An old issue of the student newspaper The Review, which is overlaid with a photograph of the first students to participate in the Study Abroad program.

Clipping from a 2013 issue of the student newspaper, The Review. It is overlaid with a photograph of the first students to study abroad. Photo of students via UD Center for Global Programs and Services.

Library, Museums and Press Staff
July 26, 2023

Cultural Education in Review: 100 Years of Study Abroad

By David Cardillo, Digital Initiatives and Preservation Department

 

A clipping from a 1923 issue of the student newspaper, The Review, with a headline that reads, "Foreign Study Plan Well Underway in France."

Clipping from the February 14, 1923, edition of The Review.

When it comes to providing students with hands-on cultural experiences, the University of Delaware is a pioneer. The University has the oldest – and first – study abroad program of its kind, which, in 2023, is celebrating 100 years. It also has one of the most engaged programs – roughly 3 in 10 Blue Hens participate in the program, compared to other universities where participation is roughly 1 in 10 students.

With such strong student interest, it comes as no surprise that the student newspaper, The Review, has covered the program since its inception.

In the February 14, 1923, edition of The Review, which is freely and digitally available via the Library, Museums and Press, there is an article discussing the beginning of the program, then known as the Foreign Study Plan. It explains that the idea for the program was put forth by Professor Raymond W. Kirkbride – the namesake of Kirkbride Hall – who was a veteran of World War I and felt that fostering international communication and understanding would help prevent such wars from happening in the future.

The first group to participate in the program consisted of eight undergraduates who traveled to France by sea aboard the Rochambeau. The students were first involved with a language immersion program, and then continued to Paris for their studies.

Photo clipping from a 2013 issue of the student newspaper, The Review, with a photo of the department behind the Study Abroad Program.

A photo clipping from the February 7, 2013, edition of The Review.

With the success of the program, it expanded to new excursions and locations, including Switzerland and Germany. Other colleges and universities began to participate as well.

Throughout the decades, the program has continued to see many direct and indirect changes. One of the more modern elements that has impacted the program is social media, as seen in the February 7, 2013, edition of The Review. In that issue, which celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Study Abroad program, coverage mentions how students were able to post pictures of themselves and newly made friends from around the world despite poor infrastructure and internet connectivity in some countries at the time. These photos and social media posts inspired several photo contests within the program, some of which still exist today.

The Study Abroad program is administered by the Center for Global Programs and Services.

 

The Review is the independent student newspaper of the University of Delaware. Since 1882, it has served as a voice for UD students and provided insights about the University and surrounding community. Past issues of The Review – dating back to its first in 1882 – are freely and digitally accessible through the Library, Museums and Press via UDSpace, the University’s institutional repository. Researchers interested in the student perspective, University history, Newark history, local current events, and reactions to worldwide historical events may find these resources especially useful.