What inspired you to work for GlobalEd?
I was inspired to work with GlobalEd because of the dedication I saw from the organization to ensure that GlobalEd students are taking advantage of their time abroad by building their resumes, giving meaning to their degrees, and accelerating their future by standing out.
I also appreciate the personalized work and time that goes into assisting every student individually, whether it be to find the perfect internship or giving feedback on their resume as alumni. The goal is truly for each student to have a great time abroad and above that teach them how to make their experience the focal point of every interview to come.
Alexa and her husband, Julio, in Seville on a sunny day in January
Why do you do what you do?
My experience studying abroad in 2013 was the most eye opening and revealing adventure for me personally. It led me to pursue a life abroad, outside of studying and my focus on university classes. I wanted to learn more about the people, language, and culture in general.
I chose to stay in Spain teaching as well as participating and collaborating with the study abroad sector every chance I got, which led me to GlobalEd and my current position, all in hopes that I could play a role in other university students' experiences abroad.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
I studied Spanish and Chemistry at Indiana University. While I do wish I had found a way to incorporate my knowledge of chemistry into my daily life a bit more, I have become fluent in Spanish by living abroad and feel so fortunate to be able to apply my Spanish every day.
The time I have spent in Seville has given me a profound understanding of the culture here, which, together with my comprehension of the language, allows me to communicate with all our vendors and contacts throughout the city to successfully prepare and deliver programs to our students.
When family visits, our first stop is the Plaza de España!
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
If you have the opportunity and resources to go abroad, do it! Take it all in because it is a once in a lifetime adventure that can be so much more meaningful to you now and in the future if you take advantage of the opportunity. Make the most out of it while you are abroad, participate in events, get out and meet new people, try to learn the language, these are all aspects that you can articulate beautifully on your resume when you get home!
What makes GlobalEd special?
For me, this question is easy to answer, GlobalEd focuses on the students and not the quantity of students but the quality of every student's personal experience. We believe that every organization brings value and it's all about finding the right fit for you but at GlobalEd we want to help you have an amazing experience abroad and then use that experience to boost your employability.
Are there any developments with GlobalEd that you would like to share with us?
We are working on developing our career path programs, they are programs that are focused on the academic disciplines of our participants. For our health care programs, we've created a certification in Pre-hospitalization Trauma and Life Support taught in English in Seville, Spain.
We also launched an online internship program to provide affordable opportunities for low income families/students to develop critical skills related to remote work while incorporating international elements. Our goal is to make these internships international by having teams working together from all different locations across the globe.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
My goal for participants is that they go home from their time abroad with a new respect for different cultures. Whether it be the university culture, family life, social aspects and encounters, cuisine and arts, language, there is so much to learn while you are abroad and every destination offers something unique. The more you take in, the more you can apply to your future.
With a group at the top of the Giralda at Seville's cathedral
How do you help support participants?
As an onsite coordinator, our program participants can come to me with anything. I support them through homesick nights, not knowing what to order at tapas bars, and I accompany them to the doctors office should they need to go. When you are a study abroad student, you are likely to have questions, my job is to get answers to your questions and support you through obstacles like those mentioned and so many more.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
Learning a new language can open so many doors. On a personal level, I can't even begin to express the people I've met and great conversations I've had because I took the time to study and learn Spanish.
Professionally, knowing a second language has made me eligible to participate in programs/courses and apply to different jobs that I wouldn't have otherwise been eligible to participate in. Languages are difficult but very worth the effort, communication is so important and with language on your side you can be better equipped for so many situations.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
For me, meaningful travel is not a simple getaway to disconnect from the chaos that is typically our lives. Meaningful travel is a purposeful form of tourism. It is about observing, participating and embracing new cultures and anything different.
How is your company handling Covid protocols? What should participants know about your Covid readiness? How are you assisting participants with navigating the new travel landscape?
The health and safety of our program participants and faculty/staff are our highest priority. When the Covid pandemic began we preemptively canceled our programs before most of our colleagues in the sector did. As we enter our third year of Covid, the study abroad sector is starting to open up and we have put in place a series of protocols to minimize risk and maximize the safety of all our students, faculty and staff.
Our pre-departure orientation and onsite orientation presentation offer considerable detail on staying safe and helping program participants understand that laws and recommendations are constantly changing. We are monitoring the pandemic as well as following the guidelines of the study abroad sector.
