The Office of Education Abroad awarded 18 California Lutheran University students the American Passport Scholarship as part of the Institute for International Education American Passport Project initiative.ย
According to the newest issue of the Center for Global Engagementโs monthly newsletter, the scholarship aims to support underrepresented students by helping them acquire their first passport, thus advancing their chances and opportunities to study abroad.
According to the IIE website, the Passport Project Scholarship is awarded to roughly 1,000 Pell Grant eligible students per school year across 176 colleges and universities, about half of which fall under at least one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institution, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, or Minority Serving Institution classifications, with each school able to award a maximum of 25 students. The scholarship is intended to specifically aid students that come from underrepresented demographics, including first-generation college students, minorities, and students with very little travel experience.
Cal Lutheran offers study abroad programs in 33 countries, with varying factors like major and amount of time, or the time of year the student wants to spend in a given country, per the OEA website.ย
Junior Erika Garcia said that she had never once considered studying abroad and also had little interest initially because she felt like it was an opportunity that she couldnโt afford.
โIt was completely out of my radar. I was thinking about, like, โI donโt think Iโd be able to, financially.โ I donโt think that it was something that I was interested in at the time, and at the same time I was like, โI donโt even know where I would go,โโ Garcia said.ย
Garcia is a psychology major and first-generation college student who came to Cal Lutheran through the Upward Bound program, which helps students in similar situations have a clearer path to higher education, according to the programโs website.ย
โIt opened my eyes to be looking at programs that we offer here now,โ Garcia said. โI get to gain more independence in a different country or different area, itโs just something special to be able to relive that independence and find yourself in a different area and also study what I love.โย
Garcia said she heard about the scholarship when she received an email urging her to apply. She was not confident in her chances of being selected, but seeing as the application was free, felt like there was no harm in trying.ย
โI was like, โoh theyโre not gonna pick me, so, you know what? Iโm gonna try, and if I donโt get it, thatโs fine.โ I would love to study abroad or travel and I think itโs a good opportunity, so it was like, โmight as well, it doesnโt hurt and it wonโt affect me negatively,โโ Garcia said.ย
Sophomore Niani Jones said she became interested in studying abroad when a friend came back from Scotland and recommended it to her, so when the email came in her inbox, urging her to apply, she jumped at the opportunity.ย
โI never really gave it much thought until she, like, kind of basically kept bringing it up so I was like, โOK โโฆ I saw I got nominated to try and get it and then it was an email saying, โCongrats, you got it,โโ Jones said.ย
Jones said that she, like her friend, will be looking to go to Scotland during the fall 2025 semester.ย
Similarly to Garcia, junior Christian Nelson said he applied on a whim after receiving an email about the scholarship.
โWhenever I see an opportunity like that, itโs kind of a shot in the dark, so I just took the chance and I just applied for it,โ Nelson said.ย
Nelson, a first-generation college student, said he hopes to become a teacher after graduation. He said having a passport has quantified his future, making things that seemed far away before seem so close and feasible.ย
โI think thereโs a lot of barriers to entry and time when youโre trying to get your passport that is kind of annoying,โ Nelson said. โWith this opportunity, is Iโve been like, โwell I can think about getting a job abroad because thatโs a possibility that I can now do because I can get my passport now,โโ Nelson said.ย
Nelson said his goal is to teach internationally as well as within the United States. He said he hopes the scholarship can provide further opportunity, open doors, and overall make him a better teacher.ย
โI think for me, itโs a chance at more opportunities outside of the states. I think, as Americans, we tend to pigeonhole ourselves into a very Americanized way of thinking,โ Nelson said. โI want to see how other cultures live and experience their lives.โ
Garcia and Nelson said anyone on the fence or with the opportunity to apply should do so, saying that at the end of the day, you donโt reap any consequences if you donโt get in.ย
โDo it. It doesnโt hurt to, and it only benefits you. Even if you donโt get it, you learn from it,โ Garcia said.
