2025-26: Three local-global opportunities - fully funded!

EnCompass is for students who are less likely to study abroad!

Priority will be given to first and second year students representing those statistically least likely to study abroad, and those with limited or no international experience. However, all University of Richmond students are eligible to apply. Note: students graduating in May 2026 are not eligible for Maymester programs.

Each EnCompass program will be led by two UR faculty or staff and include a small cohort of UR students. Course meetings begin in the spring semester and feature learning about the travel destination as well as engaging with the subject matter in Richmond. This course is to prepare you to make the most of your time abroad and to get to know the other participants. As part of the fully funded experience, students will receive a passport (if needed and covered up to the basic passport fee of $165), roundtrip airfare, meals, accommodations, travel expenses and coverage under the International Travel, Accident, and Sickness Insurance. Each group will converge at a regional US airport prior and travel together to their program destination.

The 2025-26 EnCompass offerings include:

  • Three Maymester Programs following the spring semester

Submit just one application for all EnCompass experiences and select your first-choice program. May programs will include a 0.5-unit course during the spring semester. *Note: The EnCompass Chile program is only open to student athletes approved by Courtney Hughes.

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  • Maymester - Chile
    May 1 – 10, 2026
    Courtney Hughes and Erik Nielson

    “Sports, Social Justice, and Human Rights”

    This course engages students through an examination of the relationships between sport, social justice, and human rights in Chile. Through site visits, guided discussions, and experiential learning, participants in this program will explore the historical and ongoing impacts of these themes, while emphasizing critical reflection on global leadership and the role of sport in advancing social change. Through this course, students will meet with Chilean activists, athletes, and youth leaders within the local communities. Immersive learning and critical reflection will invite students to examine global challenges while deepening their understanding of the many intersections at hand. As a country with a complex political history, deep-rooted social movements, and a meaningful sports culture, Chile provides an environment for understanding how athletes and sports organizations can be agents of greater change.

  • Maymester - The Netherlands
    May 11 – 18, 2026
    Melissa Ooten and Casey Butler

    “Human Rights in Amsterdam & Richmond: A Comparative Perspective”

    Students in this program will explore theoretical and practical understandings of human rights, including the rights of immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, sex workers, young people, and drug users, as well as rights specific to education, housing, and healthcare. By using a comparative analysis of the cities of Richmond and Amsterdam, participants will gain new insights and perspectives in the field of human rights that they can apply to future personal, academic, and professional contexts. This course will prepare students for a week-long trip to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, which has a well-earned global reputation for its progressive social policies. In addition to being the first nation in the world to legalize same-gender marriage, the Netherlands pioneered work in the field of harm reduction and was the first European country to legalize sex work. It also mandates comprehensive sexuality education in K-12 and provides universal healthcare for all residents. While in Amsterdam, we will learn about these human rights issues from prominent scholars, activists, and community leaders while exploring a city renowned for its artistic heritage, historic canals, and vibrant, progressive culture.

  • Maymester - New Zealand
    May 11 – May 24, 2025
    Rick Mayes and Daniel Hart

    “Health & Sustainability in New Zealand and Richmond”

    Our health is inextricably connected to our environments. This course allows us to see how New Zealand has sought to improve people’s physical and mental health by improving their access to better quality housing, transportation, education, and healthcare. They have also been addressing climate change’s impact on their country’s infrastructure and citizenry. The course includes the Māori people’s unique ("Te Whare Tapa Whā") approach to well-being that emphasizes four cornerstones of health: physical, social, mental and spiritual. Richmond and other cities also seek to make daily life more sustainable in ways that enable more people to live more resilient lives through healthier personal lifestyles that also use resources more efficiently. Through comparative inquiry, students will explore the local-to-global intersections of public health and the natural environment as it relates to creating a more sustainable world.