, these cases were selected from our
random sample of 63 qualitative interviews. We also purposively selected two additional cases which
provided particularly rich insights. These individuals were not in the original random sample and are
from ethnic groups inadequately represented in our sample.
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Case Study of Gruia Badescu
Personal background and pre-collegiate life
Gruia grew up in Bucharest, Romania, and so represents the international students in our study.
In secondary school he excelled in geography and participated in world ―Olympiads‖ on this subject.
To participate in the geography competitions, he traveled to South Africa (where his Romanian team
won the gold medal), South Korea, and within Europe. He found it exciting to see and meet people
from other parts of the world, as he had little exposure to international influences living in Romania.
Experiences as a student
His first study abroad experience was in the U.S. He won a scholarship to attend Middlebury
College in Middlebury, Vermont. He attributes most of his voluntary simplicity to the small town life
in Vermont and to his Quaker host family, whom he would visit regularly. While an undergraduate,
Gruia studied abroad in three European countries: France, Germany, and Italy. Because he was
proficient or fluent in these languages, he enrolled directly in courses with host country students in
each location. Two unexpected outcomes were to discover his European identity and to serve as a
cultural interpreter of the U.S. for the Europeans he met.
Global Engagement
Gruia‘s program in Germany was most impactful on his future education and career plans.
There he studied and researched national identity and how a country maintains or changes its identity
as it reconstructs after war. He is currently enrolled in an architectural design and social science
program in the U.K. In the future he would like to continue in a doctoral program and ultimately be
involved in policy toward protecting the sociology and history of war-torn cities by preserving their
architectural heritage.
Gruia noted that he practices voluntary simplicity to a large degree and that his study abroad in
Germany, where environmental and recycling practices are widespread, was somewhat influential in
his current practice. His life in Vermont, though, and the Quaker influences there were the most
impactful in the choices he now makes to live a simpler lifestyle.
Implications of the case

Early interest in geography sparked international study in U.S. and Europe

Study abroad contributes to internationally-oriented graduate study and career

Lived experience of global engagement is simple (recycling) and complex (learning
from other countries‘ experiences of war and reconstruction in order to preserve national
identity)

He has clear aspirations to become a knowledge producer related to how war-torn cities
preserve their architectural heritage.
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Case Study of Kathy Buzza
Kathy grew up in Rochester, Minnesota and defines her early years as sheltered with little
international influences. Still, she had a desire to explore the world beyond and applied to the AFS
exchange program in high school. Since she was not selected that made her more determined to study
abroad in college. Thus, she chose to attend St. Olaf College for its international reputation.
As an undergraduate at St. Olaf in the early 1970s, Kathy participated in two, five-week study
abroad programs in Europe and in Mexico. She said her experience in Cuernavaca, Mexico, at Ivan
Illich‘s Center for Intercultural Documentation (CIDOC) stands out the most and described it at length.
In Cuernavaca she and her fellow students walked through the barrio to attend classes. There was
poverty and disability that she had never seen before. That, as well as the opportunity for cultural
immersion, is a vivid memory for her. She continues to make connections to people of other cultures
as a result: ―I don‘t know how I can say certain things were cause and effect, but I know I became
more sensitive to other things in the world because of those experiences that I have had.‖
Global Engagement
Kathy described the impact of that study abroad experience in terms of her desire to be sensitive
to other people and their needs and to seek to understand other cultures. Most of her life since
graduating from St. Olaf has been devoted to reaching out to people of other cultures in her community
and to lifting the human spirit through the arts. Her first job was at a social service agency, where she
worked with Hmong families settling in Minnesota. After leaving social service, Kathy continued her
work as a volunteer for Hmong refugees by helping them find healthcare and social agencies,
registering their children at school, and finding furniture and items for their apartments. Her family
became close to two Hmong families, and over time their children played together and they attended
each others‘ graduations and weddings. Reflecting on this volunteer work, Kathy said,
I‘m sure that some of that experience that I had in Mexico made a difference…to be
sensitive to other people and their needs and be open to other cultures and feel like if
you can assist in some way…to give someone a different life, or a new life. [Becoming
friends with] people that are from other cultures is really fascinating. I just remember
getting a little taste of that in Cuernavaca.
Kathy has also been engaged in community leadership and social entrepreneurship. She is a cofounder of the Lanesboro Arts Center which has fostered local artists and community theatre. The arts
center has further spawned two successful organizations, the Commonweal Theatre and the Cornucopia
Arts Center. She also has been active in fair trade sales through her church and in the establishment of
the Root River Trail, a 60-mile biking, hiking, and skiing trail in southeastern Minnesota. She
attributes her study abroad experiences as strong influences on her subsequent civic involvements and
philanthropic activities. Of her interest in the arts, she muses, ―Maybe I saw some of that in Europe
and wanted to have that in my own life, too.‖
Her foundational experiences abroad also inspired both of her children to study abroad.
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
Memorable study abroad experiences can inspire a lifetime of civic commitments

It can be challenging to attribute today‘s passion to an experience that occurred decades
ago

Overseas experiences can foster interest in and desire to assist new immigrant
communities in the U.S. such as that of the Hmong.
Case Study of Adrienne Lotson
Adrienne grew up in Queens, New York, in the 1960s and 1970s. A vivid memory for her is
watching airplanes take off from and land at John F. Kennedy Airport. She became fascinated with
where the people were from and where they were going. She would read the name of the airline on the
tail and then look it up in the encyclopedia. Her first trip on an airplane was to study abroad in Spain
for a semester as a Dartmouth student.
During her study abroad program, Adrienne took classes with her fellow Dartmouth students
but they were all in Spanish and held at the Universidad de Granada. She fondly recalls her home stay
family and only speaking Spanish with them. A particularly impactful experience for her was seeing
beggars for the first time. It made her appreciate how much Americans have and it influenced her to
practice voluntary simplicity.
Adrienne‘s early international inclinations and her semester abroad led her to make friends with
two South Africans later in her college years. These friendships then inspired her to become actively
involved in protests to push her law school to divest out of South Africa. Further, on a recent mission
trip to South Africa, she began a friendship with a family there. She sponsored their daughters for their
first year in college; since then their parents have paid the remainder of their studies and Adrienne has
stayed in touch. About the lasting friendships she has made that connect her to crucial issues of social
justice and education, Adrienne said, ―I cannot live an insulated world, an insulated life. It‘s
impossible now. I just cannot do it…I have friends all over the world: people I am extremely close to
in South Africa, in Copenhagen, in England, all over the world. I would be less than true to who I am
if I didn‘t have those people in my life.‖
Global engagement
Adrienne is committed to civic engagement in terms of the protests described above, leadership,
and voting. In support of Barack Obama‘s 2008 presidential campaign, she canvassed her
neighborhood and worked in voter registration drives. She also leads a life of voluntary simplicity by
choosing to live in a small home and using public transportation. She attributes her commitments to
some degree to her study abroad experience. Further, Adrienne is active in philanthropic activities.
She is active in her church and has donated her time and money to causes such as Dress for Success,
senior citizen housing, a local soup kitchen, and local economic development.
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Education and Career
Adrienne has pursued graduate study in law school and now a doctorate in anthropology. She
said that to a large degree, study abroad influenced her educational decisions and has helped her career.
Her first airplane trip to Spain sparked further international travel to Zimbabwe, Egypt, Israel, Jamaica,
and South Africa. ―I‘m a global citizen…travel and anthropology help me to understand people and
where they‘re coming from and help me to understand myself and my place‖ in the world.
Thinking back on the impact of study abroad on her life, Adrienne says: ―I can‘t separate out
from who I am from my study abroad program. It‘s contributed to the woman I am today. Every time
I get on a plane, I‘m reminded it all began because of study abroad. My dream started to come true.
My dream when I watched those planes come in and land. My dream of wanting to know what is it
like out there? What do those people do? It all began because of a study abroad program.‖

The case illustrates how the study abroad can help African-Americans overcome
isolation and significantly extend their social and cultural horizons.

Study abroad certainly influenced her decision to pursue a doctorate in anthropology.

Her committed efforts to have her law school to divest their holdings in South Africa
reflects her active global engagement.
Case Study of Bondo Nyembwe
Personal background
Bondo is an alumnus of the University of Minnesota. Currently, Bondo works in the
Department of Education in Minneapolis, MN, and is pursuing his doctoral degree in Educational
Leadership.
Bondo has unique international experiences since he lived in several countries during his
formative years. He spent the first portion of his life in Zaire. When he was about 13 years old, his
family left Zaire and lived in Zambia for about two years, after which they came to the United States
where Bondo started his junior year in a US high school. After high school, he enrolled in the
University of Minnesota.
Study abroad experience
Bondo studied abroad in Spain during the Fall semester of 1999 taking classes alongside host
country students.
While taking Spanish classes at the University of Minnesota, his close friend shared her
decision to study abroad. That was the first time Bondo became aware of this opportunity. His friend
shared details of her program, which intrigued him, and he enrolled in the same program in Spain.
While the decision was unexpected, Bondo tied this program to his major in International Relations.
After his study abroad experience he realized that he needed only two more classes to declare a major
in Spanish and he registered for those classes graduating with a double major.
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The program was a full Spanish immersion program, where students took classes in Spanish.
The program as a whole had about 175 students from both private and public universities throughout
the United States. Classes ranged from language classes to philosophy and politics classes. Bondo
chose to stay with a host family while in Spain, looking for a full immersion into the culture through
day-to-day activities.
Impact of study abroad and global engagement
Bondo identified three most important aspects of his study abroad experience:
First, the experience involved language development, which represents an important component
in his goal of having a diplomatic career. Secondly, the program met the requirements of his major for
a language component. Lastly, study abroad experience provided opportunity to also have field
experience. While in Spain, Bondo had the opportunity to intern at the Chamber of Commerce of
Toledo.
Partially due to his experiences in Spain and in the US, both developed countries, and seeing the
structure and the way of life in these two societies, Bondo engaged in the .work to ―assist people on the
other end of the spectrum, in the developing world.‖ Led by his initial career goal of becoming a
diplomat, Bondo engaged in the international development field and became a social entrepreneur,
creating a non-profit organization named the Cilongo Foundation.
Bondo notes that the Cilongo Foundation is a product of his entire family. The foundation
focuses on supporting educational initiatives in Africa and in the U.S. The focus in Africa is to work in
partner with existing schools and providing them with the assistance of different types, while also
working on helping them become self-sustainable. In the US, the focus is on increasing the number of
students who are attending college by assisting the students in the process of finding and applying for
various scholarships.
In addition, Bondo engaged in the activities of influencing organizations from within to be more
socially responsible. As a board member of an organization Youth Care that works with the youth in
Twin Cities urban area develop leadership skills, Bondo uses his international experiences, and
knowledge and skills gained in those to inform and influence the programs organized for these youth.
Working with the teachers and administrators, the organization attempts to create the environment or
that promotes social justice outside of the school setting.
Bondo said that his experience in Spain comes up often in his conversations due to its
overwhelmingly positive outcomes. Moreover, he encourages other people to study abroad while in
college.

His case shows the importance of significant others since, it was a classmate who
introduced to him the opportunity for study abroad.

His case illustrates the relevance of study abroad to recent immigrant groups.

His case also is an excellent example of what Appiah (2006) has termed the
cosmopolitan ethic.
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Case Study of Caitlin Stanton
Personal background
Caitlin Stanton is a 29 years old alumna of Beloit College. She grew up and currently works in
San Francisco Bay area in California. Her first travel abroad without her parents included the summer
exchange program for cultural understanding when she was in high school – she spent a week in
Okinawa, Japan.
Study abroad experience
During her senior year at college Caitlin studied for a semester in South Africa through the
School for International Training (SIT )program in 2000. While searching for a study abroad program,
Caitlin looked for a program that aligned with her major and has selected Arts and Social Change
program in South Africa. She explained this decision as ―wanting to understand a little bit more about
the relationship between arts and progressive social change movements.‖
The choice of South Africa was twofold. Her father had worked in South Africa, which led to
earlier exposure to this country through close family member. However, Caitlin noted the thematic
focus of the program as a more significant factor - the SIT approach of immersion in a country, the
prioritization of language learning, and being able to have emphasis on experiential learning. ―A great
deal of our time was out in the field, talking with people, traveling to different places, meeting with
community organizations and leaders. I think that opportunity to be on the ground and talking with
people instead of the once removed learning in a classroom was invaluable.‖ This type of program
provided the best learning environment for Caitlin.
Caitlin also noted the particular social component of the program as very important for her
learning. She has spent the first third of the program with a host family, the second third on the road
with the other students in the program, while the last third was the individual research project
component that is traditionally a part of SIT programs. During this last period Caitlin stayed in an
apartment.
Caitlin used this learning experience to complement her major by using final research project of
the program as her final thesis for her major for that undergraduate degree.
Impact of study abroad and global engagement
Looking back at her experience, she identified three aspects that stand out the most for her. The
first is personal growth and development that was gained through the encouragement of the students to
take on the responsibilities about and in the program, starting from pre-departure organizational tasks,
to the learning experience itself during the program. The second aspect is language learning
component, which was ―important to breaking down barriers between us, as foreigners, and the people
we met.‖ She has identified this effort as ―opening doors and creating more respectful relationships‖
with the people she has met during her experience. Lastly, the multi-faceted nature of the program
allowed for studying a number of issues from diverse perspectives.
The experience abroad prompted Caitlin to have better understanding of the struggles people
face in different communities, which was complementing her earlier involvement in urban community
development activities of her own community.
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Caitlin noted frequently engaging in several civic activities. On the issues of domestic
importance, Caitlin frequently engages in voting and making purchasing decision based on social or
political values of the company. In terms of issues of international importance, she frequently engages
in related talks. While she noted that study abroad had very little impact on her civic engagement on
the issues of domestic importance, she identified study abroad as having a large degree of impact on
her civic engagement on the issues of international importance.
Caitlin explained this difference in the impact of study abroad on her civic engagement as
coming from a family that was very involved in the domestic issues; her parents were educators as well
we activists. Therefore, she found involvement in civic engagements on domestic issues as ―natural‖
and was primarily due to her family background. However, she found her study abroad experience
opening up a new viewpoint on the international issues though ―a way of seeing the world that I never
had before.‖ Caitlin explains this experience the best through following words:
I think the experience of being outside your own country and looking back at it from
another country, is very profoundly different from how you see your country when you
are living inside it and reading your own media every day instead of reading the media
viewpoints that you might read in another country. That really profoundly changed how
I thought about international issues and the focus of my professional life after college, as
well.
Caitlin works for an internationally focused public foundation that provides grants to grassroots
organizations that provide various community services outside of the US. While she has worked
throughout her college career focusing on domestic community development issues, after graduating
from college, influenced by her experience in South Africa, Caitlin specifically looked for
organizations that focus on international work. Caitlin noted study abroad having had a large degree of
impact on her career decisions, as well as having helped that career.
Study abroad experience helped Caitlin realize that coming from the US she can engage in
activities that can help people in other parts of the world. Even in her current work, she helps raise
money that assists community workers in other countries, or simply increase awareness about these
issues among the Americans as well as try to impact US policies that affect other countries. She shared
that she ―didn‘t really understand much before how the US, our own foreign policies impact people‘s
daily, daily lives… I think realizing that there was a responsibility that I had as an American to have a
voice in these issues.‖
Caitlin has shared that she sometimes engages in several volunteering activities, such as work in
the volunteer work related to arts, education, youth, and her community, as well as volunteering
activities focusing on international development, human rights, and social justice. She has noted that
study abroad had impacted these activities to a large degree. In terms of donations, study abroad has to
some degree impacted these activities. She frequently donates for several causes, such as international
development, human rights, and social justice.
Caitlin noted that study abroad experience provided ―a better sense of how I could fit in‖ the
volunteering activities focusing on international issues. Prior to her study abroad experience she was
unsure how to identify these issues or get in touch with people who would guide her how to volunteer
her skills and time. Even in her professional career, her organization is looking for people who will go
advise and help out different constituencies across the world. Yet, living in urban California she did
not know how to get engaged in international issues. Caitlin shares that ―It was the study abroad
experience that gave me some real concrete ideas that felt comfortable to me about ways that I might
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actually might be able engage on those issues by myself or with those organizations that had worked
there.‖
Both of her international experiences have helped her develop her sense of identity, as well as
lead to political awakening about the issues she otherwise would have never heard about in her
education or life experiences.
Implications of the case:

Her case illustrates well the ―1+1 =3 phenomenon‖. Her SIT program provided her the
opportunity to have a multi-faceted study abroad program that went well beyond study
in a classroom.

