Cedar Crest College is a liberal arts college for women in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It enrolls about 1,350 undergraduate students and a small number of graduate students.
Earlier this year, the college announced that all incoming first-year students who are in good academic standing (a grade point average of at least 2.5) will be eligible for a study-abroad opportunity during spring break of their sophomore year. The cost of the study-abroad program will be included in the college’s regular tuition and won’t necessitate any extra payment for students who qualify. The so-called “Sophomore Expedition” will involve all members of the class in good academic standing.
Now the college’s president Carmen Twillie Ambar has announced the destination for the first Sophomore Expedition. In the spring of 2018, students will fly to Rio de Janeiro to participate in community service. Participants will take a course on campus to prepare them for the trip.
The college estimates that the trip will cost between $450,000 and $600,000. The Sophomore Expedition will be paid for in part by an anonymous donor. The college says that it expects 150 to 180 students to take the trip, which may quadruple the number of Cedar Crest College students who study abroad in any given year.
Studying abroad can offer a wealth of positive effects on a college students. But the Cedar Crest program may have another benefit. First- and second-year students will have an added incentive to stay in school and do well academically in order to be eligible for the free Sophomore Expedition. The college has a 79 percent retention rate and a 58 percent graduation rate. The Sophomore Expedition may also be an added incentive for students to apply for admission to Cedar Crest College.