Scholarships will support first-generation, Pell-eligible student participation in a study abroad program focused on history and democratic responsibility
PORTLAND, Maine, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and Karen Collias, founder of Knowledge Without Borders, today announced a $50,000 philanthropic agreement to establish the Knowledge Without Borders: Democracy and Memory Fellowship, which will support student participation in a 12-week, Berlin-based study abroad program focused on exploring the past to better understand the present.
The Fellowship will provide a minimum of four $10,000 scholarships for first-generation, Pell-eligible undergraduate students to enroll in CIEE’s Berlin Open Campus Block program for 12 weeks (two six-week academic blocks), opening the door to study abroad for students who might otherwise never have the chance to engage in transformative international learning.
In addition to taking courses at CIEE Berlin or online through CIEE’s global host institution Arizona State University, Fellows will attend lectures by local historians, activists, and civic leaders; participate in curated site visits; and engage in small-group discussions and workshops. They will examine Berlin’s history—from the Holocaust to Germany’s postwar reckoning—and explore how remembrance is a moral obligation and cornerstone of democratic citizenship.
Knowledge without Borders Democracy and Memory Fellows must be Pell-eligible and will be selected based on their demonstrated interest in history, political science, civic leadership, social justice, and global affairs. The application deadline is May 1, 2026.
“This partnership reflects a shared belief in the transformative power of study abroad to advance peace by fostering empathy, critical thinking, civic awareness, and cross-cultural understanding,” said James P. Pellow, Ed.D. President and CEO of CIEE. “We are grateful for Karen Collias’ commitment to increasing access to study abroad and her generosity in launching a CIEE initiative dedicated to preparing future leaders to confront difficult issues with compassion and without prejudice.”
“The Knowledge Without Borders: Democracy and Memory Fellowship will enable U.S. university students a study abroad experience in Berlin that focuses on how Nazism rose in Germany —and how, in its aftermath, accountability, historical memory, and democratic institutions were deliberately rebuilt,” said Karen Collias, Ph.D. “By engaging directly with this history, students gain a deeper understanding of how democracies fail, how they can be repaired, and why safeguarding them remains an urgent responsibility today.”
About CIEE
Since 1947, CIEE has built bridges between different people, countries, and cultures through study abroad and international exchange programs that advance peace in our world. We change lives; our alumni change the world. Learn more at ciee.org.
Media Contact:
Leslie Taylor
media@ciee.org
(207) 553-4274
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ciee-receives-50-000-gift-to-launch-knowledge-without-borders-democracy-and-memory-fellowship-in-berlin-302702929.html
SOURCE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
