Bennett College has been selected by the Institute of International Education (IIE) to receive an IIE American Passport Project grant that will enable up to Bennett College students to obtain their first U.S. passport and open the pathway to study abroad.
In its fourth year, IIE awarded 51 institutions in the IIENetwork membership for this opportunity, the largest cohort to date.
A key program under the IIE Center for Access and Equity, the IIE American Passport Project represents IIE’s commitment to creating access to international education opportunities and enabling equity by removing a financial barrier, thereby increasing the diversity and inclusion of students studying abroad. The program prioritizes students early in their higher education experience to allow them ample time to go through the passport application and study abroad planning process with advising and support from the awarded institutions. Through the IIE American Passport Project, IIE aims to grant 10,000 U.S. students their passports by the end of this decade.
The IIE American Passport Project seeks to reach diverse student populations and institutions that serve students who identify within demographics underrepresented in U.S. study abroad or those who often do not obtain a U.S. passport. To date, the program has supported 176 higher education institutions in 41 states since its inception in 2021. In this fourth cohort, 41% of the institutions represent racial/ethnic minority-serving populations – HBCUs, HSIs, AANAPISIs, and MSIs –or are community colleges. The majority of the awarded institutions are focusing on these priority demographics for their respective campuses: first-generation college students, racial/ethnic minorities, students with demonstrated financial need, and students who have never traveled abroad.
Bennett College has a robust study abroad program and a commitment to providing global travel experiences to its students. Consistently recognized as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader, Bennett College students have traveled to over 30 countries. For Bennett College, studying abroad is a gateway to a world of opportunities that go beyond the traditional classroom, providing invaluable insights into diverse cultures and perspectives. Immersing oneself in a new environment fosters language proficiency and cultural fluency, essential skills in the increasingly interconnected world. Bennett College will use this grant of 25 free passports for Pell-eligible students to reinforce its goal that every student have a passport and the opportunity to travel internationally while at the College.
About IIE:
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in designing and implementing international education strategies and program services. We work with governments, policymakers, educators, and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that assist students, scholars, and artists whose lives and work are threatened; expand teaching and learning across cultures; and provide opportunities to underserved populations. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 16 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,600 higher education partners.
In its work around the world, IIE’s global offices and experienced staff have developed significant expertise, capabilities and best practices in a set of core areas. Our cutting-edge approaches developed in these fields are formalized in a set of Centers of Excellence: IIE’s Center for International Partnerships and IIE’s Center for Access and Equity. IIE’s Center for Access and Equity aims to advance accessible programming and equitable practices in community building that enrich and expand international education, exchange, and opportunity for all.
The IIENetwork is IIE’s global membership association supporting the strategic advancement of international education. Through the IIENetwork, IIE shares decades of experience and expertise, generates resources, and leverages knowledge and practices with members who are working to strategize and actualize international education efforts, including building international and academic partnerships, recruiting international students, and advocating for study abroad and student mobility.
About Bennett College
Founded in 1873 and chartered as a college for women in 1926, Bennett College is committed to cultivating bold women leaders, entrepreneurs and agents of social change using an integrated approach to the intellectual, social, and spiritual development of its student body. Bennett College prepares women of color through a transformative liberal arts education to lead with purpose, integrity, and a strong sense of self-worth. Bennett provides educational access to students while promoting inquiry, civic engagement, social justice, lifelong learning, and equity for all.
Beyond its undergraduate degree program, its continuing studies offerings provide learning opportunities for professional development and personal enrichment, engaging and inspiring women to connect, exchange ideas, and upskill. Celebrating its 150th year anniversary, the College is ranked the #1 national liberal arts college for social mobility for 2022 and a 2022-2023 Best College for Social Mobility by global education ranking authority U.S. News & World Report and is designated as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader for 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023. Bennett College has a 90% retention rate and is ranked as one of the Top 25 Women’s Colleges in the country by College Consensus.
