Chapter 16: Global Gateway: A Case Study

Study abroad practitioners are continually seeking new ways to address the barriers to study abroad—particularly among underrepresented student populations—while also providing programming to underrepresented locations. Critical to this work are campus partners who are staunch advocates, or even key collaborators, to increase access to programs. The UW-Madison Global Gateway Initiative was designed to introduce students to international and global issues through study in non-traditional, yet globally significant, destinations. Every student selected for the program receives a Global Gateway fellowship which covers all program costs and international airfare. This program is implemented by International Academic Programs with support from the UW Office of Student Financial Aid, and continues to expand to reach more students and encompass more destinations worldwide. This chapter uses the Global Gateway Initiative to examine key considerations for program development, engaging important stakeholders, learning from trial and error and adapting based on experiences and recommendations to build strong programming with long-term campus buy-in and support. Additionally, this chapter explores the structural elements and design for high impact programming intentionally geared toward underrepresented student populations.