Her case also illustrates the importance of family influences on their children‘s values
and opportunities.

Her emphasis on making purchasing decisions based on the values and responsibility of
the company reflects an important of dimension of global engagement identified in our
project.
Case Study of Harold Washington
Personal background and pre- collegiate life
Harold grew up in New York City and worked at Columbia University while in high school, which
familiarized him being on campus, but had international experiences prior to college.
Experience as a student
While at Dartmouth College, Harold studied abroad twice in Spain and Sierra Leone during the
1970-1974 period. During his four months in Salamanca, Spain, he lived with a family and took classes
in Spanish. He did not feel alone with other students from Dartmouth, but they tried not to speak in
English in order to have an immersion experience. Two years later Harold did a ten-week study abroad
experience in Sierra Leone, West Africa . He made this decision following receipt of the honor of
becoming a member of a fraternity at Dartmouth. He lived with a family and worked on an independent
research project interviewing students from various African countries at the university.
Harold evaluated his study abroad experiences in Spain and Sierra Leone as equally important
but in different terms. In his first experience in Spain, he gained linguistic and cultural empathy
especially for those struggling with English in the U.S. His experiences in West Africa contributed to
his firsthand understanding of the issues in Africa as a government major. He even met with the
country‘s president and enjoyed the beautiful landscape, but he also observed different levels of
poverty and its contrast in a society. Harold described that many things stood out for him which are
―the quick and the thick.‖ Above all, he had a very profound experience as an African American. While
he saw the genetic link to people, their life was very different. He explained that he could have a good
understanding of African Americans‘ concerns in the U.S. about self-awareness and pride in
themselves.
My experience from Sierra Leone was very profound on me as an African American
…having gone to a very competitive and elite school I then realized how easy it would
be for me to do damage in the world if I wasn‘t sensitive to all the dynamics going on.
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That really shaped my paradigm as far as how I should treat and view other people‘s
color. It wasn‘t necessarily me being superior as opposed to me being lucky in my
circumstances; as opposed to someone who may have grown up in the backcountry of
Africa.
Global engagement after college
Philanthropy- Volunteering: Harold has been extensively involved in volunteering in many areas,
including his alma mater, troubled youth, homeless, and mental illness. For his alma mater, Harold has
volunteered to interview prospective students for the last 25 years. He has particularly tried to help
students of color understand the potential challenges they may have as a person of color, especially
coming from an urban environment to rural New Hampshire. He added that he brings to these
interviews the different perspectives and power dynamics of the world that he learned from his
international experiences.
Harold has also volunteered with youth formerly in trouble with the law who are reentering
their communities. As an example, he used his photographic skills and took 1500 pictures of them
participating in events that documented their transition back to city life. He took pictures of them going
to amusement parks and participating in different community clean-up events. This photographic
display made him feel ―very powerful,‖ and he could ―see from the pictures the effect that recording
this would have.‖ Additionally, he had provided people being released from penitentiaries with a place
to do a transition, and helped those with mental health issues to manage finances.
Harold explained the influence of his experiences in Spain and Sierra Leone on his volunteer
work as follows:
Having seen Spain and having seen Sierra Leone I realized how wealthy and lucky I am
to be here in the United States. So with that paradigm, with that understanding of how
bountiful my plate is, I‘ve always been able to easily volunteer to assist others with their
issues…I can share more of myself with the world and I have the time and the ability to
do that
Social Entrepreneurship: Harold explained one example of his engagement in social entrepreneurship.
He was a founding member of an organization for troubled youth in NYC, Achieving Leadership,
which helps high school students of color to gain a global view of different issues in the society and
excel at school in order to go to top universities. Currently, as a senior member of the organization,
Harold also influenced it to be socially responsible. He reminded the group of its initial goal to do
―socially important things with a clear mind not to do harm in the world, but make it to do good.‖
Career: Harold said that his experiences in Spain and understanding ―how we‘re in a global village as
opposed to just being in the U.S.‖ helped his career as a Protocol Officer in the Air Force. He felt
comfortable interfacing with the Israelis and the Spanish, as well as with collaborating with individuals
in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway. He further explained that ―if one is brave enough to study
abroad, because it takes a lot of courage, because there‘s so much you don‘t have,‖ be they language or
cultural skills, ―one is going to be able to feel comfortable in learning anything.‖
Overall, Harold‘s interview showed that he is constantly conscious of what he learned from
study abroad experiences, power dynamics in the world, different levels and lifestyles in different
cultures, and how these can be reflected in the U.S. especially to people of color.
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Lastly, Harold emphasized his belief in the value of study abroad by saying:
I always say to any undergraduate, if you‘re going to get your money‘s worth out of
your education nowadays, you need to travel. You need to understand where you fit in
the world, or what the world looks like.

Harold‘s extensive and long-term involvement in volunteering demonstrates persistent
effect of study abroad experiences on a participant‘s subsequent life.

On the other hand, due to timeframe 30 years back, he may difficulty in relating his
various kinds of global engagement to study abroad experiences at college.

Nevertheless, he has been constantly aware of what he learned from study abroad
experiences in many aspects of his life and what he does.

His ethnic background as an African American brought a profound impact on him
especially from studying abroad in West Africa. This needs to be considered with the
fact that he studied abroad in 1970s while attending an elite school. Some of his
volunteer work has focused on people of color or African Americans.

He became an advocate of study abroad for undergraduate students.
Case Study of Samantha Schnee
Personal background and pre- collegiate life
Samantha was born in the UK and lived for four years. She also studied abroad in Spain during
high school in 1987, which she described as a fantastic experience and influential in her life.
Samantha studied abroad three times for seven months from Dartmouth College during 19901994 period. As she knew that she wanted to study abroad, she pursued an opportunity via her German
class. She studied abroad at the end of her sophomore year and did the advanced German studies
program in her senior year. She also took summer classes in Spain, which was not a Dartmouth
program. She started as a Spanish major, considered doing a comparative literature with German, but
chose an English major concentrating on creative writing.
During her stay in Germany, Samantha took classes with other Dartmouth students and did not
have professors from German universities. She lived with friends of her family in Mainz. She said that
her host mother was disappointed that Samantha was not socializing with German students nor was her
German was improving. She added that her German friends wanted to practice English with her.
Career: Aspiration for international dimension: After study abroad in high school in particular,
Samantha wanted to work with people from different countries. For example, when she was in
investment banking, she asked for projects working with foreign companies. Her Spanish skills were
very useful working with the National Development Bank of Mexico, and her German skills in working
with a German client.
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Similarly, when Samantha changed her career to publishing in 1995, she sought out the work of
writers outside the U.S. using other languages. She shared an example, ―After many years working for
a magazine that focused on American writers, I helped to found a web-based magazine that focuses
exclusively on international writers.‖
Knowledge Production: Samantha was engaged in various kinds of knowledge production, traditional
and non-traditional, as a writer. For example, as a graduate student in literature, she started to do
translations, working with writers from Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries. She published on
the website of Words Without Borders, including blog commentary on her experiences at international
writers‘ conferences, Dividers and Literary Translators International Congress in Stockholm.
Social Entrepreneurship: In conjunction with her knowledge production, Samantha helped found the
organization, Words Without Borders (www.wordswithoutborders.com). It promotes publishing recent
translated works by international writers so that ―American readers who don‘t speak another language
are able to explore literature of another culture that is being written today.‖ They particularly try to
address countries and languages which do not have national organizations in order to promote the
export of their literature, such as North Korea.
Samantha has a strong belief in the importance of Americans learning modern literature from
different cultures. She said:
A lot of Americans have read something in translation. They‘ve read, maybe, part of
Don Quixote, or Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, or Hans Christian Anderson‘s fairy
tales, Brother Grimm from German, so many different things that are very common here
in translation. The thing that we don‘t have access to is the literature that is being
produced today, which is a window into those cultures, the issues that concern the
citizens, and the problems that the nations are dealing with.
She also does not believe the conventional wisdom that Americans do not like to read translated
work. She rather said that after September 11, 2001, people have been increasingly interested in what is
going on outside the US and this will be important for young people.
I think that as new generations of students come to maturity and into the work force, I
think that we‘ll see more… of an outward perspective as opposed to a traditionally
inward perspective that the US could be characterized as having.
As another example of her social entrepreneurship, Samantha helped to establish a program in
Houston for the Cities of Refugee in North America. They tried to provide a writer from another
country who was persecuted for their writing with a safe harbor for a couple of years. Although this
work has been on hold due to their financial constraints, she met with a Chinese writer, Yu Hong Bin.
She believes that such international writers‘ involvement in a city like Houston by writing a newspaper
article would be valuable in providing a different perspective. She believes that in a large,
multicultural city like Houston, international journalists provide valuable perspectives by writing for
the local newspaper.
Civic Engagement: With regard to her civic engagement in voting and using internet for awareness,
Samantha said that she was highly motivated by the U.S. foreign policy decisions when she voted in
elections. She also believes in the usefulness of internet as a better medium for publishing in terms of
cost and addressing a wider audience.
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Philanthropy: She has made charitable contributions to the arts, which she believes has been underfunded compared to other areas.
Voluntary Simplicity: Samantha is a strong advocate of public transportation. She was very impressed
by the great public transportation network in Germany and walked around all the time in Spain. She
extended the value of public transportation to building a strong community and its sense of belonging
as ―cultural glue.‖ She compared New York City and Houston. Although both are large and have great
international populations, the contact between people of different backgrounds is fundamentally
different. She used the example of the subway: in a New York City subway you may be sitting
between a person speaking in Russian and the other speaking in Polish. She continued:
and you have an opportunity to interact with other people, whereas [in Houston] when
you are driving a car by yourself, you never interact with anybody else. You are in your
own bubble. I think that‘s not good for a community like Houston where everything is
really spread out. There is no overlap, or very little overlap, between the Caucasian
community, and the Hispanic community, and Asian community. It ends up being very
separate and I think it‘s important for all of those communities to be mixing and sharing
with each other the best of what they have to offer.
Samantha also values recycling and added that it was active in Germany when she was there in
the late 1980s and early 90s. She said that such a habit should be formed while young or traveling
abroad.
In addition, similar to other participants, Samantha also expressed that study abroad would
benefit every single student. She described its value as following:
I feel very strongly, based on my experience doing study abroad, that every single
student would benefit from this kind of exposure. You can experience a little bit of a
language sitting in a classroom in Houston, or in Minnesota, but it can‘t begin to
compare with the experience of going and living with a family, and experiencing a
different culture for 24 hours a day, for a month or two months, or whatever – a year.
There is just no comparison.

Samantha‘s case demonstrates the impact of pre-college international experience on
future career paths. She had strong aspiration to have international dimensions in her
work.

Her language skills enhanced from study abroad experiences helped her career.

Samantha‘s case also shows how her study abroad experience closely related to
academic major has been aligned with her global engagement in various areas, social
entrepreneurship and philanthropic donations. She majored in literature for both
undergraduate and graduate education, used her language skills for international banking
career, and has been actively involved in introducing literature from different cultures
through Words without Borders.

She became a strong advocate for study abroad.
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Case Study of Andrew Renken

While Andrew‘s family had not done extensive travel abroad, they hosted an exchange student
from Switzerland for a year. He explained that this experience was somewhat influential in his decision
to study abroad.
Andrew studied abroad for three and half months in 2001 through the Semester-at-Sea program.
His decision to study abroad was very accidental. In his last year as an economics major at the
University of Missouri, Kansas City, he happened to read an advertisement about the Semester-at-Sea
program on a bulletin board at the library. Having been admitted to law school, he had only elective
credit left, and decided to pursue the last semester abroad.
Among many countries Andrew visited from the Semester-at-Sea program, his experiences in
Cuba and South Africa stood out most for him. In Cuba, he enjoyed experiences that many Americans
may not be able to do, including talking to local people and learning their perspectives, for example, on
the trade embargo. In South Africa, he described the striking discrepancy of poverty and wealth in
Cape Town as well as rich history, culture, and beautiful nature as memorable. He also said that he
enjoyed academic rigor of classes from renowned faculty members and how classed were well tied
with countries they visited. He described:
I took a lot of economics classes. We studied a lot of the currencies and their exchange
rates and if they‘ve got social, economic diversity in their country. How does that play
out with the government? We would analyze those things for each country before we
ever got there. It was a very unique experience. It‘s probably different than a lot of the
other abroad programs but well worth every penny I spent to do it…. The physical
experiences that were there that went along with the books made it a whole different
level of understanding.
Global Values: After his return, Andrew emphasized how his Semester-at-Sea experience has had
influenced his life on a daily basis. For example, he relates his study abroad experience to what he
hears from the media daily. As he recollects his experiences in a country on the news or online media,
Andrew takes their report critically and analyzes it more instead of taking the information at face value.
It makes me think in different terms than I did before… regarding different
international tensions that are going now throughout the world. Most of those places
I‘ve been to. When I hear something that‘s on the news or read something online about
what‘s going on, I stop and think more in terms of what was it like when I was there…
People slant a lot of news… There‘s a lot of stuff that I see on television that I can tell
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has a western spin to it. That‘s probably the biggest thing. I don‘t necessarily look at
information I‘m given at face value.
Educational Choices: While attending law school at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Andrew
decided to take courses with international legal perspectives
Additionally, as Andrew enjoyed interacting with local people while at the Semester-at-Sea
program, he seeks out meeting with local people whether he is in a different country or city in the U.S.
He said that he does not want to be seen as the tourist.
Civic Engagement and Knowledge Production: After his return from study abroad Andrew gave
numerous presentations about his experiences for international economics classes, different
universities, civic organizations, and churches. For this purpose, he made a DVD and PowerPoint with
video and photos.
Voluntary Simplicity-Job Choice: After law school, Andrew decided to work for a two-lawyer office in
a small town instead of working for a well-paying law firm in a large city. After his study abroad
experience, he decided not to pursue ―a high-paced, billable hour-drive type‖ of lifestyle. He weighed
his nature-oriented, outdoors lifestyle and desire to interact with and work for people in the community.
He said:
I know the individuals in the community. Somebody has a problem, they ask for me by
name. They know who I am. They know what I do on the weekends. It‘s much more
of a community. The assistance that I‘m able to provide to people through my practice
is much more rewarding. I can see the outcome. They can see the individual results and
I can see the impact that has on people. Those are all factors that when I was trying to
decide do I want to go to the big firm.
Currently Andrew runs an office as a single lawyer in a town with 800 people in central
Missouri. It is impressive that he has clients in South Africa, who referred him also to other South
Africans in the U.S. Andrew explained that his experiences visiting different countries and listening to
various tones in speech helped him have effective communication with his clients regardless of their
strong accents. He helped Brazilian immigrant family in the community with their legal issues as they
had difficulty adjusting to the local culture and enrolling their children in school. Andrew believed that
the cultural knowledge he picked up from the Semester-at-Sea program could make them feel more
comfortable.
While his local town has rare opportunities for international activities, he joined the
international committee of the local Rotary Club.
Philanthropy: In a similar context, he has made philanthropic donations, especially for the regions he
travelled to. For example, Andrew helped to coordinate disaster relief for tsunami victims in Malaysia
and India.
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Finally, Andrew reflected on his experience of living with an exchange student from
Switzerland, and hoped his children would have the opportunity to study abroad.
I‘ll probably do everything in my power to make sure that my children will at least have
the opportunity to do that if they want to do it. It was a pretty powerful experience and I
would recommend it to anyone.

