Wells International Foundation believes that literacy and travel are the two most powerful avenues to building well-rounded, open-minded, critically-thinking youth.  Travel and study abroad are integral parts of the fulfillment of our vision of building this network of global citizens.

While study abroad always involves travel, travel does not necessarily involve study or leaving one’s own country.  For many underserved children, teens, and college students, traveling to another state, or even another city within one’s home state, can be a life changing experience.

Traveling abroad is the ultimate mind-expanding experience.  And study abroad deepens that experience through immersion, whether for a week, a season, or one to several years. 

Through our Travel / Study Abroad SFA, we encourage university-level students in the U.S. to look openly and honestly at their homeland and their culture by experiencing different cultures and how those cultures view them.  We also encourage younger students to embrace any chance they may have to broaden their horizons through travel.

We focus on the provision of opportunities for students of any age or discipline to:

• Travel / study abroad in Paris, France
• Explore the cultural impact of the African Diaspora in Paris

Virtual Field Trips to Paris for Underserved Youth

University of Arizona Augmented Reality Project

University of Arizona student Tripp Twyman explains what he learned about Parisians during the visit in the video below:

Abbigail Chaput expressed the following about her involvement in the project:

Working with the Delaney exhibition was a character-building experience for me; I learned not only about the life and works of a very intriguing artist, but I saw firsthand what can be accomplished when a passion comes together with dedication, collaboration, and the application of skills that an individual is uniquely gifted in.

Seeing Paris for the first time was an unforgettable element of this project. I was guided through the streets of Paris and learned about the history of those buildings and boulevards. I saw things that have been established in my mind as cornerstones of literature, art, and culture…

I saw so many beautiful fixtures in French history and learned things that contributed to both my personal and professional development. I hope to continue to seize opportunities like this in the future, and to carry on the inspiration that I’ve received.