i, too, am study abroad outline (iie)

SUNY OSWEGO EDUCATION ABROAD EDUCATION ABROAD

I, Too, Am Study Abroad Series Background After attending a DiversityAbroad session that highlighted the "I, Too, Am Harvard" video, SUNY Oswego created an "I, Too, Am Study Abroad" panel series that addresses topics that students face while overseas. The goal of this panel series is to help past participants process their experiences overseas in relation to their identities, as well as encourage all students to realize the importance of an education abroad experience and help them understand that they, too, are able to study abroad. Purpose This panel series was a key component in our 2014-2015 campaign designed to engage our students by using non-traditional recruitment methods. Beyond the panel series, we used our photo contest, social media (including the #oswegoabroad hashtag), t-shirts (given for completing a satisfaction survey, see attached photo), student blogs, and Study Abroad Mentors (both paid student workers as well as volunteers) to reach out to different, diverse areas on campus to highlight the variety of study abroad programs and to make every student realize that there is a study abroad program for them. Target The panels will focus on student identities, engagement, and various other topics. The series are open to the entire campus community and encourage further dialogue between students after the events are over. Setup Panels are comprised of study abroad alumni and are often in collaboration with other organizations, clubs, and campus events. Past sessions have included “Race and Ethnicity Overseas" (with ALANA) and “LGBTQ Identities Overseas" (with Pride Alliance. Beyond issues of race, sexuality, and gender, the panel series has also included "Going Beyond the Classroom" to engage students from underrepresented majors and to highlight the diversity of programs at SUNY Oswego, including research, internships, student teaching, and service learning. Sample Events

• September 2014 – I, Too, Am Study Abroad: Race and Identity Overseas – Held during annual ALANA Conference (African, Latino, Asian, Native American).

• October 2014– I, Too, Am Study Abroad: Gender and Identity

Abroad – Held during Pride Alliance’s week-long programming celebrating LGBTQ history month.

• November 2014 – I, Too, Am Study Abroad: Experiential

Learning Abroad – Session during our annual Global Awareness Conference – right before International Education week.


• April 2015 - I, Too, Am Study Abroad: Going Beyond “It Was

Great” – To be held during our annual Quest conference. Alumni will discuss their work post-study abroad and graduation (ie. Teaching overseas, Peace Corps, grad work, etc.)

• September 2015 - I, Too, Am Study Abroad: Empowerment for

the Future – This will be held during our upcoming ALANA Conference, which is entitled the same. The focus will be on leadership (and leadership fostering) opportunities overseas.

• October 2015– I, Too, Am Study Abroad: Gender and Identity

Abroad – Held during Pride Alliance’s week-long programming celebrating LGBTQ history month.

• November 2015 – I, Too, Am Study Abroad: Student Identities

Overseas – Session during our annual Global Awareness Conference – right before International Education week.

Sample Questions

1. Within Study Abroad there are Four F’s (Friends, Family, Fears, and Funds). These are known as the main obstacles for students deciding to go overseas. Within these four, before you went abroad, which were the obstacles for you if any?

2. When and where did you decide to study abroad and why? 3. What were your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them? 4. One of the biggest myths in Study Abroad is that it is too expensive, what would

be your response to this statement? 5. How did your identity, culture and social upbringing affect your experiences

abroad? (this question is modified based on the target group) 6. From your experience, how accepting of the LGBT community was your host

city/country? 7. What would you say to a student, self-conscious about his/her identity, who is

apprehensive about going abroad? The “How”

• Financially - After a strategic reassessment of study abroad promotion at Oswego, older and less relevant promotional activities were reduced, replaced, or revamped. This panel series is highly replicable as there is no major cost involved in organizing the returnee students and meeting space.

• Panelist Selection – We use this panel series as one of our Returnee Outreach

methods. We send out mass emails to the cohorts identifying the various panel topics and allow students to select their panel of interest. This is done to avoid


incorrect assumptions, particularly when it comes to identity. We also invite our Study Abroad Mentors to participate in these panels.

• Treating Identity – As this can be a tricky topic to address, we enter into the

discussion of Identity as a whole. What does it mean to be the “Other” overseas? How does it feel to be labeled an American while overseas? These are topics that all of our students can relate to and help them start asking the questions regarding their personal identity.

Outcome This panel series was a key component in our 2014-2015 campaign to engage our students in non-traditional recruitment methods. Beyond the panel series, we used our photo contest, social media (including the #oswegoabroad hashtag), t-shirts (given for completing a satisfaction survey, see attached photo), student blogs, and Study Abroad Mentors (both paid student workers as well as volunteers) to reach out to different, diverse areas on campus to highlight the variety of study abroad programs and to make every student realize that there is a study abroad program for them. The Future Sessions planned for 2015-2016 include the three previously mentioned topics of race, LGBTQ Identity”, and "Going Beyond the Classroom”. We plan to expand the series and focus on other areas of interest specific to the SUNY Oswego campus. Some of these include: February 2016 – Financing Your Experience (financial aid, grant/scholarship writing, etc.) March 2016 - Career Development - Marketing Your Experience (in collaboration with Career Services). March 2016 – Student Research – STEM Students Abroad. Held at our annual QUEST conference that highlights student research.

Contact Us Joshua McKeown, Ph.D. – [email protected] Director, Office of International Education and Programs Lizette Alvarado - Associate Director - [email protected] Keith Davis - Assistant Director – [email protected] Caitlin Pollard -Education Abroad Specialist– [email protected]