Andrew‘s example showed the strong influence of study abroad experience on job
choice, his decision to work for a small law firm in the local community instead of a
well-paying firm in large cities. This was also related to this realization of what he really
wants for his life.

His experiences in multiple countries from the Semester-at-Sea program let him feel
strong and continuing connections to those regions after return, which led to his critical
take of the Western media report, philanthropic donations, and working with people
from different countries.

Based on his influential experiences of study abroad, Andrew became an advocate for
his children as well as many others.
Case Study of Maiyia Yang*
Maiyia is part of the rapidly growing Hmong diaspora in the U.S. Her Hmong family was
originally from Laos and she was born in a Thai refugee camp. She came to the US at age three and,
thus, had no memories of her early Asian childhood. She grew up in the Twin Cities area of
Minnesota, the state that along with Wisconsin has our nation‘s largest Hmong population. As a child
Maiyia did not have any international experiences, though she heard many stories about Southeast Asia
from her parents and relatives. Maiyia attended a high school in Oakdale, Minnesota, which was not
ethnically diverse, with relatively few non-white students. In thinking about college, Maiyia considered
international opportunities offered as an important criterion. A major reason for choosing the
University of Minnesota was because of the many and diverse international opportunities it offers to its
students.
Maiyia, because of her Hmong-Lao ethnic background and all the stories she heard about
Southeast Asia while growing up, decided to do an individualized undergraduate major with a focus on
three areas: 1) Global Studies, 2) Cultural Studies, and 3) Comparative Literature and Linguistics.
Under this program students design their own majors.
Primarily because she wanted a chance to experience independence in her life and to see the
places her parents had been describing in their stories, she decided to do a semester long study abroad
program at Keimyung University in Daegu, Korea arranged through ISEP. Also a strong influence on
her decision to study abroad was her cousin, Kao Kalia Yang, who had had a positive study abroad
experience in Thailand on the CIEE program there. Later, related to the knowledge production theme
of this study, Yang (2008) published an important book on the Hmong diaspora titled The Late
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Homecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir. Yang earlier had studied abroad on the CIEE program in
Khon Kaen, Thailand, as a Carlton undergraduate.
While in Korea, Maiyia lived in a dorm with other international students and Korean students
interested in enhancing their English skills. She studied with a group of 30 such individuals. The
curricular content was highly relevant to the Global Studies component of her individualized BA
program and could be transferred back to campus. She studied Korean 4.5 hours per week, which she
felt was inadequate for developing any kind of real communicative competence in Korean. This kind
of ―survival Korean‖ enabled her to take taxis and order food, but did not enable her to be capable of
having meaningful discussions or dialogue. She did have a Korean roommate and most of her friends
were Koreans and other international students.
Upon returning to the US, Maiyia suffered from culture shock. Her family and friends noticed
how much she had changed. She had become more independent and outspoken. She also had come to
realize that she should not complain about small matters in life.
Partially to deal with her culture shock, Maiyia decided to go on another study abroad program
as part of the University of Minnesota‘s Global Seminar program. She chose the short-term (three
weeks) seminar, Understanding Southeast Asia, based in the northeast of Thailand, with a major field
trip to Laos (Nam, 2009). Joining this program, Maiyia clearly was seeking her cultural roots as
reflected in this quotation:
I guess actually the experience itself was powerful in that I was back to the place where
I‘ve heard all these stories about and had no idea what it looked like…
Crossing into Laos on the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River was particularly moving
for Maiyia as this river had been seen as the dividing line between life and death for her family.
Maiyia‘s experiences in both Korea and Southeast Asia certainly strengthened her application
for graduate school. She was accepted into the University of San Diego‘s Peace and Social Justice
Program. As part of her graduate program, she and some of her classmates through their own initiative
worked out an internship working in a refugee camp for a month in Kigoma in the western part of
Tanzania. Having been born in a refugee camp herself and lived there for three years, staying in the
refugee camp in Tanzania was a particularly moving experience for Maiyia. After completing her
MA, Maiyia returned to the Twin Cities and worked with the Minnesota Literacy Council, primarily
working with students originally from East Africa and also some recent refugees from Burma.
Being back in the Twin Cities, Maiyia decided to apply for the interdisciplinary doctoral
program in Comparative and International Development Education at the University of Minnesota. Her
application was certainly strengthened by her international/intercultural experiences in three different
regions of the world, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. Financial support from her older
siblings has enabled her to pursue her doctoral studies. As part of her doctoral cohort at Minnesota, she
wrote a successful proposal ($50,000) to establish an innovative program on Perspectives on
International Development, including a student journal on development and series of guest speakers on
development. This has been a highly successful initiative. During the summer of 2010, Maiyia spent
time in Karen refugee camps in northern Thailand as the first stage of her important doctoral research
on Karen refugees and their resettlement. Eventually Maiyia will become the first Hmong to earn a
doctorate in international development education. With completion of her doctoral program, she will
have considerable leadership potential in connecting the Hmong diaspora in the US with contemporary
development issues in mainland Southeast Asia.
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Reflecting on her overseas experiences, Maiyia concludes:
The international experience for me is something that‘s very powerful because it really
does show the importance of living with other people and this world is not only my
world but everyone else‘s world.

Choice of university was significantly influenced by international opportunities offered.

Heritage seeking may be a major motivation for students of color to study abroad.

Significant others may have an important influence on the decision to study abroad.

She certainly illustrates the ―1+1=3‖ principle. Her multiple and diverse international
experiences have had contributed markedly to her personal and professional
development.

She also represents the ―precious circle‖ phenomenon, where one positive international
experiences leads to another and then to another…

This is a clear example of how study abroad contributes to pursuing internationally
oriented graduate studies and careers.

Even though she only recently graduated from college, Maiyia has already demonstrated
considerable global engagement through her work in a refugee camp in Tanzania, her
work with the Minnesota Literacy Council, and her contributions to the innovative
program on Perspectives on Development.
*Note regarding the Maiyia case: Maiyia is from an institution participating in our study, but did not
fall into our sample. She was purposively selected because she represents a new genre of potential
study abroad student in terms of diversity goals. There are many new recent immigrant groups in the
United States such as the Hmong, Karen, Somali, Ethiopians, Eritreans, and Liberians often fleeing as
refugees from political repression or turbulence. They represent a new kind of heritage study (see
Kasravi, 2009) and her case and that of her cousin mentioned in the case are inspiring ones for
members of such communities.
Case Study of Julius Coles*
Julius Coles, an African American male, recently retired after serving for five years as the head
of Africare, a not for profit organization promoting African development.
Pre-collegiate experience
Julius grew up in the Atlanta area. His mother was a school teacher and his father a postal
worker. He attended segregated Booker T. Washington High School. As a high school student he was
involved with international exchange students and the organization, Moral Rearmament. This provided
him some awareness of international issues and provided some contact and friendships with those from
other countries. But he basically grew up in a highly segregated Atlanta community.
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Undergraduate and study abroad experiences
While an undergraduate Morehouse College, he did a volunteer work project in Senegal on
Operations Crossroads and was selected as a Merrill scholar, with which he intensively studied,
travelled, and worked throughout Europe and North Africa for 15 months. In the French part of
Switzerland he was directly enrolled in a local university, which contributed importantly to his French
language competency. He also participated in work camps in Finland and the former Yugoslavia as
well as hitch hiked across North Africa, visiting numerous Muslim countries. He described his study
abroad experiences as follows:
My experience was to become a human being. And I say that because I had grown up in
a racially segregated society and not attended school with whites except for one or two
exchange students who came to Morehouse during the civil rights period. I had not
really gone to school with white people and people from other countries. By this
experience of traveling, living abroad and studying abroad, I came to realize that I was a
human being; that I was not an inferior being that I had been told all my life that I was
black and inferior. I had built up self-confidence in myself and I felt that I could
compete not only with people who were white in the United States, but people from all
over the world whatever their ethnicity was. I found that it wasn‘t important to be
judged by the color of their skin or their ethnicity; it was because of the person. I
learned to have confidence in myself and that I was a human being. I was no different
from anyone else.
Peter Bell, former Director of CARE International and an alumnus (1964) of the Woodrow
Wilson School at Princeton played a role in encouraging Julius to do a MPA at that school and
institution. Clearly Julius‘ international experiences strengthen in an important way his application to
Princeton. As part of his MPA program he did field research in Central America.
Career and Global Engagement
In addition, he explained that his international experiences at college prepared him well for a
later career in international affairs. He was a senior official with the United States Agency of
International Development, working in various countries for 28 years. He was a Mission Director in
Swaziland and Senegal and the countries where he served include Congo, Vietnam, Liberia, and Nepal.
In his career, he also worked for Howard University and Morehouse College for eight years,
developing and directing their International Centers, reflecting his academic entrepreneurship. He
played a major role in the development of the Andrew Young Center for International Affairs at
Morehouse. During the past five years as Director of Africare, he has raised $350 million on behalf of
African development, reflecting his deep and enduring commitment to global engagement. In 2007, he
was granted the James Madison Award, the highest award given by Princeton to alumni, for his
contributions to public service and the public good.
In his interview, he said, ―Without study abroad, I never would have gotten there…My life and
career.‖
Implications of the Case:

Intensity of study abroad positively influences level of global engagement.

Study abroad contributed to the development of important language proficiency (French
in this case).
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
The importance of involvement in non-traditional settings (North Africa and Yugoslavia
in this case).

Study abroad as a force for social contact (Allport, Pettigrew) and breaking out of a
segregated world.

Role of philanthropy in facilitating opportunities for students of color to have study
abroad experiences (relevant to the current work of organizations such as Diversity
Abroad, the Turkish Coalition of America, and the Foundation established by Ann
Kerr).

Role of significant others (Peter Bell, later became Director of CARE International) in
identifying and supporting talent.
*It was our original intention to include several historically black colleges and universities such as
Morehouse and/or Spellman in our survey sample. For a variety of reasons, that did not work out.
However, we became aware of a Morehouse alumnus whose life and experiences exemplify in so many
ways what this study is all about, that we interviewed him as a special case. He is clearly an outlier in
Gladwell‘s sense (2008). But outliers and extreme cases such as Julius can provide insights and
inspiration as we seek to diversity study abroad opportunities (Comp, 2003; Kasravi, 2009).
X. Conclusions, Discussion, and Implications
"Global student mobility is one of the fastest growing phenomena in higher
education in the twenty-first century. Over three million students are currently
mobile, crossing geographic, cultural, digital, and educational borders in the
pursuit of an international education - a movement that has significant
consequences for higher education institutions and nations worldwide....‖
IX. Conclusions, Discussion, and Implications
Our major quantitative findings can be summarized in two primary categories, descriptive and
analytical.
A. Quantitative and Qualitative Findings
Descriptive Quantitative Findings
undergraduate experience (Kuh 2005a, 2005b; Pascarella, 2005; Foster, 2007; Hu, et al., 2008; Harper
& Quaye, 2009; Healy, Pawson, & Solem, 2010). The most dramatic SAGE descriptive finding
related to this important issue was that 83.3% of respondents indicated that study abroad had had a
strong impact on their lives. Interaction with faculty in contrast was indicated as having strong impact
by only 37.8%. Study abroad was seen as the most impactful aspect of their undergraduate
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experiences, perceived as being far more important than any other aspect of their undergraduate
experience.
engagement. In one of the most important findings of this study, 70.3% indicated that study abroad had
influenced to a large or some degree their practice of voluntary simplicity (cf. Roy & Anderson, 2010).
Given the serious problem of global warming and overconsumption, this is an encouraging finding.
Also related to environmental consciousness and issues of social justice, study abroad participants
compared to the comparison group were much more likely to make purchasing decisions based on the
values of the companies or corporations involved. On six of our eight major dimensions of global
engagement, over 50% of the sample indicated that study abroad has influenced their involvement in
these domains to a large or some degree. In addition, 59.7% indicated that study abroad had
influenced their future education decisions and 56.2% said study abroad had influenced their
occupational choices to a large or some degree.
abroad alumni, attained at least one graduate degree. Moreover, out of those pursuing graduate
education, 35 % of the participants indicated having an internationally oriented graduate degree. The
graduate completion rate of participants in the SAGE project is particularly striking compared to that in
national data. In 2006, the percentage of the U.S. population age 18 and over whose highest degree
attained was a Bachelors degree was 25.5%. Further, among those with a Bachelors degree, 33.4%
have gone on to receive a post-baccalaureate degree. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2007). This is an extremely
important finding, given concerns about US national competitiveness in the age of the knowledge
economy (Friedman, 2005). The caveat is, however, that those who study abroad may be already a
more motivated group and therefore more likely to attempt graduate education. This remains unknown,
but the other results from the SAGE survey – particularly the global engagement results – point to
study abroad in the undergraduate years as likely having a significant influence on later
accomplishments and engagements that we measured.
Analytical Quantitative Findings
A major element in the SAGE study and contribution to the field was the development of a
number of scales related to both study abroad itself and global engagement. Related to the nature of
the study abroad experience itself, we developed the four Ds of study abroad, namely, 1) demography,
that is, who goes?, 2) duration, how long do they stay? 3) destination, where do they go and what is the
nature of that destination? and 4) depth, to what extent is their program deep versus shallow in terms of
cultural immersion and language learning, and thus having the potential for a transformative learning
experience (Mezirow, 2000; Fry, 2007). We developed psychometrically sound and robust scales for
assessing for both destination and depth of study abroad programs. Interestingly, a strong correlation
was found between destination and depth (r=.50). Thus, programs in non-traditional destinations such
as the Middle East, Africa, or Asia were more likely to be in-depth than programs in traditional
destinations such as England and Mexico (see Conlin, 2010). This provides strong empirical support
for the goal of the Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act to diversify study abroad opportunities.
We also developed a psychometrically sound and robust multidimensional scale for assessing
individuals‘ global engagement. Having developed these sound scales, we then examined analytically
the relationship among background, demographic (exogenous), the four Ds of study abroad
(endogenous), and our global engagement outcomes variables, using various multivariate statistical
techniques such as regression analysis, path analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis (see Appendix
F). Given the extremely large sample of this study and associated statistical power, we found many
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highly significant statistical relationships. However, size effects in most cases were modest. The
variable that consistently had the highest explanatory power and by far the greatest size effects was
program depth. This has important implications for the field and is highly consistent with both the
Georgetown (Vande Berg, et al., 2009) and MAXSA (Cohen, et al., 2005) findings which emphasize
the importance of intervention to ensure genuine and impactful learning experiences.
Interpretation of the unexpected results related to duration are complex. This is the wonderful
―surprise‖ aspect of research. The basic finding that duration of study abroad per se does not matter in
terms of impact on global engagement was a finding that generated considerable discussion in the field
(see Appendix B). Many other studies have indicated that duration does positively affect other
outcomes such as language learning, but we were not assessing those outcomes. Actually our finding
can be interpreted in a rather positive way. What really counts is not how long you stay or where you
go, but the quality of the program and the nature of deep cultural and learning experiences provided.
This is consistent with the recently concluded major Georgetown research on study abroad (Vande
Berg, et al., 2009) which indicates the critical need for intervention to ensure impact and genuine
learning. This finding related to duration also has important implications for the field given the
dramatic growth in short-term study abroad and its having become the most common genre of study
abroad. If done in the right way, short-term study abroad can have impact (see Nam & Fry, 2010).
Our qualitative findings derive from three primary data sources: 1) two open-ended questions
at the end of the large electronic survey, 2) in-depth interviews of 63 individuals randomly selected
from those participating in the electronic survey who indicated that they were willing to be interviewed,
and 3) detailed case studies of individuals purposively selected because of the richness (Yin, 2009) of
their experiences and how those help us to understand more deeply how study abroad influences global
engagement and concrete examples of the nature of that global engagement and its impact on the
common good
The major qualitative finding is that overwhelmingly, the study abroad experience was among
the most influential experiences in participants‘ lives, or was the most impactful experience. A number
of key themes and patterns emerged from analysis of the qualitative interviews related to the impact of
study abroad on participants‘ lives. These themes were as follows:








