Students leaving institutions of higher education prior to graduation leads to millions of dollars in lost revenue (Sutter & Paulsen, 2016; Undergraduate Retention and Graduation Rates, 2018). Retention theorists Tinto (1975) and Kuh (2008) recommend practices such as academic interaction, social interaction, faculty engagement with students, learning communities, and service-learning all of which can be integrated into study abroad courses. Studying abroad may also encompass learning outcomes such as international interactions, global awareness, and student engagement (Haupt et al., 2018; Malmgren & Galvin, 2008; Metzger, 2006). Through the unique paring of retention and experiential learning theories, this research model examined study abroad and its effects on graduation (Hedin, 2010). Quantitative research methods utilized data gathering methodology, redefining the target audience, and stratified sample identification to counter numerical differentiation between students who studied abroad and graduate and those who do not study abroad and graduate (Ary et al., 2014; Malmgren & Galvin, 2008). Study Abroad increases the likelihood of graduating at a higher ratio than any other variable affects graduation. The supporting qualitative research utilized a questionnaire and focus group discussions to discover how participants defined their experiences. Study abroad participants related their experiences to retention outcomes and graduation learning objectives as identified in the literature. Keywords: study abroad, at-risk, retention, HBCU, graduation, quantitative