It’s Our World Too
A new way to promote college readiness and completion
It’s Our World Too is a data-driven college readiness initiative dedicated to increasing completion rates among first-generation students by introducing study abroad as a distinctive incentive to stay engaged on their journey.
A Proven Intervention
First-generation students who study abroad graduate at a 94% rate compared to 54% of their peers over six years. This advantage holds over four years, where participants graduate at a 65% rate versus only 34% for non-participants. Despite these doubled graduation rates, fewer than 10% ever participate. These students also earn a 0.10 higher GPA, gain 6.88 more credits, and graduate nearly half a semester sooner than their peers on campus.
Source: CASSIE National Study (2023), published in The Journal of Higher Education. Data collected from 36 U.S. institutions and over 220,000 students.
Initiative Objectives
While 70% of freshmen have heard of studying abroad, 81% report they have no idea where to start. As a result, many students delay engaging with these opportunities until their junior or senior year, limiting their ability to plan.
Study Abroad 101 was created to close this gap. Through this sessions, students leave with the following outcomes:
01. Activate Early Awareness and Understanding
Students gain a clear understanding of how study abroad works, how it is funded, and how to begin planning early in their college journey. Early awareness is critical, as nearly 33% of first-generation students drop out within their first three years (FirstGen Forward, 2025), often before they are exposed to opportunities like study abroad. This ensures students enter college informed and prepared to take advantage of opportunities that are often overlooked.
02. Equip Students with the Confidence to Take Action
Students leave with practical next steps, including who to speak to, how to plan their coursework, and how to advocate for study abroad opportunities once on campus. They also gain a clear understanding that financial access and institutional support are not barriers, as programs can be funded through existing aid and supported by campus resources. This builds the confidence needed to take action early and increases the likelihood that students will follow through on these opportunities.
03. Strengthen Purpose and Intentionality in College
Students are introduced to study abroad as an exciting, tangible outcome of being intentional in college, helping them see education as a pathway to meaningful, real-world experiences rather than just a requirement. This shift is especially important as recent surveys show declining interest in college is driven by growing skepticism around the immediate return on investment of a four-year degree (Gates Foundation / Edge Research, 2023). By connecting education to clear and desirable outcomes, students are more motivated to persist toward their degree.
Bringing Study Abroad 101 to Students
A virtual information session designed to demystify global travel and ignite college motivation by answering 4 pressing questions:
What Is Study Abroad
Use real world examples to showcase how students can earn university credit while living and learning in a different country.
Why college is the prime time
Ensuring they see understand how study abroad efforts are integrated at every stage of the college journey.
How its funded
Explaining how financial aid funds can be reallocated while introducing them to external funding sources like the Gilman scholarship.
How to Self-Advocate
A guide on who to talk to, how to map out their course work early, and how to get ahead of the long-term planning required for a successful departure.
Hi, I’m Ayana Ellison
I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I graduated from high school in 2020 and went on to attend Georgia State University, where I earned my degree in business. On paper my path sounds pretty typical, but my journey was far from ordinary. Growing up in a single-parent household with limited exposure to out-of-the-box possibilities, I went through school mostly on autopilot, doing my best so I could eventually live on the other side of town. Everything shifted my sophomore year of college when I was introduced to the possibility of travel.
That moment sparked my curiosity and led me to research ways to make travel a reality. I quickly realized there were far more opportunities than I had ever been exposed to, and many of them were not as difficult to access as I had assumed. They simply required strong grades and intentional choices about the courses and programs I pursued.
Once I understood the process, I locked in and began advocating for myself. During college, I studied abroad and visited six countries. This newfound focus allowed me to graduate two semesters early, making me the first person in my family to graduate from college. My journey did not stop there. I went on to live abroad for two years and traveled to several more countries.
Looking back, I believe that simply being introduced to the possibility of more, and seeing that it was already compatible with what I was doing, was enough to plant the seed that changed my motivation for life. That realization inspired this program. It’s Our World Too exists to introduce students to opportunities they may not know are available, giving them a reason to complete their journey that centers their curiosity and personal enjoyment while perfectly complementing their education.