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One vivid example of impact was a former study abroad student who had a much more open
attitude toward recent immigrants, stating that they were ―not just faceless people who work in a
processing plant.‖
Related to the last global engagement theme, the major focus of the study, several key patterns
emerged:




Changing lifestyles

Changing world views and values was another major outcomes, illustrated by the following
patterns:


Generational multiplier effect; this is an interesting phenomenon illustrated by parents,
for example, who had been Peace Corps volunteers who encouraged their children to
study abroad, who in turn encouraged their children to become engaged internationally.




Critical consciousness related to media, for example. Prior to study abroad many had
accepted media presentations of other countries and cultures as ―the truth‖.
Related to the first theme of the need to be aware of multiple perspectives, the following
quotation by one of our interviewees elegantly expresses this sentiment:
A lot of Americans have read something in translation. They‘ve read, maybe, part of
Don Quixote, or Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, or Hans Christian Anderson‘s fairy
tales, Brother Grimm from German, so many different things that are very common here
in translation. The thing that we don‘t have access to is the literature that is being
produced today, which is a window into those cultures, the issues that concern the
citizens, and the problems that the nations are dealing with.
Also a number of key themes and patterns emerged related to the study abroad experience itself.
These themes were as follows




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The first theme has important implications for colleges and universities around the country as
they compete for the best and most talented students. It suggests that the policy of Princeton University
to encourage a ―gap year‖ for their entering students may be a visionary policy in many regards
(Tilgman, 2008).
emphasized by international educators such as Josef Mestenhauser (1998). Multiple experiences seem
to have more than increased linear impact, but exponential influence in what might be termed the
―precious circle‖ of study abroad reflected well in the individual case study of Maiyia Yang above. The
1+1=3 theme suggests that the IE3 innovative approach to study abroad funded initially by the federal
government was visionary (IE3; Lahr, 2010). The IE3 concept emphasized the integration of study
abroad and work/internships overseas with the three Es being education, experience, and employment.
Related to the final theme many study abroad reflected positively on the value of carefully planned
field trips that required critical reflection.
identified:

Value of intensity



Importance of program intervention (ex. Maximizing Study Abroad, Cohen, et al., ; the
Georgetown Study, Vande Berg, et al., 2009)


B. Dissemination and Outreach
We have considered it extremely important to share these important SAGE findings at different
stages of the research process with diverse scholarly and public audiences. There have been two
international presentations (one in Germany and one in Canada). In the U.S. we have presented twice
in Washington, D.C., twice in Oregon, twice at the University of Minnesota, and also in Wisconsin,
Hawai‘i, California, South Carolina, and Tennessee. A total of 13 presentations have made over a
period of three years (2008-2010) (see Appendix A). Results have been presented at the conferences of
the major organizations in the field of international/intercultural education, namely, the Council on
International Education and Exchange, the Forum on Education Abroad, NAFSA: The Association of
International Educators, the Comparative and International Education Society, the International
Academy on Intercultural Research, and the Pacific Circle Consortium. As can be seen in Appendix A,
the actual presenters have varied to give all members of the research team opportunities to present
various aspects of the research. As the result of these many presentations, the project has attracted
considerable media attention. A reporter from the Chronicle of Higher Education covered our
February presentation at the conference of the Forum on Education Abroad and wrote an article about
SAGE and its basic findings (Fischer, 2009). That led in turn to a number of newspaper articles around
the country (see Appendix B).
121
Intercultural Education (Paige, et al, 2009). (See Appendix G). A paper with more extensive findings
was accepted by the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and presented in
Vancouver, Canada in November, 2009 (Jon & Fry, 2009) (See Appendix H). We have developed a
strategic plan for the preparation of a series of papers for submission to key journals in the field over
the next two years. After this period, we will then make the data set publically available for scholars
and students around the nation and world to use with permission and acknowledgment for further
research analysis.
Finally, in the age of the Internet, early on we developed a project Web-site open to the public
which contains detailed information on the SAGE project and our research processes and outcomes.
The Web-site includes copies of all our formal presentations on SAGE research. One of our team
members had the responsibility to maintain the Web-site and to respond to queries about the project.
The url for the site is: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/projects/SAGE/.
C. Limitations of the Study
Our study has several major limitations. First, initially, given our preoccupation with the
challenges of conducting a national sample going back five decades, we did not have a control or
comparison group. Second, though our response rate is considered quite respectable for an electronic
survey of this type, there is the selection bias in that those electing to participate in our study were more
likely to have had more positive and impactful study abroad experiences. Unfortunately we were not
able to track down non-respondents to ascertain explicitly the extent of this bias. Third, with our huge
sample, we have exceptionally good statistical power. However, we must therefore be mindful not to
exaggerate the impact of highly statistically significant findings but where size effects are minimal.
At numerous presentations of the SAGE research, individuals raised the question about whether
we had a comparison/control group or not. Given the seriousness of this issue, during the fourth year
of the project, we conducted a large comparison group (similar) in size to address the first limitation.
D. Directions for Future Research
The ideal future study would be a genuine longitudinal tracer study, with a carefully selected
control group, to follow study abroad alumni into the future over many decades. Our cross-sectional
retrospective tracer study going back 50 years was an attempt to ―replicate‖ a genuine longitudinal
tracer study. Because of the enormous costs involved, such a ―dream study‖ may never be feasible.
SAGE project and its methodology. Inspired by our work, they are carrying out their own Wisconsin
study of that universities‘ study abroad alumni, drawing on the SAGE instruments and methodology.
A scholar at Nagoya University is interested in doing a study, inspired by SAGE, of what has happened
to Thai alumni of study abroad in Japan. Earlier research by Fry (1984) found study abroad in Japan
particularly impactful. Thus, we anticipate that the SAGE study will inspire numerous other
institutions to assess systematically the impact of study abroad for their alumni. We have given
authorization for each participating institution in our own project to do their own analyses of data from
their own institutions if they choose to do so. Thus, we anticipate a valuable multiplier effect from
SAGE, with the generation of a number of future studies of the impact of study abroad as an
increasingly important of the undergraduate experience. Given our international education perspective,
it would be particularly gratifying to see institutions in other nations carry out SAGE type studies.
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E. Concluding Thoughts and Reflections
undergraduate education, by examining the undergraduate experiences of study abroad alumni between
1960 and 2005. This study provides strong empirical evidence that undergraduate students who study
abroad during their college years become globally engaged in a variety of ways in subsequent years.
Moreover, many of them attribute their global engagement to their having studied abroad. An
investment in study abroad then, at the federal and state levels, is a much broader investment in the
long term well-being of society and the globe: socially, environmentally, and politically.
This investment already has a platform in the Paul Simon Foundation Study Abroad Act and the
Lincoln Commission Report, which calls for a vast expansion of study abroad opportunities,
destinations, and participation to a million U.S. students abroad annually. The long term purpose of the
act is to create a more globally informed and involved American citizenry. SAGE provides strong
empirical evidence suggesting that this goal will be realized.
mindful behaviors, for example, voluntary simplicity) contributes to the global imperative for more
sustainable development.
powerful and transformative impact of study abroad that we have demonstrated empirically, study
abroad should be seen as central to having a genuine liberal education. The University of Minnesota‘s
Carlson School of Management is now requiring all undergraduates to have a study abroad experience.
It is even more important that liberal arts graduates have this experience.
Given the findings of this study, ways need to be found to increase the number of students
having this kind of opportunity. This research shows that undergraduate study abroad experiences
promote participants‘ long-term global engagement in a multifaceted way. It also provides strong
empirical evidence that study abroad experiences can profoundly influence individuals‘ pursuit of
further graduate studies and career paths. Given the current imperative for a more sustainable global
environment, the finding that study abroad has contributed significantly to the practice of voluntary
simplicity is particularly salient (see Roy & Anderson, 2000).
the field. It is extremely timely from a policy perspective, given the Simon Study Abroad Foundation
Act (2007) which has received strong bipartisan support in Congress. This study and its data can
inform policy thinking about the goals of the Act to democratize, diversify, and expand study abroad.
Also the finding that study participants viewed study abroad as the most impactful of their
undergraduate experiences should be welcomed by international educators across the globe.
behavioral patterns of global engagement, going beyond previous studies which have concentrated on
attitudinal or only short-term outcomes of international education. Also this research has important
theoretical implications in that it has resulted in a reliable scale for assessing global engagement in a
multifaceted way. Reliable scales have also been developed for assessing the depth of the study abroad
experience and the diversified nature of study abroad destinations.
higher education. Study abroad is an important aspect of this process. Previous to this major study of
123
the impact of study abroad on global engagement there has been much anecdotal information on this
topic. It is meaningful that this research has documented empirically and systematically how study
abroad has positively influenced global engagement in multifaceted ways. Also for many participants,
study abroad is transformational in its influence on their later educational and occupational choices.
societal perspective, if those were the only outcomes, then the argument for subsidizing study abroad
may not be particularly compelling. However, our findings suggest that investing in study abroad has
both major social and individual benefits, and, thus contributes to the development of not only human
124
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XI. Appendices
Appendix A: Presentations Given on SAGE Research at Diverse Conferences and
Settings
Paige, R.M., Stallman, E. & Josić, J. (2008, May 27). Study abroad for global engagement: A
preliminary report on the SAGE research project. Annual meeting of NAFSA: Association of
International Educators, Washington, D.C.
Paige, R. M. (June 9-11, 2008). From research to application: Lessons from MAXSA, Georgetown,
and SAGE. Presented at a workshop for the European Association of International Education, Study
Abroad and Foreign Student Advisors section. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Paige, R.M., & Fry, G. (2008, September 30). Study abroad for global engagement: A preliminary
report on the SAGE Research Project. Saturday Scholars‘ Conference, University of Minnesota.
Paige, R. M. & Fry, G. (2008, October 14). Beyond immediate impact: A presentation on the SAGE
Research Project. Special conference, Moving Beyond Mobility, sponsored by the EU and AFS,
Berlin, Germany.
Paige, R.M. & Fry, G. (2008, November 14). Beyond immediate impact: Study abroad for global
engagement. Annual conference of the Council on International Education and Exchange (CIEE),
Nashville, Tennessee.
Paige, R. M., Fry, G., LaBrack, B., Stallman, E., Josić, J., Jon, J. (2009, February 19). Study abroad for
global engagement: Results that inform research and policy agendas. Forum on Education Abroad
Conference, Portland, Oregon.
Paige, R. M. (2009, March 13). Study abroad for global engagement. Intercultural Management
Institute. Washington D.C.
Paige, R. M. & Fry, G. (2009, March 19). Internationalizing higher education; The neglected link
between area studies and study abroad. Title VI 50th Anniversary Conference, Washington, D.C.
Fry, G. & Jon, J. (2009, March 23). Study abroad for global engagement: A qualitative study of longterm impact. Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Annual Conference,
Charleston, South Carolina.
Paige, R.M, Stallman, E., Jon, J., & LaBrack, B. (2009, May 29). Study abroad for global engagement:
The long-term impact of international experiences. Annual conference of NAFSA: Association of
International Educators, Los Angeles.
Fry, G., Paige, R.M., Stallman, E. (2009, August 16). Beyond immediate impact: Study abroad for
global engagement. Biannual Conference of the International Academy for Intercultural Research,
University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu.
Fry, G. (2009, September 30). The long-term impact of study abroad on global engagement. Special
presentation at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
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Paige, R. M. (October 5-7, 2009). Lessons from Three Research Projects: Maximizing Study Abroad,
Georgetown, and Study Abroad for Global Engagement (SAGE). Presented at a workshop for the
European Association of International Education, Study Abroad and Foreign Student Advisors
section. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jon, J. & Fry, G. (2009, November). The long-term impact of the undergraduate study abroad
experience: Implications for higher education. Annual conference of the Association for the Study
of Higher Education (ASHE), Vancouver, Canada.
Jon, J., Fry, G., & Stallman, E. (2010, January 31). Beyond immediate impact: Study abroad for global
engagement. Conference on Internationalizing the Campus, University of Minnesota.
Paige, R. M. (2010, February 20). Study abroad for global engagement. 12th annual ION conference.
Portland, Oregon.
Nam, K. & Fry, G. (2010, May 6). Innovative short-term study abroad: Transformative learning for
global engagement. Pacific Circle Consortium Conference, Southern Oregon University, Ashland,
Oregon
Paige, R. M. (2010, June 1). From Intercultural Experiences to Global Engagement:
Lessons from the SAGE Project. NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Kansas City,
Missouri.
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Appendix B: Examples of Media Attention to SAGE and its Findings
(2007, September). UW-Eau Claire selected to be part of SAGE Research Project. International
Educator 5, 1.
(2008). Expanding students‘ world views. Mention of SAGE, its findings, and participation of Carlton
and St. Olaf in the study, Minnesota’s Private Colleges Newsletter
Fischer, K. (2009, February 20). Short study-abroad trips can have lasting effect research shows. The
Chronicle of Higher Education.
Cox, T. (2009, February 22). Effects of duration abroad minimal. The Badger Herald.
Solis, E. (2009, February 24). Students: Longer study abroad programs may be more effective. Daily
Texan.
Richardson, J. W. (2009, March). Toward developing global 21st century leadership skills. Education
Week Leader Talk.
SAGE and its findings were mentioned in a MSNBC report on March 2, 2009.
Kline, H. (2009, March 5). Study abroad heightens global engagement. Minnesota Daily.
(2009). Sage Advice. Sidebar with basic findings and direct quotations from SAGE participants as part
of Study abroad at Indiana University: From summer tramps to service learning. IU International.
Stallman, E. (2010). SAGE research to extend through May, 2010. Article on the IHEC blog of David
Comp, University of Chicago. This is one of the most popular study abroad and international
education blogs.
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Appendix C: The Electronic Survey Instrument
Welcome to the Study Abroad for Global Engagement (SAGE) survey and thank you for
participating in it. The purpose of the SAGE research project is to discover how study abroad
influences civic commitments, i.e., contributions made for the common good. We will be asking
you about your study abroad experiences as an undergraduate and about your subsequent life
experiences related to civic involvement and global engagement.
This is the first study of its kind. Most studies to date have examined the personal benefits and the
short term impact of study abroad. Few if any have explored global engagement. We anticipate
that there is a very important story to tell about the contributions made by former study abroad
participants like you. To do that, we are surveying 2,000 alumni who studied abroad between
1960 and 2005.
This research project is being funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI International
Research and Studies program. The research investigators and staff are at the University of
Minnesota.
Navigating the SAGE Survey
The following are some helpful tips for completing this survey:
1. To go forward and backward, please click the Next Page and Previous Page buttons at the
bottom of each page. This allows you to view and edit your previous responses. Each time you
click Next Page, your responses are automatically saved.
2. At any time before submitting your responses at the end, you can exit and return to the survey
(just close your browser page). You can view and edit your previous responses - as long as you
use the same computer each time.
3. To be sure your responses are saved and submitted, please do not use your browser buttons.
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










