100k Strong in the AmericasThe goal of 100,000 Strong in the Americas is to ensure that we are preparing youth throughout the Western Hemisphere with the cross-cultural skills necessary in the 21st century economy and a generation of leaders who can reach across borders.

Join the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Network to be notified of all upcoming grant opportunities. Additional information on the previous rounds and winning institutions is available on the 100,000 Strong in the Americas website.

Find out more about NAFSA's role in the initiative.

Past Grant Recipients

Innovation Fund Grant – Sponsored by Santander Bank

  • Cabrini University with Universidad del Salvador
  • Universidad Católica de Salta with Saint Peter’s University
  • Monroe Community College, SUNY with Fundacion UniversitariaTecnologico Comfenalco
  • Sacred Heart University with Universidad Rafael Landivar
  • Universidad del Valle de Guatemala with Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Wilfrid Laurier University with Syracuse University, Cornell University, and University at Buffalo-SUNY
  • Widener University with Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
  • Fairleigh Dickinson University with CETYS Universidad
  • Rochester Institute of Technology with Universidad del Pacifico

Argentina-U.S. Workforce Development – Sponsored by Chevron

  • Forsyth Technical Community College with Universidad Nacional de Villa María, Davidson County Community College, and Guilford Technical Community College.
  • University of Texas with Universidad Nacional de Rosario
  • West Virginia University with Universidad Nacional del Comahue
  • University of Texas – Valle del Río Grande with Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales
  • Fox Valley Technical College with Universidad de Buenos Airess
  • Auburn University with Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata
  • Universidad Nacional de San Martín with Northwestern University
  • Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata with University of Wisconsin-Platteville
  • Universidad Católica de Argentina with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • The University of New Mexico with Universidad Nacional de la Plata

Promoting Study Abroad Between Mexico and the U.S. – Sponsored by the Fundación Televisa

  • Farmingdale State College, SUNY with Instituto Tecnológico Zacatepec Cuba
  • Instituto Tecnológico de Chihuahua II with Mississippi State University
  • Instituto Tecnológico de La Laguna with Monroe Community College, SUNY, Instituto
  • Tecnológicode Carrillo Puerto, and Instituto Tecnológico de Durango
  • Instituto Tecnológico de Mexicali with San Diego State University
  • Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana with the University of California, San Diego
  • Pima County Community College District with Instituto Tecnológico de Hermosillo
  • University of Texas- Rio Grande Valley with Instituto Tecnológico de Matamoros
  • University of Texas- El Pasa with Instituto Tecnológico de Campeche, Instituto Tecnológico de Hermosilla, and Instituto Tecnológico de Tlalpan

MetLife Foundation Study Abroad Innovation Competition – Sponsored by MetLife Foundation

  • Colorado State University- Pueblo and Colorado State University- Fort Collins with Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur
  • Davidson Community College, Forsyth Tech Community College, and Guilford Tech Community College with Universidad Nacional de Villa Maria, Córdoba, Argentina
  • Fashion Institute of Technology with Instituto Profesional Duoc UC, Santiago, Chile
  • Instituto Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud Fundación H.A. Barceló, Buenos Aires
  • Argentina with Stony Brook University School of Medicine- SUNY Northeast Wisconsin Technical College with Universidad Politécnica de Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
  • University of Central Arkansas with Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente, Guadalajara, Mexico
  • University of Denver with Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
  • Wayne State University with Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia

Marlene M. Johnson Innovation Challenge for U.S.-Cuba, Caribbean and Central American Partnerships (Round 16) – Sponsored by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and CAF: The Development Bank of Latin Americas

  • College of Staten Island, CUNY with Universidad de Ciencias Pedagógicas “Enrique José Varona”, Cuba
  • Lehman College, CUNY with Universidad de Sancti Spíritus “José Martíi Pérez and Universidad de Camagüey “Ignacio Agramonte Loynaz”, Cuba
  • Michigan State University with Universidad de La Habana, Cuba, Escuela Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuba, Marian University, Meharry Medical College, and Western Michigan University
  • Mississippi State University with the University of The Bahamas and University of West Indies, Open Campus
  • New York Institute of Technology with Instituto Tecnológico de las Americas, Dominican Republic
  • Saint Augustine’s University with University of Health Sciences Antigua and Université Episcopale d’Haïti
  • University of Central Florida with Universidad de Cienfuegos, Cuba
  • University of Connecticut with Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Cuba, Universidad Agraria de La Habana, Cuba, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Agrícolas, Cuba, and Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria, Cuba
  • University of Northern Iowa with Universidad Latina de Costa Rica
  • University of Massachusetts-Amherst with Centro de Estudios Martianos, Cuba and Universidad de La Habana, Cuba
  • University of Pennsylvania with Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
  • University of Wisconsin- Madison with Universidad Rafael Landívar, Guatemala
  • West Virginia University with The University of Trinidad and Tobago
  • Wilkes University with Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá

Nexo Global Colombia (Round 15) – Sponsored by Colciencias and Sapiencia

  • Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano with the University of Texas at El Paso
  • Tecnológico de Antioquia – Institución Universitaria with Institución Universitaria Pascual Bravo and Tennessee State University
  • Universidad del Norte with Texas Tech University
  • Universidad del Tolima with North Carolina State University
  • Universitaria Juan N. Corpas with Eastern Washington University

