Comprehensive Evaluation of Global Mental Health Study Abroad in Switzerland
Abigail Wang New York University ajw9837@nyu.edu
Linda Han The New School kims5@newschool.edu
Overview The Constortium of Forced Migration, Displacement, and Education (CFMDE) is one of the first multi-campus initiatives in the United States to explicitly train undergraduate students to engage with migration and displacement from multiple disciplinary and pedagogical approaches. This evaluation examines the impact of a short-term Global Mental Health (GMH) study abroad program in Switzerland on undergraduate participants and graduate mentors from all five cohorts (2019-2024). Led by The New School Center for Global Mental Health and the CFMDE, the Bern Program immerses students in real-world psychosocial support contexts shaped by forced migration, displacement, and systemic inequity. Guiding questions for in-depth interviews sought to address the following: What personal and professional growth occurred through the program? How can study abroad programs uniquely support underrepresented students in workforce readiness?
Key Takeaways There is immense value in pre-professional summer study abroad programs that bring together students from multiple campuses at no financial cost to support a well-rounded liberal arts education: 1. Meaningful connections between theory and practice not only prepare students to navigate complex interdisciplinary environments and adapt existing knowledge to different contexts. 2. In increasingly dynamic political and social contexts, creating equitable pathways to international experiences is essential for diversifying who shapes the future of global health. 3. Investing in sustained relationships that create a close-knit network of scholars collectively aiming to improve global health counteracts systemic barriers to opportunity and leadership development.