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.

Study abroad always involves travel, but travel can be transformative even when it does not involve crossing national borders. For many underserved children, teens, and college students, a trip to another city or state can effectively broaden perspective and open new possibilities as well.

Study abroad deepens this experience even further. Through immersion in another culture—whether for a week, a season, or several years—students gain the opportunity to see the world differently and to better understand how others see them.

Through our Travel / Study Abroad Strategic Focus Area, we encourage university-level students in the U.S. to look openly and honestly at their culture by experiencing how other cultures view them.  We also encourage younger students to embrace every opportunity to broaden their horizons through travel.

We focus on the provision of opportunities for students of all ages and disciplines to:

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

Virtual Field Trips to Paris for Under-resourced Youth

University of Arizona Augmented Reality Project

Six students from the University of Arizona traveled to Paris to create an Augmented Reality digital app for the Beauford Delaney: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition.  Five of them traveled abroad for the first time to participate in this 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.