Arcadia University
Austin College
Beloit College
Carleton College
Dartmouth College
Dickinson College
Indiana University
Iowa State University
Kalamazoo College
Middlebury College
School for International Training (SIT)/World Learning
St. Norbert College
St. Olaf College
Tulane University
University of California, Santa Barbara
2) Thinking back to the years you spent in college and the activities you were involved in, what
impact has each of the following had on your life?
Strong Impact Some Impact Little Impact No Impact Not Applicable
Athletics/intramural sports





Community service/volunteer work





Coursework





Fraternity/Sorority





Friendships/student-peer interactions















142





Student clubs





Student government





Study abroad





Work/employment during college





3) How many times did you study abroad as an undergraduate?
___________________________________________________________time(s)
4) As an undergraduate, how many total months did you spend studying abroad (all programs)?
___________________________________________________________month(s)
Your Most Significant Study Abroad Experience
We would now like to know about your most significant study abroad experience as an
undergraduate. Please indicate below the year, type of program, destination(s), and the duration
of your study abroad experience.
5) When did you study abroad? Please choose the timespan that includes the year(s) you studied
abroad.










1960-1964
1965-1969
1970-1974
1975-1979
1980-1984
1985-1989
1990-1994
1995-1999
2000-2004
2005-2007
6) What was the predominant nature of your study abroad program? Please select one from the
list below.
 Regular courses alongside host country students
 Classes designed for study abroad students
 Field study: research and/or internship
 Campus of a U.S. institution in another country
143
 Travel seminar or shipboard education program
 A significant mixture of two or more of the above program types
7) How would you describe your study abroad program? Please select all that apply.
 Language instruction (non-English)
 Area studies (for example, Japanese studies or Latin American studies)
 Theme-based (for example, a focus on the arts or international development)
 Research
 Internship
 Work abroad
 Service-learning (classroom instruction combined with, for example, volunteering in an AIDS
orphanage or engagement in reforestation)
8) What was the duration of this study abroad experience? Please type in the number of months
in the box below.
___________________________________________________________months
9) The list below is of the common destinations for American students who have studied abroad.
In what country or countries did you study abroad? You may select more than one if that applies.
If the country name(s) is not listed, please check "Other" and write the name(s) in the textbox
provided.






















Australia
Austria
Belgium
Chile
China
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Ecuador
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Mexico
New Zealand
Russia
South Africa
Spain
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Other (please specify)
144
If you selected other, please specify
______________________________________________________________________
Study Abroad and Civic Engagement
In this section we want to know, in terms of domestic (local, state, or national) issues and
international issues, what kinds of civic activity you may have been involved in and how you have
identified and addressed issues of public concern. Also, we are interested in the degree to which
your civic activities have been influenced by your study abroad experience.
10) Civic Engagement
On issues of domestic (local, state, or national) and international importance I have:
(for each statement select one answer for Domestic and one answer for International)
Domestic
International
Never
Frequently
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
demonstrations.








organized or signed petitions.








written letter(s) to the editor.








demonstrations.
























awareness about social and
political issues.








made a purchasing decision
because of the social or
political values of a company.








145
contacted or visited a public
official.








146
11) My level of involvement in the above domestic activities was influenced by my study abroad
experience:




To a large degree
To some degree
Very little
Not at all
12) My level of involvement in the above international activities was influenced by my study
abroad experience:




To a large degree
To some degree
Very little
Not at all
Voluntary Simplicity
We define voluntary simplicity as the effort to lead a more modest, simple lifestyle. Examples are
riding a bike to work, taking a job that pays less but contributes more to the common good, or
being motivated to use recycled products and to practice active recycling.
13) Please complete the following statement: "I practice voluntary simplicity:




To a large degree
To some degree
Very little
Not at all
14) To what degree did your study abroad experience influence you to practice voluntary
simplicity?
 To a large degree
 To some degree
 Very little
147
 Not at all
Study Abroad and Knowledge Production
15) During the course of your life and career (after study abroad) have you ever had something
formally published?
For example, have you had your work published as a fiction or non-fiction book; journal, magazine,
or newspaper article; governmental or non-governmental organization report; or patent?
 Yes
 No
16) What have you published?
Novels/works of fiction
Magazine articles
Academic journal articles
Newspaper articles
Report (non-governmental or governmental agencies)
Nonfiction book (scholarly)
Nonfiction book (trade)
Translated work
Educational materials, including curricula
Patent awards
Works published in another language
Publications translated into another language
Works published with a co-author of another culture or ethnic group
Publications with an international or intercultural orientation
Publications that draw upon research using a language gained in study abroad
Yes No















17) Please complete this statement: "My level of involvement in the above knowledge production
activities was influenced by my study abroad experience:
 To a large degree
 To some degree
148
 Very little
 Not at all
149
18) During the course of your life and career (after study abroad) have you engaged in other types
of knowledge production?
For example, artistic work, online publishing, multimedia, or films?
 Yes
 No
19) What have you published or created?
Yes No

Web-published articles

Blogs

Websites

Dramatic productions

Films

Musical productions
Artworks (sculptures, paintings, etc.) 

Digital media
20) Please complete this statement: "My level of involvement in the above knowledge production
activities was influenced by my study abroad experience:




To a large degree
To some degree
Very little
Not at all
Study Abroad and Philanthropy
In this section we ask about philanthropy, or donations of your time and money to charitable
organizations for the common good, both domestic and international.
Charitable organizations include religious or non-profit organizations that serve a variety of
purposes for the common good, such as helping people in need, health care and medical research,
education, arts, environment, and international aid.
150
Volunteer work means time spent doing unpaid work for a charitable cause.
Monetary donation includes any gift of money, assets, or property made directly to the
organization.
21) Please check how often you have volunteered for or donated money, assets, or
property to the following organization types:
(for each statement select one answer for Volunteer Work and one answer for Monetary Donation)
Volunteer Work
Frequently
Sometimes
Monetary Donations
Rarely
Never
Frequently Sometime Rarely
s
Never
Arts








Community (e.g., board service)








Education








Environment








Health








Human Rights (includes women,
minority groups, and GLBT)
















Poverty (e.g., food bank, construction
and repair)








Religion








Social Justice








Youth Organizations (e.g., Scouts,
athletic teams)








22) Please complete this statement: "Overall, my level of volunteer work for the above
organization(s) was influenced by my study abroad experience:




To a large degree
To some degree
Very little
Not at all
151
23) Please complete this statement: "Overall, my level of monetary donations to the above
organization(s) was influenced by my study abroad experience:




To a large degree
To some degree
Very little
Not at all
Study Abroad and Social Entrepreneurship
This section concerns patterns of social entrepreneurship. We define social entrepreneurship as
involvement in creating a new organization (for-profit or not-for-profit) which has social
objectives as its primary goal. Moreover, it could involve influencing a for-profit organization,
from within, to channel an increasing portion of its surpluses and/or profits for the good of the
community.
Creating New Social Entrepreneurship Organizations
24) Have you ever been a social entrepreneur?
 Yes
 No
Creating New Social Entrepreneurship Organizations
25) What types of organizations have you created? Choose all that apply.




Arts
Community (e.g., board service)
Education
Environment
152








Health
Human Rights (includes women, minority groups, and GLBT)
Poverty (e.g., food bank, construction and repair)
Religion
Social Justice
Youth Organizations (e.g., Scouts, athletic teams)
______________________________________________________________________
26) How many organizations have you created?
___________________________________________________________organizations
27) Approximately what percentage of your profits or surpluses do you reinvest for the good of
the community?
___________________________________________________________percent
Influencing Organizations from Within
28) In a substantive way, have you ever influenced from within a for-profit organization to be
socially responsible?
 Yes
 No
Influencing Organizations from Within
29) To what extent have you influenced an organization from within to be more socially
responsible?
153




To a large degree
To some degree
Very little
Not at all
30) To what extent did your study abroad experience influence your commitment to promote
social responsibility in that organization?




To a large degree
To some degree
Very little
Not at all
Demographic Questions
This is not your ordinary demographic section. The questions below are asked in ways you may
not have seen before. We want to know about you from your own perspective, not ours or a predetermined list. This section is just as important as the previous ones and the questions are, we
hope, as interesting to complete.
31) What is your gender?
 Male
 Female
32) How old are you?
____________________________________________________________
33) Where were you born?
 United States
 Other (please specify)
______________________________________________________________________
154
34) Did you live outside of your home country as a child?
 Yes
 No
Childhood Abroad
35) How long did you live abroad as a child? Even if you left and returned to your home country
more than one time, please provide the total amount of years abroad from birth to age 18. If less
than one year, type 0 (zero) in box below.
____________________________________________________________years
36) In what country or countries did you live? Please write the name(s) in the box below.
____________________________________________________________
Ethnicity
37) What is your ethnicity (based on census categories)? If you are biethnic or multiethnic,
please select all that apply.







African American or Black
Asian
Caucasian or White
Hispanic or Latino
Native American or Native Alaskan
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
______________________________________________________________________
Ethnic Identity
155
Now, we would like to give you the opportunity to elaborate on your ethnic identity beyond the
census categories. We recognize that people in the United States come from, and identify with,
many different countries and cultures and that there are many terms to describe such
backgrounds. In responding to the questions below, please be as specific as possible and use the
terms with which you feel most comfortable as representing your genuine ethnic identity(ies).
Examples of answers are: African-American, Cuban-American, Hmong-American, Afro-Caribbean,
Jewish, Italian-American, Latino, or Chinese-American.
In the first block below, please indicate your primary ethnic identity. The subsequent blocks allow
for up to four additional ethnicities. In addition, you are allotted ten points to distribute among
the identities you indicate. Please split the ten points according to the degree to which you
identify with that part of your ethnicity where 10 is the highest and 1 is the lowest. You may
select a primary identity and up to four additional identities, but the total points should add up to
10.
For example, someone may identify primarily as Polish-American and may allot 7 points to this
part of their ethnicity; in addition they identify as Jewish and may allot the 3 remaining points
here.
Polish-American
7
Jewish
3
38) What ethnic group do you consider yourself to be?
Ethnic group:
___________________________________
Points (1-10):
___________________________________
39) What additional ethnic group do you consider yourself to be (if any)?
Ethnic group:
___________________________________
Points (1-10):
___________________________________
156
Ethnic group:
___________________________________
Points (1-10):
___________________________________
Ethnic group:
___________________________________
Points (1-10):
___________________________________
Your Parents
42) What is your father’s highest level of education?








8th grade or less
Some high school
Some college, no degree
Associate or technical degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Professional or Doctorate degree
43) What is your mother's highest level of education?








8th grade or less
Some high school
Some college, no degree
Associate or technical degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Professional or Doctorate degree
Education
44) Have you enrolled in one or more advanced degree programs since completing your Bachelors
157
degree?
 Yes
 No
Education
45) What degree(s) have you completed? Please select all that apply.




Master's (M.A., M.S., Ed.M., MBA, MPA, LL.M., etc.)
J.D.
M.D. or other medical doctorate
Ph.D., Ed.D., Psy.D., etc.
46) Did your study abroad experience influence your decision to continue for an advanced
degree(s)?




Yes, to a large degree
Yes, to some degree
Very little
No, not at all
47) In what field(s) did you earn your advanced degree(s)? Check all that apply.




Humanities (e.g. arts, languages, literature)
Natural Sciences (e.g. biology, physics, environmental science)
Professional School (e.g. business, education, law, medicine)
Social Sciences (e.g. political science, psychology, sociology)
48) Were any of your advanced degrees internationally oriented?
 Yes
 No
Career
158
49) What is your current occupation? If your occupation is not listed below, please check "Other"
and type the name of your occupation.


























Architecture, Arts, and Design
Civil Service
Community and Social Services
Computer, Mathematical, and Information Sciences
Construction
Economics and Finance
Education, Higher
Education, pre-K to 12
Engineering
Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
Food Services and Preparation
Foreign Service and Diplomacy
Healthcare
Legal
Life, Physical, and Social Sciences
Management and Human Resources
Marketing and Public Relations
Military
Office and Administrative Support
Personal Care and Service
Sales
Stay-at-home Parent
Student
Telecommunications
Transportation
50) To what degree did your study abroad experience influence your career choice?




To a large degree
Somewhat
Very little
Not at all
51) To what degree has your study abroad experience helped your career?




To a great degree
Somewhat
Very little
Not at all
159
52) Is (was) your career internationally oriented?
 Yes
 No
Language
53) In addition to your mother tongue, how many languages do you speak fluently?
____________________________________________________________language(s)
54) If other than your first language, to what extent do you currently use the language you spoke
while studying abroad?




