Success Story
Boarding Schools Connecticut Export Marketing Export Diversification Export Promotion

Bridgeport International Academy Diversifies Global Outreach Strategy

BIA

Bridgeport International Academy, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut and founded in 1997, is dedicated to educational development and prosperity for students from all over the globe. BIA’s four pillars which form their identity, school climate and mission are: 

  • Academic excellence 
  • Creativity  
  • Character development 
  • Global citizenship  

One of the special and unique aspects of BIA is its diverse student body, with students attending from 20 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, Middle East, and South America. Bridgeport International Academy is intentional in its core mission and fosters a community and educational space that helps students to advance their international awareness and understanding, so students at BIA will be prepared to enter the world post-graduation with a respect for different cultures, religions, ethnicities, and languages. Bridgeport International Academy believes that being able to engage in the real world with different people is just as valuable, if not more so, as the academic component of school. 

Bridgeport International Academy’s relationship with the U.S. Commercial Service, which began in 2018, has allowed them to reach markets that were once inaccessible to them. To continue its focus on diversity, BIA wanted to ensure they were accessible to students from all around the world. The school also looks to different markets as a business strategy, addressing prospective students and multiple markets at once. The COVID-19 pandemic enlightened BIA on the market strategies most effective for them, and which markets would fit their strategy. The relationship with the U.S. Commercial Service allowed introductions to be made on behalf of BIA Academy faculty with its international connections. 

“Having our connection with the U.S. Commercial Service is integral to us making connections globally, personal connections globally… but to have a personal connection, someone that says this is someone trusted by us, you know you can trust them to. That’s priceless to us.” – BIA Faculty 

Bridgeport International Academy survived the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to thrive by diversifying to multiple markets. Today, they are meeting both their enrollment and their business goals, thanks to their great planning and ongoing relationship with the U.S. Commercial Service.  

“Internally diversity is very important because again, it’s a bigger world out there and we want our students to meet as much of the world as possible during their adolescence so that they’re prepared to go into this great big world and interact with different people and treat others with respect. Learning to work through problems, conflicts, communication, understanding on different thought processes, different perspectives, different religions, belief systems, our students graduate here having been exposed.” – BIA Faculty 

Company Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Company Website:  https://www.bridgeportacademy.org/ 
Local Office: Middletown, Connecticut  
Trade Specialist: Anthony.Sargis@trade.gov  
Services: Export Counseling, International Partner Search + Virtual Introductions, Trade Missions , Virtual Introduction, Website Globalization