Selected Campus Presentation Abstracts

The following represents how I approach delivering content in workshops and discussions to various stakeholders on campuses:

for Career Services, Academic Advisors & Education Abroad (EA) Staff:  Value of Harmonizing [or Integrating] the Study Abroad Advising Process 

Education abroad, by itself, does not inherently endow a career advantage. It’s only perceived as advantageous when the student is able to articulate how she has used that experience to gain the knowledge, skills and abilities required by an employer. Staff in education abroad and career services can maximize the impact of an EA experience, and its strategic advantages for employability, through their purposeful collaboration in a students’ early decision-making, pre-departure and re-entry process.

for EA Staff:  Closing the Expectation Gap & Purposeful Planning for Study Abroad

For employers, there is an increasing expectation that when students graduate from college, they will possess the skills they seek in hiring new talent.  Employers believe the academic institution ought to serve as an intermediary, influencing the communication between themselves and students. They want the campus to help students translate the study abroad experience and articulate its benefits. To close this gap, it’s necessary for students to purposefully plan for their international experiences. This means developing a robust and holistic advising program that closes the expectation gap between students and their future employers.

Dialogue with Senior EA Staff & Senior International Officers: Higher Education & the New Employability Agenda 

 We will address the growing focus – and anxiety- regarding the “return on investment” of families (especially low income and first gen) when sending their children to college. Review how this employability agenda increasingly impacts the design and delivery of EA experiences.

for Students:  The Career Connection: Why Employers Value International Experience & How You Can Connect the Dots

Students need to recognize that developing career skills—and being able to cogently talk about them on resumes and in job interviews—requires intentional work. Students need to become more aware that future employers may not intuitively understand the value of study abroad – nor be impressed with international experience on a resume. If a student can effectively articulate how such experience makes them a stronger candidate for a job with their firm or organization, it will provide a strategic advantage in their job search and future career development.

for Faculty: Faculty Role in Linking Education Abroad Learning Objectives to Employability

Discussion focuses on best-practices for a robust and integrated approach to education abroad programming including the linkage of EA academic learning outcomes with strengthening student employability.  How faculty can support and foster understanding of the impact of EA upon employability through the incorporation of high-impact practices and career integration activities in the design of their EA programs.