Life
Spelman College Sends Record Number of Students Abroad
Study-abroad participation rose 31% as the historically Black college expands its global education programs.
Spelman College, a leading historically Black women’s institution, sent 498 students abroad in the 2025-26 academic year – an institutional record. The figure marks a 31 percent increase over the previous year’s 380, with placements across 35 countries on five continents.
Faculty-led programs accounted for nearly 89 percent of participants. The number of faculty and staff leading trips rose 52 percent year-over-year, underscoring the central role of in-house academic leadership in driving global engagement.
New offerings include leadership seminars in South Africa, global-health internships in Barbados and Senegal, and diaspora-focused dance research in Morocco. The college also added programs in Spain, Kenya, the UAE, Ecuador, and Brazil.
Over the Gilman Scholarship program’s 25-year history, Spelman has ranked No. 1 among small colleges for recipients and placed in the top 25 across the United States. It also ranked 17th among U.S. baccalaureate institutions in the IIE Open Doors Report.
“This momentum reflects both strategic investment and student curiosity,” said Vice Provost ’Dimeji Togunde. With interim provost Aditi Pai and President Ayanna Howard in place, the college expects further expansion.
