Much attention has been drawn to United States President Donald Trump’s recent actions on the international playing field. Following the hostile visit he and Vice President JD Vance shared with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Feb. 28. Trump’s diplomacy tactics raise questions not only about the current state of US relations with foreign countries, but also the state of international exchange programs that help American students gain a better understanding of cultures beyond the US.
Recipients of State Department grant funding were notified Feb. 13 that funding for international exchange and study abroad programs would be paused. The pause was set to last 15 days and expire Feb. 27, yet it was lifted well past its expiration date. This pause was a result of Trump’s actions to reduce the reach of the federal government, which has led to significant cuts in funding for federal programs and the federal workforce in general.
Thankfully, as of March 26, the funding freeze for these programs has thawed, as 85% of the payments the Department of State withheld have been paid. While this is encouraging, it is still difficult to remedy almost two months without funding for participants abroad. Additionally, there have been no official government announcements regarding the continuation of grant programs, and organizations still do not know whether payments will remain consistent in the future, which affects whether or not these programs will even have the bandwidth to exist and send participants abroad.
As a result of the freeze, about two dozen participants through the Fulbright Program, the Critical Language Scholarship and the Gilman Scholarship had been affected, with some even being stranded abroad. Frida Larios, a student at California State University, flew to Seoul on a Gilman Scholarship; however, Larios struggled with obtaining the $3000 in scholarship money she was promised, which contributed to her living expenses.
Larios is just one of many participants this freeze affected, as well as prospective students looking to travel abroad and immersive themselves in a new language or culture. Coupled with a lack of governmental action to lift the ban well past its 15-day period, funding for international exchange programs appears to be in jeopardy. It is imperative that these programs receive proper government funding as they teach American students the value of culture beyond language classes and foster cross-cultural connections that will be beneficial in the global workforce.
Every year, more than 300,000 US students study abroad. Whether it’s for an internship, academic program or volunteer activity, such opportunities can take students abroad from anywhere between two weeks to an entire year. According to a study done by UC Merced, 97% of study abroad students found employment within 12 months of graduation, while only 49% of college graduates found employment in the same period. Having a study abroad experience makes candidates more appealing to employers, as students who study abroad can prove they have the skills necessary to live in a new place. Students are able to demonstrate they are independent, can adapt to new environments and are open to learning about new cultures.
A survey conducted by the Nebraska Department of Education found that 98% of study abroad alumni felt that by going abroad, they were able to better understand their own cultural biases and values. Even though this may seem like an obvious benefit of immersing oneself in a new culture, this statistic speaks to how useful study abroad programs truly are. These programs act as a bridge for students to more conveniently access different cultures and languages in a learning environment. They not only teach students about the culture they are immersed in, but they also teach them to challenge bias and misconceptions about that culture.
Students from the US who don’t otherwise have the means to travel or who want to gain firsthand experience in a foreign country should have the right to do so at a significantly reduced cost. Many study abroad programs, such as the Fulbright Program, send students abroad through scholarships. Even some high school programs, such as the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, operate this way, allowing students from the US to experience all aspects of different food, clothing and social norms abroad at virtually no cost.
Trump’s cuts to the federal government affect millions of lives nationally, making it even more important to draw attention to what is or isn’t being cut in terms of international learning. The funds for international exchange programs should be properly funded by the government since such programs will teach the future generation of Americans the value of preserving international cooperation, which is all the more important during such existing polarizing conditions win the US. So, in the midst of political debates and international tensions, young Americans must embody empathy and open-mindedness to ensure a more harmonious future.
