New Horizons

New Horizons

Ohio Wesleyan to Empower More Students to Study Abroad with IIE American Passport Project Grant

DELAWARE, Ohio - Ohio Wesleyan University has earned its first IIE American Passport Project grant to help even more students go global as part of their OWU educational experiences.

Ohio Wesleyan will use its one-year $4,125 Institute of International Education (IIE) grant to fund U.S. passports for 25 Pell-eligible and first-generation students during the 2026-2027 academic year. Ohio Wesleyan was one of only 40 IIENetwork schools to earn American Passport Project grants this cycle.

"Approximately 33% of Ohio Wesleyan students are first-generation college students, or the first in their families to pursue higher education, and another 38% are eligible for federal Pell Grants based on their financial situation," said Lisa Ho, director of OWU's Office of International and Off-Campus Programs (IOCP). "The potential for students to have their passport fees covered is game-changing for some, empowering them to consider study-abroad opportunities that may not be accessible otherwise."

The IIE's Center for International Opportunities awards American Passport Project funds based, in part, on a college's demonstrated efforts to prioritize student populations from low-income backgrounds, students who have not traveled abroad as an adult or in a learning environment, and students in their first year at an institution.

Ho said the new grant, written by IOCP Associate Director Yegor Sorokin, enhances OWU's existing Bishop Elevate | IOCP Passport program, which launched this spring and already has awarded grants to 12 students. The IOCP and the university's Palmer Center for First Generation Student Success, led by Director Thea Smekens, are collaborating to promote the American Passport Project to eligible students.

Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan's Office of International and Off-Campus Programs at owu.edu/IOCP and more about the Institute of International Education at https://www.iie.org.

The American Passport Project seeks to pay for 10,000 U.S. students to obtain their passports by the end of the decade. Of the initiative, IIE President and CEO Jason Czyz states: "Education and exchange drive innovation, diplomacy, and long-term stability by preparing leaders to navigate interconnected markets, emerging technologies, and global challenges. Obtaining a passport is an essential first step to pursuing these experiences."

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.