NAFSA in partnership with the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) announced the creation of the NAFSA Tamara H. Bryant Memorial Scholarship in February of 2019. In February 2024, the program funding was increased to $150,000 and extended an additional three years.
Funded by an endowment established by Tamara H. Bryant, this scholarship creates opportunities for African American undergraduate students to study abroad and gain valuable experiences that will prepare them for the increasingly global environment into which they will graduate. NAFSA and FEA are working together toward their shared goal of increasing diversity and inclusion in study abroad.
NAFSA congratulates the recipients of the Tamara H. Bryant Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarships for African American students represent the first step in implementing the Tamara H. Bryant Memorial Scholarship. Mrs. Bryant also included in her trust the provision of scholarships for graduate students from Burma (Myanmar) and East Asia to study in the United States. NAFSA is working to develop this next phase of the scholarship program.
About Tamara H. Bryant
The Tamara H. Bryant Scholarship has been made possible through the generosity of Tamara H. Bryant, a refugee from Burma (Myanmar) who traveled from her home country to India by foot during World War II before she eventually settled in the United States. Through her observations and experiences, Mrs. Bryant recognized the challenges faced by women in the workplace. With this understanding and a recognition of the power of international education, Mrs. Bryant founded an endowment with NAFSA to promote intercultural exchange through scholarships. NAFSA has pledged $90,000 from proceeds of the endowment to the FEA to fund multiple scholarships each year for African-American students who wish to study abroad and who embody Mrs. Bryant’s spirit of resilience and commitment to intercultural exchange.
Listen to the Scholars' Stories
I'Maya
"Being in central hub like London exposed me to so many different things that I had never been exposed to in the US. It felt almost like I was in the center of the world... so many different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. It was absolutely life changing."
Darius
"I'm so glad I got to go on this study abroad because it changed me for the better... One of my assignments for this program was to talk to as many people as possible in Japanese. I had to really open myself up and expose myself to as many people as I could."
Ashlyn
"Some words to describe my study abroad experience in Valencia, Spain would be: ground breaking, life changing, a culture shock, and amazing... I learned a lot about the Black experience in Valencia, and I really loved it. This really showed me what I want do in my future."