Riverside Community College District’s Study Abroad announced the program is offering opportunities for students to study in Japan and Ghana in the next two years. Study Abroad is considered a high impact practice with studies showing that students who participate in a study abroad program have higher retention, grade point averages, transfer rates, and employability. And it isn’t just students who benefit. Eight percent of companies in a survey believed that business would increase if staff has more international experience, and 78 percent of employers say that students need intercultural skills and understanding of societies outside of the United States. The Study Abroad program continually looks for opportunities for students, while earning credits toward their desired academic goal.​ Over the last few years, the program has expanded and diversified its offerings to ensure wider access to students from varied academic, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.