It has been tremendously moving during this past year to watch the IES Abroad community come together in support of each other and IES Abroad! Alumni and friends have contacted IES Abroad to check on our well-being, connected with each other via our virtually hosted alumni reunions, have given gifts of support, and have helped to enrich our burgeoning virtual event series by volunteering their time as featured speakers, career mentors and more.
That is why, on May 12th, we are excited to inaugurate our first annual OpportunitIES Abroad Day of Giving, which each year will be a day to bring together our global community in celebration of each other, the study abroad experience, and IES Abroad philanthropy.
Tune in on May 12th to celebrate the restart of study abroad through video stories from IES Abroad Centers around the world, a special live virtual tour of Vienna today, live featured guest events, and shared IES Abroad alumni stories and memories.
With a reported 200% increase in student applications for emergency aid among four-year college students, according to the Hope Center's Fall 2020 #RealCollege Survey, OpportunitIES Abroad will aim to go BIG for student scholarships by bringing together our global network of alumni, friends, and partners to meet the significantly greater need of college students most impacted by the COVID-19. We are thrilled to share that our community of caring advocates have together already contributed more than $400,000 in challenge match gifts which will be unlocked by contributions of any size given on May 12th toward our OpportunitIES Abroad goal of 500 gifts in 24 hours!
We hope that all members of the IES Abroad community will mark May 12th on their calendars, and join us for a day of reminiscing, connecting, and making possible future student OpportunitIES Abroad!