2017 SENA Tech Challenge (Round 13) – Sponsored by the Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA)

  • Alamo Colleges with SENA Centro de Gestión Tecnológica de Servicios
  • Northampton Community College with SENA Centro Textil y de Gestión Industrial
  • Mississippi State University with SENA Centro Acuícola y Agroindustrial de Gaira
  • North Carolina State University with SENA Centro para la Formación Cafetera
  • Santa Fe College with SENA Centro de Comercio y Servicios
  • Tennessee State University with SENA Centro Agropecuario de Buga
  • University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with SENA Centro de Formación Agroindustrial “La Angostura”
  • University of Rhode Island with SENA Centro Nacional Colombo Alemán

Promoting Study Abroad in Engineering, Physics, Geology, and Geophysics (Round 12) – Sponsored by ExxonMobil Corporation, the winning institutions are:

  • Metropolitan State University of Denver
  • Northampton Community College
  • Northern Arizona University
  • Pontificia Universidad Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Universidade Estadual Paulista, Guaritinguetá
  • University of Rhode Island
  • University of Wyoming

Promoting Study Abroad in Environmental Sciences with an Emphasis on Water (Round 11) – This competition was open to higher education institutions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, and the United States that promote study abroad in the fields of environmental sciences, with a particular emphasis on water. Sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation, the winning institutions are:

  • Gateway Community College
  • Oregon State University
  • Pitt Community College
  • Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa
  • University of Arizona
  • University of Illinois-Springfield
  • University of Texas-El Paso
  • University of Wisconsin- Greenbay

Promoting Study Abroad Partnerships for Innovation and Collaboration (Round 10) – This competition was open to all higher education institutions in the Western Hemisphere to promote study abroad programs in any field between the United States and other countries in the hemisphere. Sponsored by Santander Bank, the winning institutions are:

  • The College of Staten Island - CUNY
  • Louisiana State University
  • Marian University
  • Salve Regina University
  • Townson University
  • Universidad EAN
  • Universidad Tecnológica de Tijuana
  • Vancouver Island University

Promoting Study Abroad in Engineering, Physics, Geology, and Geophysics (Round 9) – Sponsored by ExxonMobil, the winning institutions involved partnerships between Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and the United States:

  • California State University- Fullerton
  • Clemson University
  • Purdue University
  • The University of Massachusetts- Boston
  • The University of Texas at Austin
  • The University of Texas at El Paso
  • Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico
  • The University of Guyana
  • The University of Pittsburgh

Advancing Professional and Technical Training between Colombia and the U.S. through Study Abroad (Round 8) – Sponsored by Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA) and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), the winning institutions were:

  • Central New Mexico Community College
  • Flathead Valley Community College
  • Fox Valley Technical College
  • Miami Dade College
  • Snow College

Promoting Study Abroad Partnerships for Innovation and Collaboration Between the Americas and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Round 7) – Sponsored by the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the winning institutions were:

  • Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico 
  • Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico
  • Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez
  • Universidad del Este
  • Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico - Facultad de Derecho
  • Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico - Recinto de San German
  • Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico - Recinto Metro
  • Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico

Promoting Study Abroad Partnerships for Innovation and Collaboration (Round 6) – Sponsored by Santander Universities, a division of Santander Bank. The winning institutions involved university partnerships between the United States and Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Mexico, and Paraguay:

  • California State University-Los Angeles
  • Northeastern Illinois University
  • Northwestern University
  • Texas State University
  • University of California-San Diego
  • University of New Mexico
  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • West Virginia University
  • Northern Arizona University
  • Western Michigan University (grant supported by the Coca-Cola Foundation)

Promoting Study Abroad in Health and Nutrition (Round 5) – Sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation for programs that focus on health, nutrition, physical activity, and the challenges of obesity, the winning institutions were:

  • Arizona State University
  • California State University- Monterey Bay
  • Lamar University
  • Northwestern University
  • Oregon Health and Science University
  • State University of New York- Oswego
  • University of North Alabama

Promoting Study Abroad in Engineering, Physics, Geology and Geophysics (Round 4) – Sponsored by ExxonMobil, the winning institutions were:

  • Georgia Southern University
  • Texas A&M University - Texarkana
  • Universidad de Colima (Mexico)
  • Universidad de La Sabana (Colombia)
  • University of Arizona
  • University of North Texas
  • University of Texas at El Paso
  • University of Tulsa

Promoting Study Abroad Partnerships for Innovation and Collaboration (Round 3) – Sponsored by Santander Universities, a division of Santander Bank, the winning institutions were:

  • California State University-Long Beach
  • Edgewood College
  • North Carolina State University
  • Northeastern University
  • Montclair State University
  • The University of Colorado – Boulder
  • Universidad de la Salle (Colombia)
  • Universidad de San Andres (Argentina)
  • The University of South Dakota

Promoting Study Abroad in STEM and Sustainable Development (Round 2) – Sponsored by Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Foundation, the winning institutions were:

  • The University of Arizona
  • University of North Texas
  • University of Rhode Island
  • Northhampton Community College

Capacity-Building Program to Reach 100K Strong (Round 1) – Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the winning institutions were:

  • FAE Centro Universitario (Brazil)
  • Instituto Federal Educação Ciência e Tecnologia Sudeste de Minas Gerais (Brazil)
  • Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico)
  • Universidad Autónoma de Queretaro (Mexico)
  • Universidad EAFIT (Colombia)
  • Universidade Federal de Vicosa (Brazil)
  • Universidad de Guanajuato (Mexico)
  • Universidad Intercultural Maya de Quintana Roo (Mexico)
  • Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador)
  • Universidad Catolica Santa Maria la Antigua (Panama)