In the United States post 9/11, there is increasing interest by the government and by institutions of higher education in educating students and citizens to more successfully navigate difference and interact in an increasingly connected world. This has led to a rise in the number of U.S. American students studying abroad especially on instructor-led study abroad programs. The Institute of International Education reported in 2011 that 61% of schools in their annual survey added new instructor-led programs (Institute of International Education, 2011). The increase in U.S. American instructors taking students abroad focuses attention on the role of the instructor to aid students' development, cultural competency, and ability to make meaning of their new environment. The goal of this study is to investigate the influence of the instructor on student intercultural gains and learning during instructor-led study abroad.