To a large degree (i.e., daily)
To some degree (i.e., monthly)
Very little (i.e., a few times per year)
Not at all
Overall Impact of Study Abroad
55) In your own words, please describe the impact that study abroad has had on your life.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________
Follow-up Interviews
The SAGE team will contact selected respondents for follow-up interviews. Are you interested in
participating in such an interview? It will last approximately one hour and will be by telephone.
We will contact you by email to make the interview appointment. Note that these details will not
be attached to your survey responses and will only be available to the SAGE principal
investigators. The interview data will be reported as aggregated responses and no individuals will
160
be identified in any way.
56) Please provide your contact information below if you are interested in participating in a
follow-up interview.
Name:
___________________________________
Email address:
___________________________________
Telephone number:
___________________________________
Congratulations! You have reached the end of the SAGE survey. Thank you for completing it. Please click the
"Submit Survey" button below to submit your answers. At that point you may no longer view or edit your
survey submission.
The next page will open the SAGE website. You can periodically check this site for progress on the SAGE
research project and, ultimately, the findings and report based on the survey and interview results.
161
Appendix D: Interview Guide for Qualitative Case Studies
1. Please describe in detail the nature of your study abroad experience(s).
What were the highlights?
What were the ―low‖ lights?
What aspect(s) of the experience had the most impact on you?
How did you study abroad relate to the rest of your undergraduate experience?
2. Could you please talk about how your study abroad experiences may have affected your career
path and the kinds of jobs you have had and what you are doing now?
3. How would you describe your current value system and basic beliefs?
What things are most important to you?
Give concrete examples of current or past activities and engagements which reflect major
elements of your belief system.
How has your current life style and belief system been influenced (if at all) by your prior study
abroad experience(s)?
4. If you have children, what is your view on their studying abroad?
5. If you were to do it all over, is there anything which you would have done differently in terms
of your study abroad experience(s)?
6. Could you give us some examples of what you consider to have been your most creative
contributions (in any arena) in your life thus far?
7. Also could you describe an area in which you think you have made a real difference in the lives
of others.
If you were asked to make recommendations to colleges and universities about their study
abroad programs, what would be your major suggestions?
9. How do you see the importance of study abroad today, compared to the time when you were a
student?
10. What international travel (for study, work, service, or leisure) has been the most valuable and
rewarding for you? Please elaborate and explain.
11. Do you think you have more than one operating culture? If so, please explain and elaborate.
162
12. How would rate yourself in terms of cultural competence and global literacy? What are your
strongest and weakest points? How would you compare yourself to your peers at work and in
your community?
163
Appendix E: Technical Notes: Missing Values
Profiling study abroad participants who are missing on Global Engagement Indices greater than
10%
From the study abroad group, those who were missing greater than 10% on Global Engagement
Indices were examined to check whether their being missing was related to other variables. Table 58
shows that those who were missing on Knowledge Production had more males than the entire dataset of
study abroad group (37.9% > 32.8%), but this difference was small.
Table 58.
Means and standard deviations of explanatory variables for those missing on Global Engagement
Indices greater than 10%: Duration, Destination Index, Depth Index, age, SES, and gender
Duration
Destination
Index
Depth
Index
Age
SES
Gender
M
SD
M
SD
M
SD
M
SD
M
SD
F
M
Entire SA dataset
4.2
2.9
-.13
.69
2.6
1.4
33.2
10.8
32.5
4.8
66.8%
32.8%
GE1 PH Donation
5.1
3.2
-.13
.62
2.6
1.4
34.3
11.6
32.2
4.7
68.6%
31.4%
GE3 CE Int‘l Pol
5.2
2.9
-.10
.71
2.8
1.4
35.7
12.0
32.3
4.9
66.2%
33.8%
KP-GE
5.3
3.3
-.12
.68
2.8
1.5
35.1
11.6
33.0
4.8
61.8%
38.2%
*M indicates mean, and SD indicates standard deviation. F indicates female, and M indicates male.
However, as shown in Table 59, consistently those who were missing on Knowledge
Production were 5% higher in having pursued an advanced degree as well as an internationally-oriented
degree than overall representation (65.7 > 60.4), and they were also 7% higher in having an
internationally-oriented career. This may indicate that those who went to graduate school and pursued
an internationally-oriented degree did not answer a survey item on Knowledge Production as they were
not productive in producing knowledge and felt embarrassed about it. In other words, their being
missing may have been affected by social desirability. This may have led to the underestimation of
those who did not do knowledge production as they did not check no to the question. However, it
should be noted they may not have answered due to their lack of knowledge production; therefore, it
does not affect the results of this study, which counts those who did knowledge production only.
Similarly, ethnicity was also cross-checked, but differences between those who were missing on three
Global Engagement Indices and the entire study abroad dataset were minimal.
164
Table 59
Means and standard deviations of education and career related variables for those missing on Global
Engagement Indices greater than 10%: Pursued an advanced degree, an internationally-oriented degree,
and career is internationally-oriented
Graduate school
Internationally-oriented degree
Internationally-oriented career
Entire SA dataset
60.4
20.6
37.3
GE1 PH Donation
60.6
20.5
37.1
GE3 CE Int‘l Pol
63.8
22.4
36.7
KP-GE
65.7
25.1
44.4
Note. All numbers are those who answered ‗yes‘ to the questions, and they are in %.
Profiling comparison group participants who are missing on Global Engagement survey items greater
than 8%
From the non-study abroad comparison group, those who were missing greater than 8% on
Global Engagement related survey items were examined to check whether this was related to other
variables. Table 60 shows that those who are missing global engagement survey items in the table are
generally six years older than the average of the entire comparison group. They were also 5% higher in
pursuing an advanced degree at graduate and professional schools than overall sample. This may
indicate that those who went to graduate school could have felt embarrassed about their passive and
less active involvement in civic engagement. Similarly to the study abroad group, this may reflect
social desirability.
Table 60
Means and standard deviations of variables for those missing on Global Engagement survey items
greater than 8%: Age, SES, gender, and education, career related variables
Age
SES
Gender
Graduate
school
Internati
onally
oriented
degree
Internat
ionallyoriente
d career
M
SD
M
SD
F
M
Entire SA dataset
47.7
13.5
29.3
5.3
44.1%
55.5%
65.2%
6.8%
19.3%
Civic Engagement
(Domestic):
53.3
13.4
28.5
5.6
43.6
55. 5
70.1
6.8
17%
165
Leadership role
Civic Engagement
(Int‘l): Formal talks
or demonstrations
Civic Engagement
(Int‘l): Wrote
letter(s) to the editor
Civic Engagement
(Int‘l): Voted in an
election
Civic Engagement
(Int‘l): Used the
internet to raise
awareness about
social and political
issues
Civic Engagement
(Int‘l): Contacted or
visited a public
official
53.9
12.8
28.3
5.4
44.0
56.0
68.1
7.4
17.6
53.4
13.6
28.2
5.5
43.6
56.4
69.8
7.1
15.5
54.4
12.9
28.1
5.5
45.0
55.0
70.3
7.0
16.7
53.8
13.3
28.0
5.6
45.7
54.3
69.4
6.8
15.1
54.1
13.1
28.0
5.5
45.5
68.5
68.5
6.6
13.8
Taken together, profiling those who are missing on Global Engagement Indices or survey items
from the study group and the comparison group, respectively, reveal that social desirability may have
been related to the missing data. However, the SAGE survey was constructed to represent behavioral
facts, and is not an attitudinal survey. Therefore, there was limitation in addressing the issue of social
desirability in the survey.
Nevertheless, in constructing a survey, several preemptive methods were used to reduce social
desirability. They include using branching questions so that those who have not done knowledge
production or have not been a social entrepreneur can be directed to the next parts of questions, instead
of answering sub-questions for knowledge production and social entrepreneurship. The SAGE research
team also tried to make statements as neutral as possible. In addition, multiple rounds of focus groups
in building a survey and its pilot study were performed, which could have helped to address the issue of
social desirability prior to its administration as a main study. Moreover, it needs to be considered that
the SAGE survey was a rather long one and there can be a fatigue factor.
166
Appendix F: Confirmatory Factor Analyses: Global Engagement, Depth Index,
and Destination Index
As mentioned in VIII. H. Regression and Path Analyses, confirmatory factor analyses were
conducted for explanatory variables, Depth and Destination Indices, separately. In addition, a
confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was also performed to examine whether nine Global Engagement
Indices and variables, including Global Engagement- Knowledge Production and Social
Entrepreneurship have an underlying latent variable. Various models were constructed for the
composition of variables for latent variables for each CFA model of the Depth Index, the Destination
Index, and Global Engagement Indices and variables. However, the results of all tested CFA models
showed that the models for the Depth Index and Global Engagement Indices and variables had poor
model fit, and the model for the Destination Index was not identified in the beginning; therefore Depth
Index, the Destination Index, and Global Engagement Indices and variables are regarded not to have
latent variables.
Some examples of models tested are illustrated below.
e1
e2
GE 1
e3
GE 2
GE 3
e4
GE 4
e5
GE
GE 5
e6
GE 6
GE 7
e7
KP
e8
SE
e9
Figure 12. Example of a confirmatory factor analysis for the Global Engagement Construct
167
F1
F2
Multiple SA
Genre
e1
Multiple
Destinations
e2
Number of
Times SA
e3
Work, Internship,
Research, Service
Learning
e4
Non-Eng Speaking
Destination
e5
Non-traditional
Destination
e6
Figure 13. Example of a confirmatory factor analysis for the Depth Index
168
Appendix G: Copy of Paper Published in Intercultural Education
169
170
171
172
173
Appendix H: Paper Presented at the American Society for the Study of
Higher Education (ASHE)
The long-term impact of the undergraduate study abroad experience:
Implications for higher education
Jae-Eun Jon and Gerald W. Fry
I.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this research is to investigate the ways in which participants in U.S. higher
education study abroad programs have become globally engaged during their lives since their
overseas sojourns, and the degree to which they attribute these contributions to their having
studied abroad. This research employs a two-phase mixed methods design, involving 6,391
former study abroad participants (spanning a 50 year time period) from 22 colleges, universities,
and education abroad providers throughout the United States.
Global engagement, as conceptualized by the Study Abroad for Global Engagement (SAGE)
project4, is expressed by civic commitments in domestic and international arenas; knowledge
production of print, artistic, online, and digital media; philanthropy in terms of volunteer time
and monetary donations; social entrepreneurship, meaning involvement in organizations whose
4
To enable us to implement this study a grant of $500,000 was awarded by the U.S. Department of
Education, Title VI International Research Program. http://www.cehd.umn.edu/projects/sage/
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purpose and/or profits are to benefit the community, and the practice of voluntary simplicity5 in
one‘s lifestyle.
As study abroad continues to gain popularity throughout much of the world, it is time for a major
study to assess the long term impact of this kind of program. Colleges and universities in the
U.S. invest heavily in study abroad as a major element in their efforts to internationalize their
campuses. In the academic year 2006-07, there was a record number of U.S. students studying
abroad, 241,791, up 8.2% from the previous year and up 143% from the levels ten years earlier
(Institute for International Education, 2008).
However, the literature on outcomes of study abroad has had an overwhelming focus on
immediate and short-term outcomes. In this realm, there has been important recent work on the
impact of study abroad on college student intellectual development (McKeown, 2009) and its
impact on the acquisition of sociolinguistic competence (Regan, Howard, & Lemée, 2009).
Even the literature pertaining to intermediate or long-term outcomes has focused primarily on
only one outcome: job history and trajectory (Abrams, 1979; Alred & Byram, 2002; American
Institute for Foreign Study, 1988; Browne, 2005; Burn, 1982; Carlson, Burn, et al., 1990;
McMillan & Opem, 2004; Starr, 1994; Whalen, 2001). A handful of studies which have
undertaken a long-term analysis of study abroad participants suggest long-term impact such as
increase in educational attainment, general attitudinal outcomes related to global perspective and
personal growth (Akande & Slawson, 2000; Carlson, et al., 1990; Dukes et al., 1994; Dwyer &
Peters; 2004; McMillan & Opem 2004). However, they have limitations in the small size of
sample and, as Akande & Slawson (2000, p. 8) call for ―a larger scale, more comprehensive
5
Voluntary simplicity in this research is defined as the effort to lead a more modest, simple life style.
Examples include riding a bike to work, taking a job that pays less but contributes more to the common good, or
being motivated to use recycled products and to practice active recycling.
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survey based on a more representative sample of all study abroad students.‖ Reflective of the
growing interest in the global engagement aspects of study abroad is the new anthology edited by
Lewin (2009).
The SAGE project is designed to build on the existing body of knowledge regarding personal
and professional impact of study abroad and to expand upon it by assessing global engagement
contributions. For example, SAGE was inspired by the breakthrough study, The Shape of the
River (Bowen & Bok, 1998), a compelling account of the long-term effects of affirmative action
policies on American higher education and society. The researchers contacted selected
beneficiaries of affirmative action – American people of color who were granted admission to
elite U.S. higher education institutions – to inquire about their life paths after college graduation.
The SAGE project has a similar design for study abroad alumni.
Given these research considerations, this study addresses the overarching research question:
What is the near-term (1-5 years post study abroad) and long-term (6+ years post study
abroad) impact of study abroad on alumni‘s global engagement contributions and
professional development, as perceived by the alumni themselves and as assessed by
external measures?
II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
The theoretical framework for this study is social capital theory. Social capital is the network of
relationships that are built within and between communities that serve as resources for the
members of those communities (Coleman, 1988; Coleman, 1994; Putnam, 2000). As opposed to
177
rational choice theory which purports that members make choices solely for individual gain,
social capital theory defends that members make choices primarily to benefit their community.
This research project, therefore, aims to illuminate the social capital networks of global
engagement that study abroad alumni create as they make commitments and sacrifices for the
common good in terms of civic engagements, philanthropy, knowledge production, social
entrepreneurship, and voluntary simplicity.
III. METHODS and DATA
Mixed Methods Design: Sequential Explanatory
The research design for this study is a sequential mixed methods design (Creswell, 2009),
comprised of a single, cross-sectional, online survey instrument administered to a large sample
followed by a series of individual interviews with randomly selected survey respondents. This
combination of methods aims to yield a baseline dataset of study abroad alumni and their impact
on society post graduation as well as informative insights from selected participants.
The methodology in this study also employed a retrospective tracer study, an approach
developed by Fry and Paige (2001). This methodology is inspired by Pang‘s tracer studies of
alumni of Singapore education institutions (Pang & Leong, 1976; Pang & Seah, 1976) and
Bowen and Bok‘s assessment of the long-term effects of affirmative action on university
graduates of color in the United States (1998).
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Sample
The study population consisted of 24,019 alumni who had studied abroad as undergraduates from
the twenty-two partner institutions between 1960 and 2005. All contact was made by email with
the alumni from their alma mater; 2,450 emails were returned and a final population totaled
21,569. We received 6,391 responses at a 29.6 percent response rate.
Partner institutions were recruited through announcements submitted to two email listservs
known to have wide membership across the education abroad field: the Forum on Education
Abroad listserv and the SECUSS-L listserv. A total of 22 institutions participated in this study in
the following categories6 (see Table 1): Doctoral-granting (9), Masters-granting (4), Bachelorsgranting (7), and Education Abroad Provider (2). All partners were selected based on two
criteria: the number of alumni they could contact by email and the ability to survey alumni at
least as far back as 1985 and preferably to 1960. The partners were the primary contact with the
study abroad alumni.
Table 1. SAGE partner institutions and type
Type
Institution
Doctoral-granting (9)
Dartmouth College
Indiana University
Tulane University
6
Except education abroad providers, all institutions are categorized based on their Carnegie
classification.
179
Masters-granting (4)
Arcadia University
Bachelors-granting (7)
Austin College
Beloit College
Carleton College
Kalamazoo College
Middlebury College
Saint Norbert College
Saint Olaf College
Education Abroad Provider (2)
Instruments
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For the purpose of this study, a new instrument was developed, the Global Engagement Survey
(Paige, Fry, Stallman, Horn & Josić, 2007), to examine individuals‘ undergraduate education
abroad experiences and their subsequent participation in global engagement activities. In
developing this survey, the research team incorporated literature and previous instruments that
pertain to the independent and dependent variables. It also involved two focus groups with
researchers and professionals selected for their experience in and knowledge about education
abroad, as well as a pilot test.
The conceptual model of global engagement developed for this study included five principal
