Submitted by: Leah Horton, lhorton@uca.edu on 03/17/2026
Dr. Leah Horton (Honors College), Dr. Adam Frank (Honors College), Dr. Lesley Graybeal (Academic Outreach), and Dr. Crystal Harris(School of Language and Literature) were awarded an IDEAS grant through the U.S. Department of State. The grant, “Stepping Stones Abroad: Accessible Arts-Based Approaches for Mental Health and Wellbeing in North America”, seeks to grow study abroad participation among early career, low-/middle-income students at UCA, increase Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) in the Living Learning Communities, and develop a robust global learning assessment plan for UCA. These efforts are taking place in collaboration with the Center for Global Learning and Engagement.
The $35,000 award will be used to develop two new week-long, lower cost study abroad programs to Montreal, Canada, and Merida, Mexico. The first iteration of the Montreal program will be led by Dr. Horton and Dr. Harris and will occur in May 2027. Dr. Frank and Professor Kayla Gowin will lead the Merida program in May 2028.
The U.S. Department of State’s IDEAS Program awarded grants to 31 U.S. colleges and universities across 24 states to develop international programming for U.S. students that contributes to career readiness and supports American competitiveness, national security interests, and international engagement.
IDEAS Program grantees implement projects that expand U.S. study abroad opportunities while advancing key foreign policy goals, including strengthening economic growth, innovation, and industry and promoting freedom and democracy through international academic partnerships. These initiatives prepare U.S. students to contribute to their communities and future careers in ways that support national security and long-term economic prosperity. IDEAS grants support programming in 37 destinations across all world regions, including in Ecuador, India, Japan, Kenya, United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan, strategically expanding the destinations where U.S. students study abroad. To learn more about the 2025 IDEAS grant recipients and explore resources designed to expand study abroad opportunities, visit www.studyabroadcapacitybuilding.org.
For further information about study abroad resources and exchange programs offered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, please contact ECA-Press@state.gov and visit www.state.gov/eca. The IDEAS Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State supported in its implementation by World Learning.