WorldStrides Higher Ed

The quickest way to understand a culture? Start with what's on the plate. Food has a way of telling stories that guidebooks can't. During her summer abroad in Spain, WorldStrides student blogger Bella explored local farms, historic markets, traditional bakeries, and the origins of authentic Valencian paella – gaining a deeper understanding of the people and traditions that shape everyday life. Read Bella's latest blog for a look at Spain through its flavors.🍊🥘 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eHQsCfGV #NewBlog #StudentStories #StudyAbroad

STEM students shouldn't have to choose between academic rigor and cultural immersion. 🔬🧮🥼 In Bilbao, Spain, WorldStrides students can take engineering courses in English while building Spanish language skills and exploring interests across disciplines. By studying alongside local students and engaging with university life, they gain practical experience both inside and outside the classroom. A special thank you to our Resident Director, Genoveva García-Gallardo, for sharing what makes Bilbao such a unique place to learn and live! Learn more about our programs in Bilbao: https://lnkd.in/eHZAUA-J. #StudyAbroad #STEMAbroad #EngineeringAbroad #Bilbao #WorldStridesStudyAbroad

What a wonderful way to wrap up this experience. So proud of our team for bringing this to life and grateful to the Big Ten Academic Alliance for spending time with us in Galway. This is exactly the kind of partnership that makes the work we do so meaningful! #StudyAbroad #GlobalEducation #HigherEd #InternationalEducation #UniversityPartnerships

🎉 Congratulations to Flora J., our WorldStrides GO (Global Opportunity) Full-Ride Scholarship recipient for Fall 2026! Flora proudly represents the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Institute for Ethnic Studies, a program that emerged "in response to the demands of students of color to see our bodies, lives, histories, and systems of knowledge represented in our school's curriculum." This fall, Flora is headed to Peru, where they'll dive into Peruvian culture, history, and society through Spanish-taught courses and full language immersion. Flora said the scholarship means more than a trip abroad—it's a validation of their academic path at a time when Ethnic Studies programs face growing resource challenges. In Flora's own words: "The GO Full-Ride is so instrumental to making this dream a reality. I expect the experience will be no less than life-changing." We couldn't agree more. ¡Arriba Perú! 🇵🇪 #StudyAbroad #EthnicStudies #Scholarship #LanguageImmersion #HigherEducation 📌 Learn more about WorldStrides' funding options and apply for Winter/Spring scholarships by October 30: https://lnkd.in/gepTYXQp

How do you get into the minds of consumers? Head to Japan! We created a custom week-long cultural immersion program for Master of Applied Psychology students at the University of Southern California that:   🎮 Went behind-the-scenes at video game, luxury retail, and professional services organizations like CyberConnect2 Co., Ltd. and Valuence Group 👀 Offered a peek into Japan’s unique, collaborative-forward work culture 🛍️ Dove deep into the day-to-day strategies of changemakers in global e-commerce, retail, and marketing industries   Read the full recap of the USC experience: https://lnkd.in/gCf_WiCJ   Big shoutouts belong to Jorge Barraza, Mona Farid-Nejad, Jennifer Seymour, and Lauren Delesky for helping to bring this immersive experience to life. #ProgramSpotlight #CustomPrograms #MBA #HigherEducation #Japan

Storytelling is best learned by living it – and that's exactly what Howard University students did in Thailand this spring! As part of their creative nonfiction course, the cohort spent 10 days in Bangkok and Chiang Mai engaging with causes and cultures that gave their writing real stakes. From food rescue operations with Scholars of Sustenance Thailand - SOS Thailand to hands-on service with the Bangkok Community Help Foundation to an immersive Thai New Year experience through the Peace Culture Foundation - มูลนิธิศานติวัฒนธรรม, every session was a masterclass in observation, community, and craft. Learn more about this incredible Custom Program and start building your own ➡️ https://lnkd.in/esbfu_P2. Special thank you to our talented team members Lauren Delesky and Fabiana Crestani for helping bring this experience to life! #HigherEducation #ExperientialLearning #StudyAbroad #CommunityImpact #HowardUniversity

If you're like us and still buzzing about #NAFSA2026, we have some good news! It's time to share the winners of this year's globally inspired game. 🎉 At our booth, attendees had the chance to guess the country of origin and name of a collection of fabric and textile swatches. Huge congrats to this year's winners, who will each receive a $1,500 scholarship for their university. ⬇️ 🇿🇦 South Africa – Marissa Chandler, Belmont University 🇨🇿 Czechia – Samantha M. Young, The University of Alabama 🇯🇵 Japan – Chrissie Faupel, University of Minnesota Duluth 🇨🇷 Costa Rica – Lauren Merefalli Ferrer, Rutgers University 🇫🇷 France – Mary Choi Robinson, Rollins College Thank you to everyone who participated. We can't wait to do it again next year! #GlobalEducation #StudyAbroad #Conference #HigherEd #Scholarship NAFSA: Association of International Educators

Not every study abroad story is about becoming a new person. Sometimes it's about understanding yourself a little more clearly – where you're at, what matters to you, and how big the world really is when you step outside of your corner of it. 💫 Student blogger Noam is wrapping up his semester in Dunedin, New Zealand, and this reflection covers it all: the wildlife, the people, the Milky Way from the middle of nowhere, and the honest truth about what four months abroad actually gives you. Read his full blog here >>> https://lnkd.in/ecz-KBT5 #NewBlog #StudentStories #StudyAbroad #Aotearoa #NewZealand

We're incredibly grateful to receive the GoAbroad Innovation Award for Innovation in Global Respectful Disruption Leadership alongside such thoughtful colleagues and collaborators! ✨ A huge congratulations to WorldStrides' Sarah Warren and co-presenters Katie Wiggins-Gawlik, Katherine Mary "Kate" Meyer, Ally Layton-Bennett, and Sarah Heineken. “Fatness Takes Flight: Supportive Body Diversity on International Programs” was created to challenge an often-overlooked barrier in international education: anti-fat bias and the ways it can shape advising, program design, mobility expectations, and student belonging abroad. The session combined historical context, honest discussion, and practical strategies for building more inclusive study abroad experiences for every body. We’re proud to see this work resonating across the field and thankful to everyone who engaged so openly with the conversation. #StudyAbroad #InternationalEducation #HigherEd #GlobalLearning #DEI #Accessibility #InclusiveEducation

Us after an action-packed #NAFSA2026: 🦩😴 From meaningful conversations on the future of global education to reconnecting with partners and colleagues from around the world, this week was a reminder of just how strong and passionate the #InternationalEducation community is. We loved hosting our reception, seeing great engagement at our sessions, and spending time with so many familiar and new faces. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, shared ideas, and helped make this year’s conference such a memorable one! And we’re not done yet – stay tuned for the announcement of our scholarship winners soon. 👀 Safe travels home, and we can’t wait to see everyone next year! #StudyAbroad #HigherEd #Conference #CommonThreads NAFSA: Association of International Educators