dimensions: civic engagement, knowledge production, philanthropy, social entrepreneurship,
and voluntary simplicity. In addition, the survey looked at two secondary outcomes: future
education and occupation experiences, as well as a set of five demographic variables (gender,
age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and prior intercultural/international experience) and four
study abroad program specific variables (program genre, location, duration and U.S. institutional
classification).
181
Figure 1. Original conceptual model of global engagement
Interview Guide
Following completion of the quantitative portion of this study, qualitative interviews were
conducted, guided by a sequential mixed methods design (Creswell, 2009). The purpose of the
interviews was to explore the global engagement dimensions in greater depth, with a particular
focus on the nature of their later global commitments and what meaning it had for them. The
interview also sought to understand in greater detail the link between education abroad and
global engagement.
182
Global Engagement Interviews
The SAGE research team conducted 63 individual interviews with survey participants who were
randomly selected from 2,982 survey respondents who agreed to participate in the interview
portion of this study. Interviewing focused on less structured but more open and conversational
interview process with an emphasis on interviewees‘ illustrative narrative stories. Its main
guiding questions were:
1) Having gone through the survey and this interview, what was the most important
aspect of your study abroad experience and why?
2) What was the impact of this experience?
Quantitative Data Analysis
This section explains outcome and explanatory variables to be included in the model (see Figure
2), as well as procedures used to create them.
Outcome Variables
Exploratory factor analysis was used to generate global engagement variables from a total of 41
original items in survey responses: civic engagement-domestic, international (9 items each),
philanthropy-volunteering, monetary donation (11 items each), and voluntary simplicity (1 item).
The variable with binary responses, knowledge production, was aggregated to produce its
outcome variables, knowledge production- traditional (15 items) and non-traditional (8 items).
Lastly, social entrepreneurship was dummy coded to indicate whether a participant is a social
183
entrepreneur or not, and was also scaled as an ordinal variable for a participant‘s intensity of
involvement within the organization.
In addition to global engagement variables, education and career variables were dummy coded to
indicate whether a participant has pursued an advanced degree, and whether graduate education
or career is internationally oriented or not.
Variables
Outcome Global Engagement
Variables
Outcome
Advanced degree/
Career Variables
Philanthropic donations
Volunteerism: Social justice
Prior
international/intercultural
experience
Socio-economic status
Global Values
Program
Destination
or
Program Depth
Global Leadership
Civic engagementInternational: Political
Age
Program Duration
Gender
(Dummy)
Civic engagementDomestic: Political
Pursued an advanced
degree after college
Pursued an advanced which
is internationally-oriented
Career is internationallyoriented
Knowledge Production:
Traditional
Knowledge Production:
Non-traditional
Social Entrepreneurship:
Intensity
Figure 2. Path model
Destination Index
184
The purpose of the Destination Index was to provide unique variable depicting variances among
numerous study abroad destinations. In creating this index, the degree of cultural difference
from the U.S. culture, as well as the degree of difference in the level of economic development
was considered. The index was developed from three components:
 Cultural Dis/Similarity (Vande Berg, Conner-Linton, & Paige, in press)
 Cultural Distance (Kogut & Singh, 1988)
 Human Development Index (UNDP, 2008)
Each component represents individual country‘s difference or deviation from the U.S. score on
these three values. The Cultural Dis/Similarity component has emerged in the Georgetown
Consortium Project (Vande Berg, Conner-Linton, & Paige, 2009). It represents the U.S. study
abroad students‘ understanding of cultural similarity and dissimilarity of their destination
countries with the U.S. culture. Cultural distance represents a composite index of Hofstede‘s
(2001) four indices on cultural dimensions, namely power distance, individualism, masculinity,
and uncertainty avoidance. Cultural distance as a composite index was first developed by Kogut
and Singh (1988) based on the deviations along countries‘ four aforementioned cultural
dimensions from the U.S. ranking on the same dimensions. These deviations were corrected for
variation within each dimension. Finally, the four scores were mathematically averaged into a
composite score titled cultural distance.
Similarly to the previous components, Human Development Index (HDI) component represents a
deviation of the country‘s HDI score from the U.S. HDI score. The values of the three
components were standardized (z-score), and an arithmetic average was calculated from the
standardized values. The Destination Index was calculated for the participants who did not study
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in multiple locations (N = 3499). A reliability analysis was conducted on the standardized
scores, resulting in a Cofficienct α of .73, indicating that the components of the index crystallize
well. Additionally, the three components have significant moderate to very moderate correlations
among each other, in their original as well as standardized values.
Depth Index
A composite variable was created to examine to what degree the depth of the study abroad
experience is related to level of global engagement. This composite, termed depth of study
abroad experience or Depth Index, was initially comprised of eight components that typically
reflect the intensity of an experience abroad (see Table 2). Some items were included based on
our own findings within this research project, such as multiple genres and multiple study abroad
experiences having an impact on global engagement. Other items were included based on
findings from other studies (length and language of study abroad) and assumptions that have
been informing the education abroad field for some time (type of study abroad program and lesscommon destination).
Table 2. Depth Index: Depth of Study Abroad Experience
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
> 1 study abroad genre
>1 study abroad destination
Direct enrollment
Research, work, internship, or service learning
Non-English speaking destination
Less-common destination
6 weeks abroad total as an undergraduate
>1 study abroad experience as an undergraduate
186
The Depth Index was calculated using responses of all participants, including those who studied
in multiple locations. Initial runs with all eight items gave us a moderate to low reliability score
of only .4. When two items were eliminated, Direct enrollment and Duration, the reliability rose
to .61. Thus we deleted these two items to create the final Depth Index (Coefficient α = .61; N =
6378).
Duration
Duration indicates the number of months that participants studied abroad. If they studied abroad
multiple times, they were asked to choose the most significant one to answer the question.
Background Demographic Variables
Gender, age, socioeconomic status, prior international experience, and ethnicity variables are
also included as background demographic variables. A variable for socioeconomic status was
accounted by the levels of parents‘ education, and a variable for prior international experience
came from the number of years living abroad prior to the age of 18.
Future Quantitative Analysis
A path analytical model will be used to examine the impact of study abroad on global
engagement, which is a key outcome and dependent variable. A key explanatory variable is the
type of study abroad experience such as program duration, destination, and program type. Other
exogenous variables such as gender, socioeconomic status, and prior international experience are
also included as important control variables. Subsequently, path models, based on disaggregated
187
data, will be compared across different ethnic groups and decades of their study abroad
experience.
For purposes of this study, we use statistical in lieu of experimental controls. We also compare
our own macro data with national data on general college students who did not study abroad
from sources such as the National Survey of Student Engagement.
A number of individuals familiar with our study have urged us to add a major control group. In
response to this suggestion, additional data collection for a control group is under way in
cooperation with partner institutions from the previous stage. This could not be done previously
due to the feasibility of coordinating and handling an additional non-study abroad sample with
22 participating institutions, not including two providers. A year-long (no-cost) grant extension
of the project now makes it possible to collect additional data for a control group and preferably
pursue a more rigorous research design by comparing study and non-study abroad groups on key
outcome variables.
Qualitative Data Analysis
Qualitative data consisted of two portions: open-ended questions in the electronic survey and
follow-up interviews.
The open-ended question in the survey asked: ―In your own words, describe the impact that
study abroad has had on your life,‖ and almost all survey participants have offered a comment or
more. The respondents were free to comment on any impact of their study abroad experience,
including few who have mentioned that the experience itself did not have any profound impact
188
on their subsequent life. The analysis of the responses to the open-ended question has focused
on total of 632 responses; these included 132 responses from the individuals selected for
qualitative interviews as well as additional 500 randomly selected responses after these 132
participants were taken out of the sample.
Among 63 interviews completed, preliminary analysis of interview data was conducted using 12
randomly selected interviews. Four researchers in the project, who were trained in qualitative
analysis, participated in inductive coding. Inductive coding was conducted first to generate and
identify major themes related to study abroad and its impact on individuals.. After completing
individual coding, coders discussed the codes common in individual analyses and any salient
themes which stood out for them. The analysis of selected case studies also enriches the
qualitative dimension of the study.
As the next stage, three of the initial four coders completed analyzing the rest of interviews by
inductive coding. More themes were added to the original set of themes. The final stage of
deductive coding using the codes developed in the previous stages is in progress. More case
studies will be also added including those who indicated little impact of study abroad on their life
or global engagement. Demographic distribution will be also considered in selecting additional
case studies.
IV.
RESULTS
Quantitative Findings
This section reports the major preliminary results of quantitative analyses.
189
In terms of descriptive findings, 83.3% of our respondents indicated that among numerous
undergraduate experiences, study abroad had strong impact. This was significantly greater than
numerous other undergraduate experiences. Respondents also indicated that study abroad had
strongly influenced their global engagement. For example, 70.3% noted that study abroad had to
some or a large degree contributed to their practice of voluntary simplicity and 61.9% saw study
abroad as having contributed to their social entrepreneurship.
Table 3. Impact of college experiences on SAGE participants' lives (%)
Categories
Strong
Impact
Some
Impact
Little
Impact
No
Impact
Not
Applicable
Study abroad
83.5
14.9
1.4
0.1
0.1
Friendships/student-peer interactions
73.8
21.8
3.8
0.5
0.1
Coursework
66.2
30.1
3.1
0.2
0.4
37.9
43.6
16.2
2.1
0.2
Work/employment during college
27.5
37.3
19.7
5.3
10.2
Community service/volunteer work
22.6
37.5
23.5
6.7
9.7
21.1
20.6
9.1
5.6
43.6
Athletics/intramural sports
16.9
22.1
22.3
16.4
22.3
Student clubs
13.3
28.7
29.5
12.3
16.2
Fraternity/Sorority
8.9
7.9
6
11.2
66.0
7.6
12.9
15
22.5
42.0
Student government
2.2
6.8
16.8
29.1
45.1
Note. N=6391
190
Table 4. ―My level of involvement in the following categories was influenced by my study
abroad experience‖
To a large or
some degree (%)
Very little or
not at all (%)
N*
Civic Engagement - Domestic
55.1
44.9
6391
Civic Engagement - International
60.7
39.3
6391
70.3
29.7
6217
Knowledge Production - Traditional
51.7
48.3
2491
Knowledge Production - Other
56.3
43.7
2454
Philanthropy - Volunteer Work
45.4
54.6
6391
Philanthropy - Monetary Donations
37.6
62.4
6391
61.9
38.1
1592
Educational Decision (advanced degree)
59.7
40.3
3854
Occupation/Career Choice
56.2
43.8
6391
Note. Ns smaller than 6391 refer to the branching questions, where only the portion of the participants
indicating participation in certain activity was able to express the degree of influence.
Education and Career Paths
abroad alumni, attained at least one graduate degree. Moreover, out of those pursuing graduate
education, 35 % of the participants have indicated having an internationally oriented graduate
degree. Particularly the graduate completion rate of participants in the SAGE project is striking
compared to that in national data. In 2006, the percentage of the U.S. population age 18 and over
191
whose highest degree attained was a Bachelors degree was 25.5%. Further, among those with a
Bachelors degree, 33.4% have gone on to receive a post baccalaureate degree. (U.S. Census
Bureau, 2007). The caveat is, however, that those who study abroad may be already a more
motivated group and therefore more likely to attempt graduate education. This remains
unknown, but the other results from the SAGE survey – particularly the Global Engagement
results – point to study abroad in the undergraduate years as likely having an influence on later
accomplishments and engagements that we measured.
With regard to career decisions, 35.2 % of the participants have indicated that study abroad has
helped their career to a large degree, while 39.9 % have indicated that study abroad has helped
their career to some degree. Additionally, the careers of 37.7 % of the entire sample currently
are, or have been, internationally oriented.
Global Engagement Factors
An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to test our conceptual framework of global
engagement (See Figure 1). Individual items for each global engagement dimension were
included in the analysis except for those for knowledge production and social entrepreneurship.
Individual items for knowledge production were not included since their responses were binary yes or no. Social entrepreneurship items were not included so as not to minimize the sample size
for the factor analysis. Only a small number of respondents indicated some degree of
engagement in social entrepreneurship and related questions. As a result, an exploratory factor
analysis yielded six factors constituting global engagement: philanthropic donations,
192
volunteerism: social justice, international/political civic engagement, global values, global
leadership, and domestic/political civic engagement. As seen in Table 4, each factor shows a
high reliability larger than .70. The variables created for knowledge production and social
entrepreneurship were also created as explained in the above.
Table 5. Global engagement factors
Number of
Items
% Explained
Variance
Coefficient
Alpha
9
25.3
.87
5
9.9
.79
6
5.7
.76
4. Global Values
3
4.2
.73
4
3.8
.75
4
3.5
.72
N=4649
Exploring the Relationships
between Outcome and Explanatory Variables
Prior to performing further analysis, relationships between outcome and explanatory variables
were tested based on correlation and logistic regression analysis.
193
Outcome: Global Engagement Factors
Destination Index
Results in Table 6 show that the correlations between the Destination Index and Global
Engagement factors are very weak or non-significant. Considering the large sample size, these
relationships can be considered negligible.
Table 6. Correlations between Destination Index and Global Engagement factors
Global Engagement factors
Destination Index
-.023
.027
.051**
4. Global Values
.067**
.085**
-.050*
N=2561
*p<.05. **p<.01.
Depth Index
Correlation results of Depth Index with Global Engagement factors are similar to those of
Destination Index (see Table 7). Correlation coefficients are very weak, and they can be
considered small size effects, despite the impressive statistical significance related to the large
sample size. .
Table 7. Correlations between Depth Index and Global Engagement factors
194
Global Engagement factors
Depth Index
-.043**
.097**
.131**
4. Global Values
.099**
.193**
-.039**
N=6344
*p<.05. **p<.01.
Outcome: Graduate Education and Career
The relationships between outcome variables related to graduate education and career, and
explanatory variables were tested using logistic regression. Destination Index and Depth Index
were not included in the same model because Depth Index also includes the destination factor.
Destination Index
The results of logistic regression with Destination Index in the model are summarized in Table 8.
Destination Index was created to indicate: The higher the score of Destination Index is, the more
culturally different and less developed than the U.S. a country is considered to be. Therefore, the
results on pursuing an advanced degree after college indicate that those who studied abroad in
countries less developed and more culturally different from the U.S. were slightly more (1.1
times) likely to go to graduate school. Those from higher socioeconomic status and older
individuals were also slightly more (1.1 times) likely to go to graduate school.
195
In addition, those who went to graduate or professional school were asked whether they
pursued an internationally-oriented degree or not. The results in Table 8 show that the less
developed and more culturally different countries from the U.S. participants studied abroad in,
the more likely they were to seek an internationally-oriented degree. The longer they studied
abroad, they were also likely to pursue an internationally-oriented degree. Similar to previous
results, those from higher socioeconomic status and older individuals were slightly more likely to
go to graduate school for an internationally-oriented degree.
With regard to having internationally-oriented career, those who studied abroad in
countries less developed and more culturally different from the U.S. were more likely to do so.
Those who studied abroad longer were also slightly more likely to pursue an internationallyoriented career. However, women were less likely to have an internationally-oriented career than
men.
Table 81. Results of logistic regression: Destination Index
Advanced degree:
Career:
internationally-oriented
internationally- oriented
Parameter
estimates
Parameter
estimates
Pursued an advanced degree
Variables
Constant
Parameter
estimates
SSE
Odds
ratio
SSE
Odds
ratio
SSE
Odds
ratio
-3.466**
.356
.031
-3.284**
.388
.037
-.902**
.322
.406
Destination Index
.059
.053
1.061
.472**
.063
1.603
.345**
.052
1.413
Duration
.012
.013
1.012
.126**
.014
1.134
.092**
.013
1.096
Prior international
.000
.000
1.000
.000
.000
1.000
.000**
.000
1.000
experience
196
SES
.035**
.008
1.035
.020*
.009
1.020
.008
.008
1.008
Age
.086**
.004
1.090
.026**
.004
1.026
-.001
.003
.999
-.014
.080
1.014
-.070
.091
.932
.237**
.075
1.267
Gender (male)
2 log likelihood
4062.067
2 log likelihood
3338.372
2 log likelihood 4413.303
