For many University of Arizona students, the dream of studying in another country has long felt out of reach. A new $20 million donation from the Garcia family aims to change that.
In an email to students, UA President Suresh Garimella wrote “we received a transformational commitment of $20 million to elevate study abroad programming and support at the U of A.”
According to Arizona International, the scholarship provides upwards of $7,000 to students who have applied to or have been accepted into a UA Study Abroad program who demonstrate financial need. The scholarship also provides preferences towards first time travelers and first generation college students.
This scholarship was made possible by the $20 million gift donated by the Garcia family. The funds are strictly allocated to UA Study Abroad programs and will be released in 2 million increments over the span of 10 years.
“It’s really meant to knock down those financial barriers for students,” Harmony DeFazio, study abroad executive director, said regarding the impact of the scholarship.
“It’s super easy,” DeFazio said. “It’s embedded in the study abroad application, so when you choose a program and apply for it, you will be asked questions and have a singular form to fill out. It will sort of automatically screen you for scholarship eligibility.”
According to DeFazio, the UA foresees that by lowering the stakes to apply, students can see that study abroad is for everyone.
Layla Todd, UA student and Gilman Scholar — a need-based scholarship that provides up to $8,000 to students studying abroad — studied in London last spring and emphasized how important these scholarships can be.
“I think that the scholarships and funding that I received, really provided me with the financial means that I needed to go abroad,” Todd said. “To have a semester abroad and not to be overly concerned about either running out of money or not being in work at that time was very nice.”
“This opportunity was core to rounding out my college experience,” Todd said.
“Since it was announced part way through the spring application cycle, we did see some impact to both applications and the amount of students committing to programs,” Dafne Johnson, study abroad program director, said.
“This has allowed many to have access to an application in a streamlined way,” Johnson added.
While it has not seen an immediate large effect, Johnson predicts it will help the study abroad office notify students before they have to formally commit to their abroad program. Johnson explained that this will help more students to have all of their financial information prior to committing.
Alyssa Ortega, study abroad peer mentor, explained that studying abroad is a valuable experience that all students should have the opportunity to experience.
“It definitely helps with problem solving skills. If you are scared to go for so long it is understandable and summer is always an option,” Ortega said. “However, you should push to do a semester.”
Follow the Daily Wildcat on Instagram and Twitter/X
