What inspired you to work for IPSL?
I wanted to work for an organization that equally valued the needs of students and the local communities that receive them. IPSL has a reputation for facilitating mutually beneficial partnerships and demonstrates a continual commitment to community-driven development. As international educators, I believe that we have a responsibility to all of our stakeholders and should strive to create opportunities that are both ethical and reciprocal.
Delivering a workshop on cultural transitions to graduate students
Why do you do what you do?
I strongly believe in the power of international education to produce well-rounded and globally-minded adults. My own experiences studying and working abroad have contributed greatly toward my education, introduced me to lifelong friends, and provided me with a strong foundation in two languages. I greatly appreciate having the opportunity to assist students with their own culturally immersive experiences and feel that the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they are building abroad are immensely valuable.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
I am currently completing a Master’s degree in International Education Management and the information I have learned in this program informs nearly everything I do in my current role. I ensure that all of my projects incorporate the good practices in international education outlined by NAFSA and the Forum on Education Abroad, while also including strong assessment components so that they continually improve. I believe that my time living and studying abroad (in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Cambodia, and Uruguay) has provided me with insight on the types of challenges students experience when transitioning to new cultures and during reentry.
At the office
What are some current projects you are working on?
One of my current projects is to convert our paper pre-departure materials into an online format. By doing this, we intend to make the material more engaging and interactive for students while also reducing our environmental impact by cutting down on paper use.
What makes your organization special?
IPSL prides itself on being a leader in the academic service-learning field, which combines community involvement, practical experience, and academic study. Students on IPSL programs are able to build practical skills while contributing to the welfare of others in a way that is respectful and not imposing.
Why should someone choose IPSL over competitors?
Our programs are driven by locally identified needs and aim to support the communities with which we partner. All of our program directors, instructors, on-site staff, and community organizations are from these communities.
If students want to truly understand the nuances of their host culture, there is no better way to do it than to learn from and partner with the people who live there.
What do you hope participants take away from IPSL programs?
I hope that IPSL participants develop a deeper understanding of another culture and learn how to translate their ethical service skills to their local communities. Additionally, I hope that participants learn to challenge their own assumptions about the rest of the world.
How do you help support participants?
I work to ensure that our pre-departure orientation materials are up to date and relevant to our participants so that they are ready for their programs and have clear expectations.
As an organization, IPSL works to provide resources specifically for students of diverse backgrounds, as well as information about managing mental health abroad so that all students, regardless of their experiences, are appropriately supported.
Visiting Iguazu Falls in Argentina
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
I think that learning a new language opens up parts of the world that would otherwise be closed off to us as outsiders. By learning new languages, we can create meaningful connections with new people and understand other cultures at a much deeper level.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means approaching new places and people from a position of openness and curiosity.
Above all else, it involves respecting the people who call these places home and making sure that your actions as a visitor are not harmful to others.
What issues do you see in the world of international education that don’t line up with your values and expectations for mutually beneficial and educational relationships?
I feel that some people within the international education community struggle to see the value of local and indigenous knowledge. For all of the talk about “immersion” within the field, there is a trend of US professors teaching courses abroad rather than equally qualified instructors from those communities. On a similar note, I feel that the tendency for students to spend the bulk of their time with others from their home country can deprive them of meaningful relationships in their host communities and also leaves a bad impression for the local people.