% Correctly predicted 71.8%
% Correctly predicted 64%
Pseudo-R2
Pseudo-R2
Pseudo-R2
.187
.086
.049
Note. N=6378
*p<.05. **p<.01.
Depth Index
The Depth Index was created to indicate the depth of study abroad program as: participating in
more than one genre, having research/ work/ internships/ service learning experience, having
more than one study abroad experience as an undergraduate, studying abroad in more than one
destination, studying abroad in a non-English speaking destination, and studying abroad in a
less-common destination (refer to Table 2).
First, the results on graduate education show that Depth Index is not a statistically significant
predictor of going to graduate or professional school after college. However, those with higher
socioeconomic status and who were older were slightly more likely to pursue an advanced
degree.
The second result regarding pursuing an internationally-oriented degree for graduate education
show that the higher the Depth Index in their study abroad experience, the more likely they were
to pursue an internationally-oriented degree after college. In addition, those who studied abroad
197
for longer duration, with higher socioeconomic status, and of older age were more likely to
pursue an internationally-oriented degree as well.
The results on internationally-oriented career had similar results to internationallyoriented degree regarding Depth Index, duration, and SES, as shown in Table 9. However, for
internationally-oriented career, younger people and men were more likely to undertake such
employment.
Table 92. Results of logistic regression: Depth Index
Advanced degree:
Career:
internationally-oriented
internationally- oriented
Parameter
estimates
Parameter
estimates
Pursued an advanced degree
Variables
Parameter
estimates
SSE
Odds
ratio
SSE
Odds
ratio
SSE
Odds
ratio
Constant
-3.436**
.273
.032
-3.909**
.313
.020
-1.479**
.255
.228
Depth Index
.001
.019
1.001
.133**
.022
1.142
.146**
.018
1.157
Duration
.003
.010
1.003
.123**
.011
1.131
.103**
.010
1.109
Prior international
.000
.000
1.000
.000
.000
1.000
.000**
.000
1.000
SES
.039**
.006
1.040
.031**
.007
1.032
.014*
.006
1.015
Age
.083**
.003
1.086
.023**
.003
1.023
-.008**
.003
.992
.062
.061
1.064
-.065
.071
.937
.329**
.058
1.390
experience
Gender (male)
2 log likelihood
7319.082
Pseudo-R2
Pseudo-R2
Pseudo-R2
.170
.066
.050
Note. N=6378
198
*p<.05. **p<.01.
Qualitative Findings
In this section, qualitative findings from open-ended responses in the survey and qualitative
interviews are presented.
Open-ended Question Analysis
Participants‘ responses to the open-ended question on the impact of study abroad experience
ranged from personal learning and development and increased understanding of the world issues
and relations to global engagement activities. While the focus of this study is global engagement,
it is important to recognize other areas that study abroad influences.
Overwhelmingly, the participants‘ comments noted that study abroad experience was either
among the most influential experiences in their lives, or was the most impactful life experience.
Largely, the participants spoke about the impact of study abroad experience on their worldview,
noting increased interest in making an impact or making a difference in the world. Additionally,
199
they have expressed a desire to become a 'world citizen' or 'global citizen'. Other themes identify
the impact of study abroad experience on the individuals‘ career or educational paths. Study
abroad was identified as enriching the participants‘ overall undergraduate experience, or the
educational projects they have undertaken afterwards. Lastly, the participants talked about the
impact of study abroad on their global engagement activities, particularly various activities
within their communities.
Interview Analysis
Selective findings from interviews are discussed with regard to the nature of participants‘ study
abroad experience and its impact on their subsequent life.
Motivation
With respect to the reason they decided to study abroad, many interviewees answered that they
chose to go to their colleges knowing that they offer study abroad opportunities and highly
encourage to do so. In many cases, they were liberal arts colleges. Interviewees also mentioned
that their peers, advisors, and family members influenced on their decision to study abroad.
“Precious circle phenomenon”
200
One emerging theme related to interviewees‘ study abroad experience is ―precious circle
phenomenon.‖ For example, some interviewees had study abroad experience in high school, and
decided to have further experience of studying abroad at college. Several of them also took part
in another study abroad program at college, especially when they were short-term programs. This
was also case with those who did not international experience prior to college. Then it often led
them to seek further international experience or international dimension in their career path after
college, such as Peace Corps volunteer, study abroad program at graduate school, and career that
is internationally oriented or based overseas. However, those who have multiple international
experiences often showed difficulty in articulating which international experience may have
influenced their subsequent life or global engagement. This represents the complexly intertwined
nature of international overseas experiences over time. It is also interesting that many
interviewees expressed that they hope their children to study abroad in future, reflecting an
important intergenerational effect. Also numerous former study abroad alumni are active in
providing this opportunity for new generations. Of special note, most interviewees emphasized
that every college student should study abroad.
Study Abroad Outcomes
Other themes regarding the impact of study abroad experience on subsequent life were
categorized into three areas: education and career, global engagement, and global values. First,
some interviewees mentioned that their study abroad experience shifted their educational and
career choices, such as changing their majors and pursuing internationally-oriented careers.
201
Similarly, several interviewees said that they decided to get a job which may pay less but express
who they are and benefit more people. Many people also said that their experience of interacting
with people from different cultures and learning languages have helped their career with refined
language and cultural abilities.
The second category concerns the focus of this study, global engagement. For example, many
interviewees expressed that they want to make a difference in their own community or a wider
society, and get actively engaged in working for the common good. After experiencing different
lifestyles in other countries, many of them also said that they changed their lifestyles, such as the
practice of recycling and using public transportation. The impact on voluntary simplicity is
particularly important, given the global warming crisis.
The third category of themes is related to global values. Interviewees learned to consider
multiple perspectives based on their experience of living in different cultures. They also became
to take media coverage in the Western world more critically. One interviewee explained his
realization that what happened in other parts of the world may be different from what he watches
on TV based on his experience of being in some of those countries.
In addition, it should be noted that many interviewees mentioned the impact of study abroad
experience on their personal and intercultural development.
Overall, findings from both open-ended questions and interviews show the cumulative,
comprehensive, and long-term nature of study abroad impact on their subsequent lives, as well as
the multidimensional nature of global engagement.
Individual Case Studies
202
From this research, we will present approximately 20 individual case studies that are
particularly helpful in providing deeper understanding of the way in which study abroad
influences global engagement. The following three individuals are examples of such individual
cases which are particularly rich and insightful in reflecting the impact of study abroad on global
engagement and professional development.
Case 1
Gayle Woodruff, a White female, is the Director of Curriculum Integration at the Learning
Abroad Center, University of Minnesota. She studied abroad multiple times as an undergraduate,
in Mexico, Germany, and Spain, which influenced her to change her major from pre-medicine to
international relations. Further, at graduate school studying international education at the
University of Minnesota, she conducted field work in Ecuador.
It is noteworthy that her study abroad experiences have influenced her active involvement in the
community on both domestic and international issues during the last two decades. For example,
she created a national food buying club with her friends in the community. She also created a
non-profit organization, Global Learning Connections, which brings Ecuadorian musicians to the
Twin Cities in Minnesota and connects them to local educational organizations. She explained
the significance of her study abroad experiences on her life as follows:
I can‘t imagine my life without having had international experiences. They‘ve completely
influenced my way of not just looking at my own life, but my own society and the world. …It
makes the world feel a lot smaller.‖
Case 2
203
Julius Coles, an African American male, is currently the head of Africare, a not-for-profit
organization promoting African development. While an undergraduate at Morehouse College in
the 1960s, he did volunteer work in Senegal as a participant in Operations Crossroads and later
was selected as a Merrill scholar for study abroad. He intensively studied, travelled, and worked
throughout Europe and North Africa for 15 months, made possible by the Merrill scholarship.
He described his study abroad experiences as follows:
By this experience of traveling, living abroad and studying abroad, I came to realize that I was a
human being; that I was not an inferior being that I had been told all my life [that I was Black and
inferior].
In addition, he explained that his international experiences at college prepared him for a later
career in international affairs. He was a senior official with the United States Agency of
International Development, working in various countries for 28 years. He was a Mission Director
in Swaziland and Senegal and the countries where he served include Congo, Vietnam, Morocco,
Liberia, and Nepal. In his career, he also worked for Howard University and Morehouse College
for eight years, developing and directing their International Centers, reflecting his academic
entrepreneurship. During the past five years as Director of Africare, he has raised $350 million
on behalf of African development, reflective of his deep commitment to global engagement. In
2007, he was granted the James Madison Award, the highest award given by Princeton
University to its alumni, for his contributions to public service and the public good.
In his interview, he said, ―Without study abroad, I never would have gotten there…My life and
career.‖
Case 3
204
Robin Sakamoto is a White female and currently a professor at a university in Japan where she
has lived for almost 24 years. She studied abroad in Germany on a Kalamazoo College program.
She said in her interview that her international experiences helped her ―professionally as well as
personally.‖ She said, ―I said to myself, ‗what have I learned in my life?‘ and used that as the
starting point.‖ For example, her experiences in Germany increased her political awareness of
things that are happening around the world, and influenced her to design a course on global
citizenship at the university. She also encourages strongly her Japanese students to study abroad.
Her impressive role as the President of the Parent-Teacher Association in Japan is also related to
her study abroad experiences. She explained that her experiences in Germany, knowing that she
had other experiences that she had worked at, influenced her to take a leadership role in a culture
that is not her own.
V.
CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION
The ―surprise‖ factor is one of the intriguing and valuable aspects of research. There are
numerous surprises associated with our research findings, all with important implications for
higher education. While we expected study abroad to be certainly an important and impactful
part of the undergraduate experience, we were surprised that it emerged as the most impactful
part of the undergraduate experience, viewed considerably more important, for example, than
interaction with faculty. In fact, for some study abroad is the best thing that ever happened to
them.
While the various policy-related explanatory variables such as destination, duration, and depth of
study abroad (three of the identified four Ds of study abroad from this project) had statistically
205
significant influence on global engagement, size effects were found to be surprisingly low. This
finding suggests the critical importance of the design of study abroad programs. Simply placing
students in ―exotic‖ locations or sending them abroad for long periods of time per se may have
limited impact. Our results clearly show that programs of shorter duration even in more
traditional destinations can contribute significantly to global engagement. Also surprising was
that type of institution showed little impact. Again this means that any type of higher education
institution can develop high quality study abroad programs that have influential impact on global
engagement.
On the other hand, the results on graduate education and career revealed that study abroad
destination and the depth of study abroad program, as well as program duration contributed
importantly to pursuing internationally-oriented degree at graduate level and having
internationally-oriented careers.
Related to the important issue of college choice, for those with pre-collegiate study abroad
and/or international experience, the quality and diversity of a potential college/university study
abroad offerings, our qualitative findings suggest, may be an important factor in students on
where to go to college. In this regard, Princeton‘s bold and visionary new policy to encourage an
international gap year prior to matriculation is a noteworthy development in higher education
and competition for the best students.
VI.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FINDINGS
206
This research has other important implications for the field of higher education. First, this
research demonstrates the long-term impact of study abroad experience during undergraduate
education, by examining the undergraduate experiences of study abroad alumni between 1960
and 2005. The solid empirical evidence showing how the impactful study abroad was in the longterm has important implications for the field of higher education. This finding suggests that the
ways need to be found to increase the number of students having this kind of opportunity. At the
University of Minnesota, for example, the Carlson School of Management has now mandated
that all its undergraduates have study abroad experiences.
Second, these findings address the question of whether study abroad should be an integral part of
a liberal education with the following findings. This research shows that undergraduate study
abroad experiences promote participants‘ long-term global engagement in a multifaceted way. It
also provides strong empirical evidence that study abroad experiences can profoundly influence
individuals‘ pursuit of further graduate studies and career paths. Given the current imperative for
a more sustainable global environment, the finding that study abroad has contributed
significantly to the practice of voluntary simplicity is particularly salient.
the field. It is extremely timely from a policy perspective, given the Simon Study Abroad
Foundation Act (2007) which has received strong bipartisan support in Congress. This study and
its data can inform policy thinking about the goals of the Act to democratize, diversify, and
expand study abroad. Also the finding that study participants viewed study abroad as the most
impactful of their undergraduate experiences should be welcomed by international educators
across the globe.
207
behavioral patterns of global engagement, going beyond previous studies which have
concentrated on attitudinal or only short-term outcomes of international education. Also this
research has important theoretical implications in that it has resulted in a reliable scale for
assessing global engagement in a multifaceted way. Reliable scales have also been developed
for assessing the depth of the study abroad experience and the diversified nature of study abroad
destinations.
higher education. Study abroad is an important aspect of this process. Previous to this major
study of the impact of study abroad on global engagement there has been much anecdotal
information on this topic. It is meaningful that this research has documented empirically and
systematically how study abroad has positively influenced global engagement in multifaceted
ways. Also for many participants, study abroad is transformational in its influence on their later
educational and occupational choices. Such findings suggest that investing in study abroad has
both major social and individual benefits, and, thus contributes to the development of not only
human capital but social capital.
VII.
LIMITATIONS
The limitations of this research include: 1) lack of a control group, or that control group data are
collected at a later subsequent separate stage; 2) a cross-sectional sample was used to study the
long-term impact of study abroad experience at college rather than a genuinely longitudinal
tracer study.
208
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211
Appendix I. Items, factor loadings, and reliability for Global Engagement
variables
Loading
Alpha
New Global Engagement Variables and Original Survey Items
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
.88
Philanthropy:
Health
.74
Monetary donations
Environment
.70
related to:
Poverty
.70
Human rights
.66
Education
.65
International development
.61
Community
.60
Social justice
.58
Youth organizations
.51
Arts
.57
.79
Philanthropy:
Human rights
.72
Volunteer work
Social justice
.71
related to
Poverty
.53
International development
.53
Became involved in protests,
demonstrations
.48
Domestic
civic engagement:
212
3. Civic Engagement- International: Political
.76
International
Organized or signed petition
.66
civic engagement:
Voted in election
.65
Became involved in protests,
demonstrations
.61
Wrote letter(s) to editor
.58
Used the internet to raise awareness
about social and political issues
.47
Contacted or visited a public
official
.47
4. Global Values
.73
Domestic
Made purchasing decision due to
the social or political values of a
company
.79
.70
civic engagement:
Made purchasing decision due to
the social or political values of a
company
Voluntary simplicity:
Practiced voluntary simplicity
.60
civic engagement:
International
.75
Domestic
Gave formal talks or presentations
.79
civic engagement:
Played a leadership role
.67
International
Gave formal talks or presentations
.65
civic engagement:
Played a leadership role
.46
213
6. Civic Engagement: Domestic: Political
.72
Domestic
Wrote letter(s) to editor
.70
civic engagement:
Contacted or visited a public
official
.64
Organized or signed petition
.49
Used the internet to raise awareness
about social and political issues
.48
.71
Philanthropy:
Youth organizations
.7
Volunteer work
Education
.3
related to:
Health
.4
Environment
.4
Community
.4
214

Study Abroad for Global Engagement

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