Spelman College Recognized by Institute of International Education as a Study Abroad Leader

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Brijea Daniel, brijeadaniel@spelman.edu


Annual Open Doors Report Highlights Spelman’s Rising Impact and Continued Leadership in Global Education

ATLANTA (December 8, 2025) -- Spelman College was recently recognized by the Institute of International Education (IIE) as a top baccalaureate institution for study abroad opportunities in the 2023-2024 academic year.

In the IIE’s Open Doors Report, Spelman was listed as No. 17 among the top 40 U.S. baccalaureate institutions for sending the highest number of students abroad. The College was also ranked No. 7 among the top 20 U.S. baccalaureate institutions sending students abroad on short-term programs, jumping three spots from No. 10 the previous year.

Spelman College is very pleased with its consistent high ranking among baccalaureate colleges in study abroad,” said Dr. ‘Dimeji Togunde, vice provost for global education and professor of international studies at Spelman. "Spelman's stellar national ranking in study abroad reinforces the power of collaboration, the collective efforts of Spelman’s stakeholders, and their enthusiasm in promoting the College’s commitment to bring the world to Spelman and Spelman to the world.”

At Spelman, the Gordon-Zeto Center for Global Education provides leadership and opportunities for semester study abroad, short-term programs, research abroad and international internship and service learning for students. During the 2023-2024 academic year, 357 students studied abroad for credit only opportunities, which is the focus of the IIE ranking. A total of 388 students studied abroad in 31 countries for both credit and non-credit bearing programs. 

IIE is a global not-for-profit organization founded in 1919 that works to advance international education and exchange. Each year, IIE releases its Open Doors Report, comprehensive information resource sponsored by the U.S. Department of State that tracks U.S. students studying abroad for academic credit and international student and scholar mobility.

"The Open Doors Report validates Spelman's commitment to global learning, driven by its mission, successive strategic plans, and institutional resources,” said Dr. Togunde. "This recognition also attests to the pivotal role of faculty in pushing the boundaries of academic excellence through robust faculty-led study abroad programs and underscores the courage and intellectual curiosity of Spelman students who have embraced the transformative power of education abroad to bridge the classroom and the world."

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About Spelman College
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College’s picturesque campus is home to 2,300 students. Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The College’s status is confirmed by the U.S. News & World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 39 among all liberal arts colleges, No. 19 for undergraduate teaching, No. 2 for social mobility among liberal arts colleges, and No. 1 for the 17th year among historically Black colleges and universities. Recent initiatives include a designation by the Department of Defense as a Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, a Gender and Sexuality Studies Institute, the first endowed queer studies chair at an HBCU and a program to increase the number of Black women Ph.D.s in economics. New majors and minors have been added, including documentary filmmaking and photography, data science, refugee studies and gaming. Collaborations have been also established with MIT’s Media Lab, the Broad Institute and the Army Research Lab for artificial intelligence and machine learning, among others.

Outstanding alumnae include Children’s Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman, former Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer, political leader Stacey Abrams, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa D. Cook, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman’s first alumna president Audrey Forbes Manley, Harvard University professor and former Dean Evelynn Hammonds, actress and producer Latanya Richardson Jackson, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and authors Pearl Cleage and Tayari Jones.

To learn more, please visit spelman.edu and @spelmancollege on social media.