The Intercultural Mentoring Program Advancing Community Ties hosted a student of color study abroad panel last Monday. The panel included five student speakers: Mililani Leui, Lofanitani Aisea, Vanessa Barrientos, Naa Amorkor and Jourdan Ashleigh.
The panelists discussed a variety of topics regarding studying abroad including how they chose their program, their biggest worries about studying abroad, how they found scholarships and what their travel experiences were like. They also offered advice on combating homesickness while away and how to get the most out of an experience abroad.
Mililani Leui, a fourth-year student majoring in psychology, studied abroad in Accra, Ghana as a part of the Global Health and Development PISA Study Abroad Program.
“Studying abroad in Accra, Ghana was so culturally and historically rich,” said Leui. “The people there are really friendly and really open, they opened their homes, take you to church.”
Leui also discussed her experience working in a laboratory at Rinat Clinic in Ghana where she was able to run various tests for malaria and HIV. “It was a great experience. I definitely recommend it if you’re a student there. You’re able to earn up to 20 credits, so it’s definitely worthwhile,” Leui said.
The panelists were also asked about their biggest fears about studying abroad and what challenges they faced. Many discussed fears about missing family, safety and being a person of color in a foreign place.
“I think my biggest fear was just being a person of color within my group and just not being able to fit in,” Leui said. “But it turned out fine. I love all the girls that I went on the trip with.”
Vanessa Barrientos, a fourth-year student majoring in public relations and Spanish, reflected on her experiences studying abroad in Segovia, Spain and the challenges she faced throughout the process.
“I didn’t have support. My family really didn’t think I was going to make it happen, you know, money-wise,” Barrientos said. “And I was like, I’m gonna do it.”
Barrientos also offered advice to students debating studying abroad. “Push to do it because I feel like we cut ourselves short on opportunities because we think it’s not possible,” Barrientos said. “But it’s just putting in the work and trying to find the resources. Get out of the comfort zone.”
The event’s host, IMPACT, is an organization at the University of Oregon designed to offer peer-to-peer mentoring for first-generation college students and students from underrepresented communities.
“We’re a mentorship program that’s really advocating for people to make sure students of color and first-generation students have the ability to feel like someone’s there for them, that someone cares about them,” said Geoffrey Henderson, a Student Coordinator for IMPACT.
This student of color study abroad panel was designed to promote the opportunities that first-generation students and students of color have in regards to studying abroad, according to Henderson, who also hoped that this event would give students a starting point to find the opportunity right for them.
Henderson hoped the panel would provoke students to think, “Oh, people that look like me and might’ve had my experiences have done this. Maybe this is something that looks like my future too.”
