Travel Not to Escape Study Abroad Scholarship Fund

I’m creating the Travel Not to Escape Study Abroad Scholarship because travel changed my life long before I ever became a digital nomad, founder, or global storyteller. I grew up in a low-income, immigrant household where travel felt like a luxury reserved for other people. But studying abroad in Rome opened my world. It expanded my sense of identity, possibility, and belonging in ways that textbooks and classrooms never could. That experience shaped the rest of my life. It gave me confidence, curiosity, and a deeper understanding of the world and myself. And it’s the reason I’ve spent the last decade exploring how travel transforms mental health, identity, and the way we move through the world. But I also know that many students never get the chance to study abroad because of financial barriers, family circumstances, or the belief that “people like me don’t get to do things like this.” That’s who I’m building this scholarship for. My goal with this fund is to help students who want to see the world but don’t have the means or support to make it happen. Students who might be the first in their family to travel internationally. Students who are carrying responsibilities at home. Students who come from underrepresented communities, single-parent households, or situations where studying abroad feels out of reach. This scholarship is more than financial help; it’s an invitation. An invitation to dream bigger, step outside what is familiar, and experience the kind of personal transformation that only happens when you navigate the world on your own terms. My hope is that this fund helps open doors that were once closed, and reminds students that their circumstances do not define the size of their future. Travel not to escape, but to expand. That’s the heart behind this scholarship. Travel Not to Escape Scholarship Donor Tiers Every contribution helps a student take flight 🛫 BOARD: $25–$99 For donors who want to help a student begin their journey. You receive: • Your name listed on our Travel Not to Escape Scholarship Donor Page • Donor badge displayed on our website and the Bold.org scholarship page 🛬 CLIMB: $100–$249 For donors who want to create real momentum for a student preparing to study abroad. You receive: • All BOARD benefits • Featured shoutout in the Travel Not to Escape Newsletter (one issue) 🛩 CRUISE: $250–$499 For donors making a meaningful, direct impact on a student’s ability to fund their program. You receive: • All BOARD + CLIMB benefits • A donor appreciation Instagram post on @travelnottoescape • Name listed in the scholarship’s annual recap post 🚀 SOAR: $500+ For donors helping fully fund or co-fund a scholarship award. You receive: • All BOARD + CLIMB + CRUISE benefits • A full donor spotlight feature (article) on the Travel Not to Escape website • Donor shoutout in one podcast episode + episode show notes • Recognition in the annual scholarship announcement