News

St. Olaf College has received a $20 million gift that will enable students to participate in a semester-long study-abroad program for the same cost as attending class on campus.

This incredible gift from Louis and Mary Kay Smith will also provide funding to expand and innovate short-term study abroad and away programs, as well as support the faculty expertise at the heart of creating meaningful experiences for students around the world.

“International education has long been a cornerstone of the St. Olaf experience, and it’s more important now than ever before. We need leaders with a global perspective who can bring people together to solve challenges and shape a better world. The best way to prepare our students to become those leaders is to provide them with opportunities to live and learn abroad,” St. Olaf President Susan Rundell Singer says. “Thanks to the generosity of the Smiths, we will be able to increase our ability to do just that.”

“International education has long been a cornerstone of the St. Olaf experience, and it’s more important now than ever before. We need leaders with a global perspective who can bring people together to solve challenges and shape a better world. The best way to prepare our students to become those leaders is to provide them with opportunities to live and learn abroad. Thanks to the generosity of the Smiths, we will be able to increase our ability to do just that.”

— President Susan Rundell Singer

This is the largest gift that St. Olaf has ever received for academic programming, and it is the second-largest gift in the college’s history. It follows several other significant gifts from the Smiths, including one that enables St. Olaf students to participate in international music tours at no cost and another that increased financial aid for Oles studying off campus and created the new Smith Center for Global Engagement that was named in their honor. With this latest gift, they are truly transforming the student experience at St. Olaf.

“In my admissions role, I have the opportunity to talk to prospective students about the amazing study-abroad opportunities we offer, the benefits of a global experience, and the impact a study-abroad experience can have on their learning and their life,” says Associate Vice President for Enrollment Chris George ’94. “St. Olaf’s strength in study abroad differentiates us among the nation’s best liberal arts colleges, and I’ve long dreamed about being in a position where cost isn’t a factor in a student’s decision to study abroad. I screamed in excitement when I first learned of the remarkable generosity of the Smiths.”

St. Olaf is a national leader in study abroad and away. The college’s music ensembles first toured internationally in 1906, and St. Olaf began offering academic study-abroad programs in 1947. In the most recent Open Doors Report, St. Olaf ranks No. 2 among baccalaureate colleges across the country in the number of students who studied abroad. The college offers programs in more than 40 countries, including faculty-led semester programs that include Global Semester, a wide range of January Term programs, and institutional partnerships around the world. It’s an opportunity that most St. Olaf students take advantage of, with 70 percent of the Class of 2025 participating in at least one study abroad/away program.

“St. Olaf’s strength in study abroad differentiates us among the nation’s best liberal arts colleges, and I’ve long dreamed about being in a position where cost isn’t a factor in a student’s decision to study abroad. I screamed in excitement when I first learned of the remarkable generosity of the Smiths.”

— Associate Vice President for Enrollment Chris George ’94

Paired with this longstanding strength in study abroad, the gift from the Smiths enables the college to offer a transformative experience that is distinctive to St. Olaf.

“This generous gift expands access for study-abroad programs, encouraging accepted students to explore topics related to their academic and vocational interests while cultivating a globally engaged perspective,” Smith Center Director Theresa Heath says. “It will also enable St. Olaf and the Smith Center to expand study-abroad opportunities to new locations, addressing important questions and themes that reflect the expertise of our talented faculty. Each year St. Olaf students are eager to participate in these experiences, and I’m thrilled we will continue to build innovative opportunities.”

Studying abroad enables Oles to develop as global contributors who are knowledgeable about other places, to interact effectively with people who have viewpoints and backgrounds different from their own, and to understand how their lives and choices connect with the broader world. Data shows that employers are more likely to hire students who have studied abroad because of the adaptability, cultural awareness, and problem-solving skills they develop.

“Each year St. Olaf students are eager to participate in these experiences, and I’m thrilled we will continue to build innovative opportunities.”

— Smith Center Director Theresa Heath

As part of the college’s deep commitment to global engagement, St. Olaf has increased efforts in recent years to ensure that cost is not a barrier to participation in study abroad/away. In the fall of 2025, St. Olaf launched a pilot program that enabled every student with a family income below $300,000 who was accepted into a semester- or year-long study abroad/away program to participate for the same cost as studying on campus. The result was a 30 percent overall increase in the number of students participating in semester-long study abroad and away programs, and a 70 percent increase in the number of students from middle-income families participating. Seeing the impact that this pilot had on the student experience inspired the Smiths to provide a foundation for lasting support. 

The new gift from the Smiths will now make this opportunity available to current and future Oles. Every student accepted into a semester-long study-abroad program beginning in 2027 will be able to participate for the same cost as studying on campus once during their time at St. Olaf. Knowing that this will lead to increased demand from students, the gift from the Smiths will also support the expansion and innovation of programs. The college will explore new offerings, including summer abroad opportunities and programs that include internships and research. The gift will also support an increased number of January Term study abroad/away programs, which are popular with students.

“Thousands of Oles will get to see the world because of this gift,” George says. “It will have a lasting impact.”