THROUGH CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATION MAXIMIZING EDUCATION ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND TRANSFER STUDENTS

PRESENTERS Jennifer Hamlow, Director of Education Abroad, Portland State University Anne Haberkern, Director of Curriculum and Education Abroad, Portland Community College Anne Frey, Northwest Field Director, IFSA-Butler

PRESENTERS 66 years of experience in the field, collectively 22+ years at 7 public colleges/universities in 3 states 11+ years 5 private colleges/universities 31+ years 5 provider organizations

OVERVIEW 44% of all U.S. undergraduates are enrolled in community colleges 20% of U.S. undergraduates are enrolled full-time at 4-year, residential institutions Community College and Transfer Students 67% of CC students are part-time 45% of CC students are a race/ethnicity other than Caucasian 60% of CC students are older than 22; average age is 28 Community College/Transfer Students and Study Abroad 1.1% of study abroad participants are community college students Only 11 CCs (out of 1,100) in the U.S. reported sending more than 100 students abroad in Even after controlling for student/institutional characteristics, 4-year institution students who started at a community college study abroad at 1/3 the rate of “native” students

OVERVIEW First Generation College Students (FGCS)and Study Abroad Depending on source used the percentage of undergraduate FGCS is 35%-50% National Center for Educational Statistics ~48% of 2-year institution students have parents with high school education or less ~42% of 4-year institution students have parents with high school education or less IFSA Fall 2015 participants-16% self identified as FGCS Tend to be vocation-driven, goal-oriented. Academics are a step toward a career.

OVERVIEW Transfer student challenges and study abroad Students who already know they are interested: institutional knowledge and access to services Until enrolled, can’t get information If wait until enrolled, can be too late Orienting to campus, academic culture, “what it is to be a student here” at same time as trying to explore study abroad Student lack of awareness/interest Demographics of transfer students = demographics of community college students More likely to see study abroad as “not for them”

PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE 90,000 students/65,000 credit students 45,000 transfer intending; 20,000 career technical Most ethnically diverse institution in Oregon Strong relationship with PSU for decades; physically close, approximately 2/3 of all PCC transfer students transfer to PSU; well-developed co-admission infrastructure Status of education abroad circa 2012: programming, scholarships Institutional mandate to increase direct from high school admissions (Think PCC First)

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY 54% of PSU Bachelor’s degree graduates began college at another institution; roughly 60% of these began at PCC Institutional mandate to increase study abroad participation “Snapshot” of current study abroad interest and applicant database: 69% of students who have indicated interest in study abroad but not yet applied are transfer; 58% of applicants are transfer students Student demographics: 43% first generation, 70% not traditional college age, 3% veterans, 39% part-time

IFSA - BUTLER Current student landscape: providers are looking to find ways to attract/serve the changing student demographic as a critical component of enrollment management. Challenges in finding ways to make enrollment accessible or changing demographic and Community Colleges (fit, credit transferability, financial support/scholarships) Strategies Specific scholarships Made a commitment and signed on to IIE’s Generation Study Abroad as did 45 other study abroad organizations Customized and Faculty-led Programs Co-enrollment

COLLABORATION Leveraging co-admission relationship between PSU and PCC for education abroad Co-admission: agreement whereby students at each institution can be admitted/enrolled and apply financial aid simultaneously Allows students to enroll in either institution in a given term, OR simultaneously at both in a given term Credit transfer in both directions

COLLABORATION Benefits of co-admission for education abroad, for all three partners Increases options for and participation by PCC students prior to transfer (access to PSU programs and advising, because they ARE PSU students) Increases ability of PSU to reach transfer population early, in order to facilitate post-transfer study abroad Increases opportunity for IFSA-Butler (and other providers working with PSU/PCC) to reach more community college/transfer students

COLLABORATION All three institutions/organizations have existing infrastructure/support for mandates that are served by the education abroad partnership: PSU: co-admission, increasing study abroad participation PCC: co-admission, transfer, increasing appeal to high school students IFSA-Butler: increasing accessibility for community college, first generation, other under-served groups

RESULTS OF PARTICIPANT SURVEYS [see slide]

GROUP DISCUSSION – “OBVIOUS TRUTHS” Not every provider will be the best fit for each institution/student Two-year and transfer students are more likely to have perceived/real barriers to study abroad (family/work obligations, financial concerns, lack of exposure, cats) Cost is a reality; however “sticker price” isn’t always the place to stop (scholarships)

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER Community college/Four-Year Representatives Do you have existing co-admission/partnerships with local peers? If so, potential to use these to facilitate study abroad? If not, who might be your potential partners What institutional support exists for/goals might be served by these relationships, and how might these be leveraged to support study abroad? Provider Representatives Do you have 4-year partners that have co-admission/strong partnerships with 2-year institutions? Do you work with 4-year partners with large transfer populations? If so, what are barriers for these populations and how might you help them develop strategies to overcome them? How might you work with your 4-year partners “feeder” 2-year institutions in ways that would benefit/support both partners and your organization?

CONCLUSIONS Biggest Challenges? Most Exciting/Innovative Strategies for overcoming challenges/working across institutions/leveraging partnerships?

CONTACT INFORMATION Jennifer Hamlow Anne Haberkern Anne Frey