Students Discover the World
The Endowment for International Studies was established at the University of New Hampshire with a gift from Mr. Craig W. Abbott of Darien, Connecticut. Abbott, a 1970 graduate of the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore School of Business and Economics, recognizes the importance of cultivating both an international awareness and a hands-on learning experience as a vital component of an undergraduate college education. Abbott’s career working in international capital markets motivated him to help students participate in and get a first-hand taste of what it means to interact in the "global economy." Abbott states, "I am pleased to be able to assist the University with its international studies programs and believe this endowment is just the start to an exciting new phase of reaching beyond New Hampshire borders to connect students and prepare them for their life’s work."
The Endowment for International Studies provides scholarship support for deserving students participating in the University’s study abroad and international research initiatives. Presently, some 400 UNH students study and travel abroad each year to pursue language, cultural and educational interests through a variety of UNH programs. Among these programs is UNH’s first-in-the-nation International Research Opportunities Program (IROP) open to undergraduates from all academic disciplines. The IROP program allows students to engage in advanced research projects under the mentorship of both UNH and international faculty.
This program brings together two experiences that are especially important for students - international education and research. The knowledge and skills that they master as they work with their faculty sponsors on campus and later, with a foreign mentor, can transform the direction and scope of their studies and give them a new sense of where they are in the world. IROP prepares students for life after school, making them more attractive to graduate schools and more competitive in the job market.
Thanks to the Endowment for International Studies, five UNH undergraduate students have pursued course work and research interests in Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Italy and Germany.
For additional information regarding international programs at UNH, please contact Claire L. Malarte-Feldman, Director for the Center for International Education (CIE) at (603) 862-2398.
For more information about University of New Hampshire programs, please visit the following web links:
