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Did You Drink the Kool-Aid?

by | Jun 26, 2023 | Articles

June 26, 2023

SUMMARY:

The following are testimonials from four universities about the realities of study abroad “post-pandemic.” As members of the Diversity Abroad Inclusive Education Abroad Community of Practice, we questioned our assumptions about our expectations regarding the “return of study abroad.” We realized that we had all “drank the Kool-Aid,” meaning we believed that study abroad would naturally resume and continue to evolve; specifically in terms of student advising and support, increased access for historically marginalized students, and mirroring pre-pandemic participation. Below you will find each person’s reflections on their current and past realities.

AUTHORS:

  • Anna Biuso: SUNY Buffalo
  • Caitlin Hatz: St. Lawrence University
  • Courtney Kroll: University of Washington Tacoma
  • Stephanie Ramin: St. Mary’s University

Courtney Kroll (University of Washington Tacoma)

Like so many colleagues in the field of international higher education, I was really looking forward to a sense of “normalcy” during the 2022-23 academic year, specifically when it came to the amount of students studying abroad. I was pleasantly surprised by the uptick in attendance at our information sessions and the rush of students starting applications. “Study abroad is back,” was the messaging I received from the education abroad field and I believed them. I drank the Kool-Aid. But I was wrong.

Pre-pandemic, we had around 150 students study abroad each year and our study abroad population generally mirrored our campus student population in terms of first generation status, ethnicity and financial aid eligibility (63% of our undergraduates identify as students of color, 54% as first generation, and 41% are Pell grant eligible). For the 2022-23 academic year, we will likely have around 63 study abroad participants. After my initial disappointment at seeing that our study abroad participation data was nowhere near “normal,” I realized that my original expectations were totally unreasonable. We know that the pandemic disproportionately impacted people of color and those from lower economic statuses. So many of the students I work with have several jobs, take care of family members, are struggling with housing and food insecurity, and have more responsibilities now than they did before the pandemic started.

UW Tacoma students are still struggling from the impacts of COVID-19 and I should have taken this into account from the start. My colleagues and I have done more targeted outreach, social media campaigns, class visits and info sessions this year than ever before, but it is still not enough. While I am relieved that 63% of our 2022-23 study abroad participants identify as students of color, which is representative of our student body population as a whole, I am still trying to figure out how to best serve my historically marginalized students when there seem to be even more roadblocks in their way than ever before.

Caitlin Hatz (St. Lawrence University)

Now, more than ever before, a light is shining on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in our field of international education. Since the wake of Geroge Floyd in May of 2020, campaigns calling for action directly ignited a fire in our field. While there have been pushes for DEI to marry international and intercultural learning in the past, this catalyst was the first time that such initiatives were reframing our work and our conversations. Every webinar, conference session, and publication was focusing on how to be more inclusive, how to provide diverse literature and course offerings, utilizing identity as a frame and creating a sense of belonging from advising to return. The energy was palpable and over the last three years new resources were developed, surveys were launched, training provided, and branding of our field as a diverse and equitable advocate was launched.

While I know initiatives take time to come to fruition, I must admit that with all of the efforts being focused into DEI work, I too, believed that the return on a more diverse student population studying abroad would be higher. I thought the discussions at our conference would be highlighting more gains in this area and more successful equitable outcomes for our students. I “drank the kool aid” in thinking change would happen faster in our field as a whole.

At St. Lawrence University, our off-campus study numbers have not yet hit pre-pandemic levels, with about 30-40 students less than “normal” years. Our office too has increased new programming and resources to reach more students, and have also changed our marketing and support strategies. Because our office didn’t collect all data on our students’ identity pre-pandemic, it is challenging to compare hard data on increased numbers of historically marginalized students now. However, anecdotally the changes are not vast and not what I was hoping to see based on initial student interest and new strategic efforts. Despite my initial projections, I am still hopeful to see increases and as higher education becomes the most diverse it has been yet, we must better recruit and support all students.

Stephanie Ramin (St. Mary’s University)

The study abroad landscape at St. Mary’s University (San Antonio, TX) has likely been a bit different in comparison to my Community of Practice colleagues, as we are currently in the process of rebuilding our study abroad office from the ground up. Unfortunately, we have limited data on study abroad participation prior to my arrival at St. Mary’s last spring (2022), so we are essentially starting with a clean slate. But did I “drink the Kool-Aid” and believe that study abroad would ramp up at our institution when I started last year? I’d say I sipped it, at the very least. I certainly anticipated that our study abroad numbers would naturally start to increase now that the world was getting back to “normal” again. But also, we’ve hit the ground running with spreading the word about study abroad at our institution, have created an easier and more streamlined application process for our students through the implementation of Terra Dotta, and now have dedicated staff to support and be a resource to our students in their study abroad journey. So really, I think you could say I drank the Kool-Aid, but more so in thinking that all of these factors would spur an increase in our study abroad participation numbers.

Although the world is re-opening, the aforementioned efforts have been made, and students have been expressing interest in going abroad, the participation rates have not accelerated at the rate I anticipated: some of our proposed faculty-led programs didn’t enroll enough students to go abroad this summer, and there still isn’t much participation at the exchange level, either. Nevertheless, enrollments are increasing – slowly, but surely! At the end of the day, the biggest challenge in growing our numbers doesn’t appear to be strictly COVID-19-related, but rather that we need to revitalize a culture of internationalization and study abroad at St. Mary’s, in general. I am hopeful that because the world is re-opening and because our campus is becoming increasingly better-equipped to inform and support students about study abroad, that we will continue to experience an increase in participation rates as time goes on.

Anna Biuso (SUNY)

One of the most distinctive lessons I learned from the pandemic is that hope and denial often feel the same. I have realized that at each stage of the pandemic I used hope as an excuse to be naive about the realities of COVID-19 and the impacts of a global pandemic. I truly thought at the very beginning of the pandemic that we would not be recalling our students home globally. I then thought that the pause of study abroad would be quick (my previous institution was not able to send students until spring 2022). Then, “post-pandemic”, I thought that study abroad was “back,” that we would go about our lives and eventually get back to pre-pandemic levels of study abroad.

I definitely drank the Kool-Aid of study abroad numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels. However, upon contemplation, I’ve come to the realization, in certain senses the Kool-Aid is really Kool-Aid; In other senses it’s not. To explain, at my previous institution, we did see a return to near normal numbers of study abroad participants for summer 2023 and fall 2023. We found that once a sense of normalcy returned at home, students were excited and eager to study away. That said, the amount of care and time student advising consumed increased. In my former office, we were in a fortunate situation where our office was fully staffed and funded, and thus were more easily able to provide that level of care and student support. I do think that is a large part of why we saw our numbers of students abroad rapidly increase. However, I would say it is also in part because of the overall demographic of the institution: Only about half of students receive need-based aid, many students come from more affluent areas of the downstate region, and the majority of students are white.

Comparing my experience to that of some of my peers has made me realize that it’s not so much whether you “drank the Kool-Aid” believing that study abroad was back, it’s more about what was in the Kool-Aid. For many institutions and providers, their Kool-Aid was Kool-Aid: Study abroad is back with a force and while things may have changed in terms of the types of support students need, the numbers are there. For our colleagues at institutions that generally serve students with higher financial need, are minority-serving, or have a large proportion of rural or first-gen students, the perspective of whether study abroad is back or not may be drastically different because the pandemic disproportionately impacted these groups of people.

So, what now?

In order to better understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our student populations, we plan to implement one or more of the following at our institutions and encourage others in similar situations to explore these strategies:

  • Offer identity-based preparatory workshops and advising tools to students during the recruitment and application phase of study abroad.
  • Elicit survey responses or hold focus groups for students who started but did not complete study abroad applications. Explore new programming options as a result of our analysis.
  • Offer more identity-specific resources on our websites.
  • Reconfigure study abroad application questions, eligibility requirements, and processes to include early screening of applications to make sure we are reaching diverse and equitable outcomes.
  • Review both qualitative and quantitative participation data.
  • Involve campus units, departments and student groups for advising and marketing to target specific student populations.
  • Take the time to better understand issues in our local communities near our campuses.
  • Think about the changes happening in higher education in general.

These tasks will certainly help us better support students by remembering how the pandemic is still impacting their daily lives, choices, and long term goals. Rather than becoming deterred about not “bouncing back,” we plan to use this as an opportunity to better understand the students we serve and better prepare them for their study abroad experiences.

If you’re currently experiencing a similar reality in regard to study abroad on your campus, we hope that hearing our perspectives has provided you with reassurance that you’re not alone in this. We also hope that the above action items inspire you to take one or more of these steps at your institution if you believe they will be helpful to you, too. As they say…onward!

Do Parents Need to be Included too?

by | Jun 26, 2023 | Articles, Education Abroad Resources, Support & Advising

Do Parents Need to be Included too? Considering the importance of students’ support networks when advising underserved students for study abroad

August 17, 2023

SUMMARY:

Addressing the changing landscape of study abroad, this article emphasizes the need to involve parents and support networks when advising underserved students. Highlighting the influence of family on students’ decisions, it explores inclusive language, strategies for reaching out to supporters, and challenges faced. Survey results reveal efforts by some institutions to connect with support networks, sharing information, and enhancing student experiences. The importance of collaboration across campus departments is underscored. The article calls for recognizing disparities, fostering inclusive communication, and striving for an environment where all students, including underserved populations, can confidently explore and engage in study abroad opportunities.

AUTHORS:

  • Rachel Mantiñán | Global Equity and Inclusion Officer, Academic Solutions
  • Daniel Watson | University Relations Manager, ISEP
  • Abigail Cavazos, Ed.D | Associate Director of Study Abroad, Siena College

Introduction

As times change, so do the students we are sending abroad. As we work to increase access to study abroad for underserved students, we need to consider that how we reach out to them may also need to change.

As emphasized in a Diversity Abroad article from 2016, the significance of facilitating effective communication between students and their families, as well as their support networks, regarding study abroad remains prominent. In reading this article, an important question to note is do we also need to create and disseminate resources specifically for supporters of underserved students who want to study abroad? Recent research has shown how influential parents and support networks can be in students’ decisions to study abroad. In fact, 83% of students surveyed have stated that their parents/supporters heavily influence their decisions when it comes to going abroad (Banov et al., 2017). The 2022 Diversity Abroad Global Education Experience Student Survey found that 84.3% of students reported their family as a source of support, Students whose parents/caregivers have higher levels of education are statistically shown to study abroad more often, while other families may see studying abroad as more ‘highbrow’ capital, and not worthwhile or attainable (Lingo, 2019). The fears and hesitation of families and support networks towards studying abroad are some considerations to be addressed, given how influential they can be in the decision-making process of their children. As practitioners, we may become aggravated when parents become a part of the process. We dismiss it and try to put the onus where we believe it belongs – on the students. But as much as we, as practitioners, want the decision to study abroad to be solely in the hands of the students, we may be doing a disservice to underserved student groups by ignoring the influence of family and supporters and not addressing their concerns about studying abroad.

Exploring Parent Communication

In the winter/spring of 2023, the Diversity Abroad DEI Professionals Community of Practice group decided to gather information for this article and survey the field to see how the idea of parent communication is addressed and perceived by practitioners. A number of questions were posed, including asking about more inclusive terminology that might be used. Considering the fact that parent/guardian can be seen as non-inclusive for many students who have different family structures at home, we wanted to make sure to provide our audience with some good suggestions established for practitioners when dealing with students who may have different or non-traditional support structures. Respondents were asked about how (if at all) study abroad offices might be connecting with families and supporters of underserved students, and how they came to the decision to connect or not connect with them. The survey explored what is working and what isn’t when it comes to connecting with families/supporters of underserved students. The results of this survey, as well as how we might move forward given this information, are discussed herein.

The survey received 12 total responses from various professionals, 11 of which were from universities, while one was undeclared, however, clearly from the higher education field. Of the 11 university respondents, five were private institutions, six did not specify whether private or public, two institutions were Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), and four were Predominantly White Institutions (PWI).

Inclusive Language:

The first question asked surrounded the use of inclusive language. Respondents provided recommendations for employing more inclusive language when addressing students who are in their home environment. This acknowledges the diversity of family structures and recognizes that the term “parents” might not be inclusive for all students.

Additional suggestions were made to use language such as supporters, support network, family supporter, parent/guardian/other, family representative, other relative, friend, legal supporter, and emergency contact. The authors also recommend including “partner” or “spouse” to include students who have a family of creation and avoid the assumption that a student’s only family is the family of origin.

Student Support Structures and Influencers:

The survey went on to inquire about how, if at all, offices are reaching out to student support structures. Of the 12 respondents, five stated that they are currently connecting with student supporters. Reasons for this included understanding the influence that supporters can have on underserved students’ decisions to study abroad, and knowing they are an important part of the decision-making process. The resources and information shared included information about how studying abroad works to allow for a greater understanding of the process. There was a general recognition that supporters are a big piece of a ‘puzzle’ for students as they navigate this arena.

In order to address this, offices were hosting information sessions, pre-departure sessions specifically for supporters, and participating in family weekend events. Flyers, videos, and panel sessions for supporters were also being used – some being offered in both English and Spanish. Partnering with other campus offices was also highlighted as a way to reach supporters. Websites were also used extensively as a way to communicate information with supporters. Everyone who responded stated they offer both in-person and virtual resources for supporters.

Challenges:

When asked about what is or isn’t working, respondents stated that it is difficult to reach everyone and it is hard to tell if the outreach is working or having any kind of positive impact on the student’s decision-making process. Some stated that they have gotten positive feedback on the resources they have available for supporters. It also seems to help to put faces with the staff that work in the international office, which in turn puts minds at ease and makes the office more familiar for supporters of underserved students.

Seven out of the 12 respondents stated they are not currently connecting with student supporters. Reasons for this varied, many citing FERPA violation concerns. This Community of Practice group feels it is important to address this concern, as our survey was not asking about sharing of educational records, such as specific details about a student’s study abroad plans, which is what FERPA laws would disallow. Instead, our committee was exploring the sharing of general information about study abroad – how it works and why it is beneficial – so that supporters can become better informed about studying abroad and help support their students’ pursuit of such an activity. We feel that this kind of outreach and information does not violate FERPA law.

A number of respondents mentioned that their offices are presently not receiving communication from supporters, leading them to believe that there is no necessity for conducting any form of outreach. On the other hand, some elaborated on their perspective that students should assume responsibility for both the information and the experience, thereby taking the initiative to share such details with their supporters. Moreover, some respondents revealed that this type of outreach would be channeled through a centralized parent/family office rather than the study abroad office.

Case Studies:

Two follow-up interviews were held from respondents working in private PWI’s who reported having some contact with students’ support networks, however not intentionally. The contact occurred when the partners sought out connection and advice. These interviews offered a deeper look into how and why institutions are and are not connecting with supporters of underserved students.

One shared a specific case that proved that having direct contact with a student’s support network provided a clear benefit to the study abroad process and resulted in the student successfully going abroad. In this case, the student had a vision impairment and required specific accommodations in order to safely live and study abroad on her own. The student’s father took a proactive stance and became deeply engaged right from the beginning of the advising period, driven by the seriousness of the vision impairment. The accommodations available to the student on the home campus, courtesy of the U.S. Disability Act, might not be assured beyond the borders of the United States.The International Office at the student’s home campus worked closely with the father, the student, and the host university to determine whether or not the appropriate accommodations would be possible, such as front-row seating in all classes, as well as the use of a particular font in course material and presentations. Other accommodations were made throughout the program on excursions, activities and housing. This specific case illustrates how the cooperation between the student’s and university’s ecosystems enabled her to explore life independently beyond the U.S. While pondering over this case, our committee deliberated on how such collaborations might be smoother for institutions, particularly given that it involved a case of (dis)ability. The IIE Open Doors Report shows a steady increase of students with disabilities studying abroad from 2.6% in 2006/07 to 11.2% in 2020/21.

Are institutions prepared to engage with support networks when the identity-based concerns have to do with race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any intersection of identities? Might institutions not only consider discussing these topics with students, but also provide them with the material and tools for how to discuss these topics with their support networks. Additionally, finding better ways to track student profiles for better reporting may also help better understand their needs, increase outreach, and ultimately improve services and support. The better an institution understands their student population, the better equipped they will be to serve them.

Both interviewees affirmed their current lack of proactive outreach to support networks. However, one of the institutions is presently in the process of piloting family outreach, which includes a dedicated newsletter aimed specifically at families. Another suggestion they offered involves incorporating study abroad-related content into the existing family-oriented campus-wide newsletter. Both interviewees emphasized their recognition of the clear advantages in actively involving support networks and expressed a desire to enhance their endeavors and allocate more resources toward this goal. They also highlighted the significance of collaborative efforts across the campus, involving Admissions, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Women’s Center, and the Intercultural Center, to effectively engage with the support networks of the students who would benefit the most.

Conclusion:

This Community of Practice group underscores the significance of the survey and article in shedding light on the pivotal role families and supporters play in students’ decision-making processes, particularly in the context of underserved students seeking study abroad opportunities. Supporters, encompassing parents, family members, and any other support network on which a student relies, wield considerable influence over numerous students. Based on our limited survey results, the current advising structures for study abroad predominantly cater to the “majority” students – those who are white, middle class, and have supporters at home familiar with the benefits of studying abroad, thus not likely to oppose the decision. This topic has also recently been explored in the FORUM on Education Abroad’s Podcast series, Global Voices. The episode titled ‘Space for Families,’ recorded in late 2022, underscores the significance of allocating room for this stakeholder group, contributing to a more inclusive environment in terms of recruiting and promoting study abroad opportunities. The episode highlights the requirements of supporters in terms of alleviating fears and apprehensions related to studying abroad.

Moving ahead, it is imperative for staff within the International Education realm to acknowledge the disparities and challenges that underserved students’ support networks present. In a subsequent interview, an education abroad staff member proposed the idea of furnishing information about the practices of other institutions when it comes to communicating with parents/families. According to them, having a benchmark with other universities’ approaches would be beneficial. Furthermore, they expressed an interest in learning about novel concepts or guidance from universities and/or providers that excel in their communication with parents.

As professionals, we should consistently question ourselves, our student communities, and their support networks about how we can enhance our support for students (as well as their supporters) who aspire to pursue study abroad but lack the tools and/or resources to make well-informed decisions. How can we help them recognize that study abroad is feasible for any student? Additionally, how should our field adjust its perception of families/parents/support networks of underserved students and their dynamics with their students to help them be successful in study abroad programming?

References:

Banov, H., Kammerer, A., & Salciute, I. (2017). Mapping Generation Z: Attitudes toward international education programs mapping Generation Z. AFS Intercultural Programs.

Institute of International Education. (2022). “Profile of U.S. Study Abroad Students, 2006/07-2020/21.” Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved from https://opendoorsdata.org/

Kasravi, J., Garcia, E., and Lopez-McGee, L. (August, 2022). 2022 Global Education Experience Student Survey. Retrieved from diversityabroad.org.

Lingo, M. D. (2019). Stratification in study abroad participation after accounting for student intent. Research in Higher Education, 60(8), 1142-1170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-019-09545-z

Bridging The Gap Between Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Global Learning

by | Jun 11, 2023 | Articles

July 11, 2023

SUMMARY:

From pre-departure, to onsite, to re-entry, students’ identities play an important role in their global learning experience. Both home and host institutions can use strategies to better prepare students for their experience abroad related to diversity, equity, and include (DEI) and support them through these DEI-related experiences or challenges they may encounter while abroad. This article explores some of those strategies and provides examples of how home and host institutions can work to bridge the gap between DEI and global learning. This contribution was made possible by the 2022-2023 Diversity Abroad Community of Practice for the region of Europe.

AUTHORS:

  • Andrea Adams, MBA | Board Director, Global Inclusion and Innovation, SRISA Institute
  • Antoinette Hertel, Ph.D. | Director for Spain Programs; The Institute for Study Abroad-Butler University
  • Callie Frost, MSEd | Assistant Director, International Education and Global Initiatives; Binghamton University

Over the years, the international education field has seen a relatively homogenous group of students studying abroad. In the 2018-2019 academic year, out of nearly 350,000 U.S. students who studied abroad, 68.7% were White, 10.9% were Latino-American, 8.9% were Asian, and 6.4% were African-American students (as published by Open Doors Data). As we know the importance and benefits of a global learning experience (i.e. developing foreign language, problem-solving, communication, and intercultural skills; as well as gaining an international perspective), it is important that students from under-represented backgrounds not only engage in study abroad, but also feel comfortable and included in these experiences. From pre-departure, to onsite, to re-entry, research and personal testimonies show that student identity (racial/ethnic identity, sexual orientation, gender, religion, disability identification) can become an important element of their study or intern abroad experience.

According to the Diversity Abroad 2022 Global Education Experience Student Survey, over half of student respondents felt stereotyped and felt isolated at least once during their education abroad program in that “people made assumptions about [them] based on one or more aspects of [their] identity.” Whether or not those stereotypes and assumptions students perceived had the intention of discrimination or hate, the impact they have on students is real. Both home and host institutions can use strategies to better prepare students for and support them through these types of experiences.

Pre-Departure Preparation

In pre-departure, home institutions can begin the conversation with students on how to prepare for their experience on-site including the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) context in their host country and how they may be perceived abroad based on their identities. Below are some suggested pre-departure activities and resources that could be used alongside guided discussion with students during pre-departure:

On-Site Experiences

Student perspectives on DEI can intersect in productive ways with global learning and intercultural competence objectives, but this can also be a point of conflict for students abroad. Study abroad programs can assist and accompany students through this process of rethinking personal identity while in a new cultural context abroad with a strong, program-long critical framework and regular onsite activities that offer a space for reflection.

It is important to emphasize to all constituents in the onsite program community that we expect all to interact with mutual respect. But as much as we may establish community guidelines from the beginning of a given program, local sensibilities will inevitably not align perfectly with those of all U.S. university students. In anticipation of moments of this type of disconnect that can arise onsite—be they during the program courses or activities themselves or in the host culture at large—it is helpful to already have in place some format in which students may process and reflect on them with the assistance of trained onsite staff and/or faculty.

Critical Reflection through Storytelling

One activity that provides such a space for critical reflection is storytelling, in which groups of students moderated by staff or faculty work to develop narratives that unpack challenging moments in their study abroad experience. Students take stock of the different dimensions of their own identities, learn to recognize their cultural baggage and, ideally, develop stories that build empathy and shape attitudes for social change. Over the course of a semester, the work done in these sessions can provide the context that enables students to make lasting meaning of encounters between cultures that will inform their intercultural perspective-taking for years to come.

Student Self-Advocacy

Students can also serve an important role in advocating for themselves and their peers even while abroad. As some overseas institutions and programs do not host a vast amount of student clubs and organizations, launching a ‘cultural club’ (or similar) led by student ambassadors can represent the student voice from a DEI perspective. The club endeavors to ensure that students feel included and supported, and operates like a student club on a U.S. home campus, complete with leadership and committee roles. Students can involve themselves in the local community, participate in local initiatives, and develop programming that supports DEI and cultural activities. Ideas could include exploring musical roots, culinary heritage, festivals, book clubs, and sports. The ambassadors would also serve as primary point persons to the staff in voicing student identity- and DEI-related concerns, sharing inspiring student videos and photos in their new environment, and providing feedback to the institution.

Host Organization Structure & Programming

Finally, the host organization and its staff can take the lead on DEI by ensuring that DEI is organically integrated in all facets of their program. This might include: hiring and retention, student activities and clubs, excursions, student services, curriculum, lectures, and events. The universities and study abroad programs with a student-centric focus that support DEI resources, community-building and engagement opportunities are poised to welcome today’s Gen-Z students. University leaders and their teams must continue to evolve their knowledge and skill-set in how to build more equitable and inclusive learning environments with students, which includes supporting student voices, conducting student feedback sessions, re-assessing and decolonizing curriculum, and developing inclusive teachings. For example, Berklee College of Music in Boston and Valencia offers a global perspective that acknowledges the reality and challenges of communities around the world. As a part of that perspective, they offer the Black Lives Matter Capsule, a curated online platform that allows for self-guided learnings through video on anti-Black racism.

For further learning on these topics, see:

Fostering Engagement and Belonging in the Workplace

by | Jun 7, 2023 | Career Advancement Resources, Identity in the Workplace

Fostering Engagement and Belonging in the Workplace

    Recording from Live Session on Tuesday, June 6, 2023

    Session Description: 

    Cultivating a workspace in which employees share a sense of purpose and are empowered to bring their whole, authentic selves to realize that purpose engenders increased work performance and the actualization of organizational goals. Workplaces have the opportunity to foster belonging and engagement through intentional activities that help employees feel included and valued. During this community discussion, we will investigate how offices and organizations with different work modalities work to build inclusion and belonging into the day-to-day experiences of their employees.This community discussion was hosted by the Diversity Abroad Community of Practice for Career Advancement & Belonging and explores how organizations with different work modalities can work to build inclusive offices.

    Presenters:

    • Ashley Bayman |Global Learning Coordinator and Advisor, University of California, Santa Cruz
    • Zahar Barth-Manzoori | Director, German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH)
    • Hanni Geist | Senior Manager, Germanic Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
    • Lily Lopez-McGee | Executive Director, Diversity Abroad

     Additional Resources