The Council on Representative Leadership Abroad (CORLA), a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to strengthening America’s global standing through representative leadership, has formally merged with First Trip Inc.

effective May 14, 2024. First Trip, a nonprofit that works to increase minority student accessibility to global careers through study abroad awarded over 300 travel scholarships and passport vouchers between 2020 and 2024. The organization had long sought ways to increase student engagement with global leaders. “This was a frequent request from both our academic partners and student scholars” says Peggy Lewis who chaired First Trip’s Board of Directors. 

 

Kristian Gore, CORLA’s CEO and Co-Founder, says: “The merger of CORLA and First Trip brings together two nonprofits with complementary missions aimed at strengthening America’s position abroad through representative leadership in international business and foreign policy. CORLA augments First Trip’s existing programs to promote student engagement and inquiry into international business and foreign policy by connecting students to industry expertise and resources.”

 

Dex Mandela Burns, (formally President and CEO of First Trip) co-founded CORLA with Gore and now serves as President. According to Burns, “Chief among the many benefits of this merger, is that students will be able to engage directly with some of America's brightest minds in foreign policy and international business through CORLA’s programs, which are designed to motivate students to pursue careers in international business and foreign policy. CORLA aims to make global career opportunities more accessible via career mapping services and internship opportunities, and we look forward to continuing CORLA’s rapid growth in this exciting new chapter.”

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Though most First Trip core programs will continue during the transition, the travel scholarship program has been discontinued. We encourage student travelers to visit the Fund for Education Abroad’s website, where dynamic travel scholarship opportunities are aimed at increasing study abroad opportunities for underrepresented groups. 

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About the Council on Representative Leadership Abroad

The Council on Representative Leadership Abroad (CORLA) is a nonprofit 501[c][3], nonpartisan, and solutions-based membership organization dedicated to strengthening America’s position abroad through representative leadership. We partner with academic institutions that share our values and resolve to advance and promote student engagement and inquiry into international business and foreign policy by connecting students to industry expertise and resources.

 

CORLA believes the United States must cultivate a more nationally representative leadership abroad, lest the country fall behind its adversaries and competitors on the world stage. America’s next generation of global leaders must be developed as patriots to strengthen the country’s standing abroad and further its interests.

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