Durbin Intorduces Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program

DURBIN INTRODUCES LINCOLN STUDY ABROAD FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Friday, July 28, 2006

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Commission, introduced legislation this week to establish a study abroad program for undergraduate students that would help build global awareness and international understanding. Durbin's bill, the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program is based on recommendations published by the Lincoln Study Abroad Commission last year. The bipartisan bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN).

"Senator Paul Simon was one our nation's great public servants," said Durbin. "Senator Simon had a vision -- to strengthen the role of the U.S. as a world leader by investing in the education of our young people. The international study abroad program we are introducing is based on his vision and advances his work. This program will instill in the next generation of Americans a deeper understanding of the cultures and histories of other nations. This, in turn, will enhance the United States' capacity to lead in the 21st Century."

Durbin's bill creates a study abroad program that encourages non-traditional students -- such as low income students and those who attend community college -- to spend part of their undergraduate careers studying abroad. The program also concentrates on giving students opportunities to study in Asian countries and developing nations. The program provides direct fellowships to students, as well as financial incentives to colleges and universities to make internal policy changes that make it easer for students to study abroad. The changes implemented through the program will allow the U.S. to sustain a steady growth in the number of students who experience other countries as part of their undergraduate education. The legislation was introduced Wednesday evening.

"I applaud Senators Durbin and Coleman for taking the lead in what I hope will become a significant and lasting tribute to my father's vision of building bridges of understanding through study abroad," said Martin. H. Simon. "I'm sure my dad would be proud of his colleagues for recognizing this important need and I encourage the rest of the Senate to join them in seeing the goals of the Lincoln Fellowship program realized."

Durbin's bill is based on the following objectives:

To encourage 1,000,000 undergraduates to study abroad for academic credit within 10 years; To establish a program that reflects the demographics of the undergraduate population, including students in technical and scientific fields of study; To establish a program that ensures an increasing portion of study abroad takes place in nontraditional destinations, with substantial increases in developing countries; To establish a program that is accessible to students at less traditional institutions of higher education.

The Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program would be established at the Department of State and consist of two separate complementary programs -- Lincoln Fellowships and Lincoln Institutional Leverage Grants. Lincoln Fellowships would provide direct financial assistance to undergraduate students, in good academic standing, to study abroad for credit. Lincoln Institutional Leverage Grants would provide financial assistance to institutions of higher education, 85% of which must go directly to student awards and 15% of which would be used to reform academic programs and institutional policies that inhibit participation by students in study abroad.

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=259923&&