Susan Atkins is an inaugural recipient of the New Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program Grant 

Susan Atkins, who directs the English Language Development (ELD) coursework for the Educator Preparation Program, is among four inaugural recipients of the New Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program Grant competition. Atkins will use the grant to support a new program for undergraduate teaching interns enrolled in the MDE PK-12 ESL endorsement to study abroad in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

Funded by the Vice Provost for Engaged Learning’s Global Engagement Strategic Plan, the program launched in 2023 to support the development of new faculty-led education abroad programs. Grants of up to $24,000 each (up to $4,000 to support the faculty leader and up to $20,000 in matching funding to support student participants) are offered across the following categories:

New Faculty-Led Education Abroad Programs in Nearby International Locations
Short-term programs led by faculty from a student’s home institution can provide a gateway to global learning experiences for first-time international travelers. To increase accessibility and affordability of education abroad, these grants will support new short-term programs in nearby international locations in North America. Eligible regions include Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

New Faculty-Led Education Abroad Programs in Less-Traveled Destinations
University of Michigan students, and U.S. students in general, predominantly study abroad in a handful of countries, mostly in Western Europe. To diversify the range of opportunities across the globe for U-M students, these grants will support new short-term programs in one of the following eligible regions: Africa, Asia, Central America, and South America. Priority will be given to applications for programs in countries with historically fewer U-M travelers.

The grant application for the next cycle of funding is open through May 17, 2024.