First Trip

Congratulations to Ataeviya Dilworth of Morgan State University who is First Trip’s very first travel scholar of the year! Her scholarship funding was made possible by the generous support of the Teachers Council, Inc. Ataeviya will travel to Cali, Colombia this semester. We wish her a fantastic study abroad experience!

The team at First Trip would like to thank Teachers Council for their generous support to our GIVING THE WORLD campaign! We truly value the benevolence of our individual and organizational sponsors to fund our global programs and travel scholarships. We appreciate your support!

Shoutout to our wonderful Board Director, Jessica Sarles-Dinsick who was spotlighted by Columbia University today. Way to go!

Meet Dean Jessica Sarles-Dinsick | School of General Studies Profile Meet Dean Jessica Sarles-Dinsick A stalwart advocate for international education at GS and beyond, Dean Sarles-Dinsick shares what fuels her passion for facilitating global opportunities, plus her top tips for GS’s international student community. October 31, 2023 As Associate Dean for Int...

Howard University student and First Trip Scholar Chase Drewery had an opportunity to meet U.S. Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety II at the US Embassy South Africa while studying abroad in South Africa this summer. Chase learned the importance of U.S. diplomacy abroad while exploring Zulu language and culture.

My first Trip to South Africa by Chase Drewery "Study abroad has exposed me to unique African rituals, art, religious beliefs, and music, which have all been incredible life changing experiences." Chase Drewery, First Trip Scholar-South Africa Studying abroad in South Africa has afforded me a phenomenal international experience and has expanded....

We are happy to announce that Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins has joined First Trip as a Strategic Advisor. Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins is a renowned champion for education equity and inclusion and is widely recognized as a distinguished author, educator, and leader.

Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins joins First Trip’s Advisory Council Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins is a renowned champion for education equity and inclusion and is widely recognized as a distinguished author, educator, and leader. She brings years of knowledge to First Trip regarding project vision, strategy, and management. During her time as president of the League of Wome...

What is global citizenship and why is it necessary in today's world? We posed these questions to our scholarship recipients and here's some of their responses! We are beyond impressed!

Why is Global Citizenship important? Here’s what our travel scholars had to say Global citizenship is a phrase that is commonly used to convey ideals of multiculturalism, world belonging, and sustainability of our planet. But what does it actually mean? The United Nations describes global citizenship as the “belief that individuals are members of multiple, diverse, local and ...

First Trip Scholar Kiara Simmons spent the last two weeks traveling throughout Uganda and Rwanda learning that global citizenship begins at “the end of her comfort zone!”

Congrats UMES class of 2023!

The U.S. passport is one of the world's most powerful travel documents and we cannot overstate the benefits of getting yours! While obtaining your first passport undoubtedly requires a bit of effort, it can be made easier by knowing how to make the process quicker. We explain the fundamentals here.

What you should know when obtaining your first passport! In this blog post, we break down what this news means for you as a student traveler and how you can ensure your passport application doesn’t

Congratulations to our CEO, Dex Mandela Burns for being featured on this podcast and for an excellent discussion!

First Trip CEO, Dex Burns discusses diversity in international affairs on CSIS podcast “It is in Americas benefit to have an international affairs workforce that looks like our country’s population…and we have a unique opportunity to achieve that. “ -Dex Burns First Trip President and CEO, Dex Burns was recently featured on the Building the Future podcast series by the Project...

Congratulations! Chase Dewery is our newest First Trip Scholar!

Congratulations to our recent scholar who will study abroad to Uganda this summer!

First Trip’s Board Members are united by action and a commitment to increase minority representation in study abroad and international affairs. Read on to learn more about our Board leadership!

Meet our Board of Directors! First Trip’s Board of Directors bring a wide range of experience, skills and backgrounds which propel our mission to increase diversity in study abroad and international affairs. All Board Directors are deeply committed to developing and measuring the organization’s impact and long-term strategy...

“I am certainly now more thankful for the little luxuries that I previously wasn't aware were luxuries before traveling abroad” says Aaniyah Hicks, a student at Howard University who traveled abroad for the first time supported by First Trip scholarships. Her first experience abroad was to Oaxaca, Mexico, and she now has a new outlook on global citizenship. See her full story below!

My Oaxaca Immersion Experience by Aaniyah Hicks My time in Oaxaca, Mexico fully consisted of self-reflection and personal growth where I studied at la Universidad de Anahuac. I completed my study abroad program with newly formed friendships and a brand new outlook on global citizenship. The campus was muy hermosa, vibrant, welcoming, and had some...

Photos submitted by First Trip Scholar Aaniyah Hicks. She is currently a Political Science and Criminology student at Howard University. She is a 2022 First Trip Scholar-Mexico and was also a recipient of the President’s Award for exceptional cultural inquiry into Latin America and the Caribbean!

First Trip updated their phone number.

Yesterday we welcomed Nicholas Shafer to our Advisory Council! Shafer is a foreign affairs professional who consults on humanitarian policy, digital innovation, and international education matters. Learn more about Nick below!

Nicholas Shafer joins First Trip Advisory Council Today, First Trip officially welcomes Nicholas Shafer to the Advisory Council. Mr. Shafer is a long-time supporter of First Trip and advocate for study abroad and inclusive international education programs. Shafer is a foreign affairs professional with a regional specialization in the Middle East an...

Congratulations to our recent scholarship recipients! Each student will participate in a Humanitarian focused program in Oaxaca, Mexico this summer!✈️ 🇲🇽

Howard University students receive First Trip Scholarships Three Howard University students were recently awarded First Trip scholarships. Each student will participate in the university’s short-term Humanitarian and language-immersion program in Oaxaca, Mexico this summer. The students each received $500 travel scholarships. Aaniyah Hicks, a Senior Polit...

First Trip is actively recruiting for a paid Summer Intern! If you know someone who would be interested, please have them apply!

Join Us! | First Trip To work at First Trip is to rebuff time-honored inequalities in study abroad and international affairs.

Congratulations Dexter M. Burns! Thanks for your vision and leadership!

First Trip President Dex Burns selected as Clinton Global Initiative University Fellow Dex Burns has been selected to join the Clinton Global Initiative University’s (CGI U) class of 2022. The CGI U is a year-round program established by President Bill Clinton in 2007 to bring together a dynamic community of young leaders committed to developing innovative solutions to the world’s...