GO BRO Project Designed to Interest More Male Students in Study Abroad

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 8, 2016) — University of Kentucky Education Abroad (UK EA) and International Studies Abroad (ISA) are launching the “GO Study aBROad,” or GO BRO, campaign this fall. The GO BRO campaign is a competition for UK fraternity chapters running now through Oct. 14.

The GO BRO campaign was developed to increase male enrollment, because this population is underrepresented in UK EA programs, consistent with national trends. Nationally, the EA ratio of female participants to male participants is 65 percent to 35 percent. This ratio has held steady for more than a decade. UK EA and ISA are working together to increase the percentage of men studying abroad.

“Traditionally, male students and male Greek students are two underrepresented student populations in education abroad,” said Miko McFarland, acting director of UK EA. “Our goal is to make sure our Greek students know they can pursue international academic opportunities and still be fully engaged in Greek life here at UK.”

Fraternity chapters will receive points based on participation in several UK EA events this fall. For example, if 10 people from a chapter attend the Education Abroad Fall Fair today, the chapter will receive 10 points. If the chapter completes a 30-minute presentation in their house or meeting place, the chapter will receive 25 points. Fraternity chapters may receive up to 200 points. The fraternity chapter in first place at the end of the competition may select one fraternity member to attend an ISA site visit to San José and Heredia, Costa Rica, and Santiago, Dominican Republic, or Lima and Cusco, Peru.

The ISA Kentucky Office, an embedded ISA office located in Bradley Hall, works to extend UK EA’s mission of providing academically sound international experiences to UK students. Since the opening of the ISA Kentucky Office, ISA has collaborated with UK EA on several strategic initiatives that promote education abroad to underrepresented populations on campus. The GO BRO campaign is one of those strategic initiatives.

An ISA site visit itinerary typically includes visits to two or more ISA program sites and consists of both academic and cultural activities. The fraternity member will engage with ISA’s host institutions, observe various classes, and meet with university personnel, including international office administrators and faculty when possible. The fraternity member will visit ISA offices at each site and will meet the ISA staff responsible for supporting students during their study abroad program. The fraternity member will also be able to spend time with ISA students currently abroad. This will help prepare and enable him for the opportunity to speak openly with his peers about their experience and assist in helping UK EA and ISA develop a course of action that will increase male student participation in education abroad.

It is the hope of UK EA and ISA that by visiting ISA program locations on an arranged site visit, the fraternity member’s knowledge of ISA programs, along with his confidence in the benefits of studying abroad, will substantially increase. After the arranged site visit, the fraternity member will present his experience to fraternity chapters across campus.

The fraternities in second and third place will receive a donation towards their national philanthropy and an ISA scholarship for a chapter member to use towards an ISA program.

To learn more about this campaign and how to participate, please visit www.uky.edu/international/gobro or contact:

ISA Kentucky Office – 313 Bradley Hall

Patrick Barker – pbarker@studiesabroad.com – 859-323-2180

UK EA Advisor

Susan Meredith – susan.meredith@uky.edu – 859-323-2143

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MEDIA CONTACT: Gail Hairston, 859-257-3302, gail.hairston@uky.edu