A World of Opportunity

Thanks to the Dick and Lynne Cheney Study Abroad Endowment, thousands of UW students have had the opportunity of international experiences.

In 2007, UW alumnus and former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, donated $1.8 million, doubled by the state matching program, to create the largest endowment for study abroad of any public land-grant university in the nation. Since then, the fund has awarded thousands of study-abroad grants, as well as fellowships and grants for faculty-directed programs.

“The Dick and Lynne Cheney Study Abroad Endowment is more than just a financial resource — it is a gateway to student transformation,” says Education Abroad Director Shelley Jewell. “It has opened doors for over 3,500 students to step beyond their comfort zones, challenge their assumptions, and immerse themselves in countries and cultures across the world by way of studying abroad. Through this gift, students not only gain knowledge about their particular field of study, but they also gain a new perspective on themselves and their futures, learning skills and confidence that will serve them their whole lives. It is an honor to steward such a remarkable gift, and I am constantly inspired by the ways it continues to shape and elevate our students’ experiences, both academically and personally.”

Student Perspectives

Brinley Barnes, a sophomore kinesiology major from Mountain View, Wyo., earned a Cheney Scholarship to study in Rome for three months.

“I took advantage of the opportunities the program offered and had weekends filled with informative excursions,” says Barnes, who plans to become an occupational therapist. “We visited places such as Palermo, Pompeii and Florence, just to name a few.”

During her experience, she learned how to navigate new and difficult situations including language barriers, reveled in the amazing art and architecture, and made lifelong friends.

Most students who study abroad report that the experience is truly life-changing.

“I believe all students should experience studying abroad at least once,” says Aseel Abu Tarboush, a junior marketing, management and entrepreneurship major from Amman, Jordan, who earned the Cheney Scholarship to study business for a semester in Seoul, South Korea. “It’s a unique opportunity to challenge yourself and learn about who you are and how you respond to different situations. It’s also a fantastic way to explore the world and build invaluable connections with people from diverse backgrounds.”

Abu Tarboush plans to pursue an MBA and internship abroad, one day working in venture capital.

“The business classes I took in Korea provided me with valuable insights into how the business world operates outside of the U.S.,” she says. “I learned how people in other countries think and perceive information differently, which broadened my understanding of international business practices. This experience is a tremendous asset to me and my career journey. Traveling is an excellent way to develop skills that are highly valued by employers and build character. It’s also the beginning of my journey to explore the world, gain knowledge and understand different approaches to business and education.”

International Opportunities

The Cheneys’ gift helped create a culture of internationalization at UW that continues to gain momentum today.

“The Cheney endowment has been absolutely transformative for study abroad at UW,” says Vice Provost for Global Engagement Isadora Helfgott. “It not only defrays students’ costs when pursuing international experiences, but it also has fostered a culture in which UW students, parents, academic departments and advisers all know that study-abroad opportunities are within reach for every student in every major. Studying abroad has so many benefits — from learning another language and being exposed to other cultures, to learning the true meaning of global citizenship, to developing job-critical skills in communication and problem-solving that help our students gain the competitive edge in landing their dream jobs. The Cheney Study Abroad Endowment opens doors in ways that our graduates carry with them throughout their entire professional careers and lives.”

Administered by the Global Engagement Office out of the Cheney International Center, the endowment includes popular scholarships for education abroad as well as the Richard and Lynne Cheney Fellowship for Excellence in Study Abroad, which is awarded to outstanding students with strong records of academic excellence and the potential for enhanced professional development while abroad. Recipients earn full stipends for pursuits such as international research. In 2020, first-generation students could apply to become Cheney First Gen Abroad Scholars. These scholars earn a study-abroad scholarship and receive mentorship. Without the Cheney endowment, education abroad would be inaccessible for many students.

In addition to the fund making experiences affordable, UW personnel work to ensure that students can study abroad without delaying graduation, even in majors where that has typically been difficult such as engineering. They work tirelessly to develop and identify international opportunities, including faculty-led courses, exchanges and internships.

“The idea is to enrich the degree program, not slow it down,” Helfgott says. “The Cheney Scholarship is critical to our goal of providing an international experience for every UW student who wants one.”