Casting Ballots Made Easier for Gap Year Students Traveling Abroad in November

According to a news release on our Gap News feed, Carpe Diem International, education specialists offering gap year programs to U.S. students, is the first U.S. Gap Year organization working closely with U.S. State Department to help students traveling overseas in November to cast their ballots.

The news release states, "the U.S. State Department reports that, 250,000 students participated in overseas programs last year. As many as 150,000 students are expected to participate in overseas programs during the 2008 Fall school term."

To support the growing ranks of U.S. students traveling on gap years before and during college,
the State Department has launched studentsabroad.gov. According to Carpe Diem's news release, "The website offers guidance on topics such as healthcare, embassy locations and travel documentation requirements. A section of the site provides detailed information for students who wish to vote while overseas. In the first week after launch, the website received 33,000 hits."

I think this is an important development since the student voting block has proven extremely powerful this election year. It's good press on the part of Carpe Diem to show that U.S. gap year students are a motivated and responsible group that are very keen to participate in the political process. Additionally, Carpe Diem's efforts demonstrate that successful gap year travel will require a high level of coordinated support from the U.S. government. Parents especially, will be more likely to support gap year travel and programs if the government takes steps to recognize the emergence of the gap year industry in the U.S.

Read Carpe Diem's news release and learn about Carpe Diem's Gap Year programs in our Gap Year Options database.