Entering and Transitioning in International Higher Education: Being Prepared for Opportunities That Arise
Gary Rhodes
Associate Dean, International Education & Senior International Officer,
College of Extended & International Education
Director, Center for Global Education
California State University at Dominguez Hills
Last week, I was able to participate in three (3) conferences in New Orleans: NASPA: Student Affair Practitioners in Higher Education (NASPA), Diversity Abroad, and the Forum on Education Abroad. Along with attending the conferences and having the opportunity to present about issues at the conferences, attending sessions where I was able to learn about issues from other presenters, I was able to connect with professionals who can help inform the work I do. I was also able to connect with both graduate students and other professionals who were looking for advice on their opportunities to move forward in the profession.
Many of us mostly attend conferences that focus directly on the internationalization of higher education, study abroad, and international student support from organizations based in the U.S., including: The Forum on Education Abroad, Diversity Abroad, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the American Council on Education Center for International and Global Engagement, the Institute of International Education and the Association of International Education Administrators and conferences focused on these issues from organizations based outside the U.S,, including the International Education Association of South Africa, AMPEI: The Mexican Association of International Education, the Asian Pacific Association of International Education, the International Association of Universities, and others.
The importance of connection between professionals in higher education will be highlighted at the upcoming Terra Dotta University (TDU) Conference, where international education professionals connect to IT professionals, risk managers, student affairs professionals, and others who support study abroad and international students on campus and collaborate to maximize the impact of enrollment management software to support work on campus. Attending the NASPA Symposium highlighted the importance of connecting to associations that focus on other administrative issues in higher education that include international education as a sub-area of their field. NASPA has supported an “International Symposium” as one of their pre-conference workshops for many years. Roger Ludeman, the former Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, was one of the leaders in supporting that workshop, as well as starting the International Association of Student Affairs and Services. He played a critical role in 1998 when I started the SAFETI Clearinghouse in bridging the student affairs field and the study abroad field to enhance collaboration to support study abroad health and safety and study abroad. There are many other organizations that support higher education in the U.S. with international education as a sub-field, including the National Association of College and University Attorneys, the University Risk Management and Insurance Association, NACADA: The Global Community of Academic Advising, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, the American College Health Association, the National Association of College and University Business Officers and others.
This week, after returning from the conferences, I began teaching a graduate seminar course in the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies: EDUC 259: Administration of International Programs in Higher Education. Many of the students in the class are doing a 1-Year Masters program in either Student Affairs, Higher Education & Organizational Change, or Social Sciences & Comparative Education. I first taught the course in the late 1990s at USC and have taught it on-and-off since then at USC until 2004 and then UCLA. Some of the students have a clear interest in trying to find a career in study abroad or international student support areas. Others have a different career interest, but are interested in adding international to their academic learning. I also have someone who recently completed their Ph.D. doing an internship to help her better understand and help enter the field.
Prior to the start of the NASPA Conference, NASPA, in conjunction with ACUHO-I sponsors a “Placement Exchange” (ttp://conference2015.naspa.org/blog/the-placement-exchange-the-definitie-student-affairs-job-source). Unlike the international higher education field, where job opportunities are limited, the Placement Exchange averages over 10,000 job interviews for available positions at U.S. colleges and universities (yes, over 10,000). This includes jobs as professionals in student affairs positions, in residence halls, which result in significant turnover in colleges and universities across the U.S. If there are a limited number of positions in study abroad and international student support, but a significant number of people who want to get into the field, what can be done to provide more opportunities? I think this connects to the question of how well those of us in international higher education are connecting to colleagues in student affairs, campus housing, and other staff supporting all aspects of running a college or university.
When I first entered the study abroad field in 1989, study abroad and international student offices seemed to be much more isolated from the mission of many colleges and universities, much more under-staffed, and less connected across campus. I think that this situation is improving. Study abroad has become more central to an area of interest of college and university students. The numbers of international students on college campuses has also grown significantly. So, an increasing amount of time and energy of campus colleagues has been dedicated to supporting the work of the study abroad and international student office.
Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships. -Stephen Covey
Making the connections between higher education associations is critical in both sharing expertise between international education experts and experts on the various areas of higher education administration from the broad base of the many fields that collaborate to support university administration. This is also critical in effective program administration on a college or university campus. Neither study abroad nor international student support programs can thrive without support and collaboration from the many staff across campus who provide support for the many issues that come up from legal issues to risk management to student affairs to physical and mental health, to housing to IT to retention and success, career, and student conduct among others. Understanding the realities and challenges of colleagues across campus is critical in building collaboration and trust between campus departments to support international initiatives. At the same time, I would suggest that there are greater opportunities for new entries to the study abroad or international student support fields to begin by focusing on supporting international students in the residence halls employed by residential life, but focusing on international issues. For new entries to the field to be focused on recruitment and admission of international students…employed by admissions, but focusing on international issues… for academic advisers to focus on advisement of study abroad students and international students… employed by academic advisement, but focusing on international issues… I think that having staff that are interested in international higher education but working in offices that don’t necessarily focus only on study abroad or international student support issues has the potential to grow the field and provide a larger number of opportunities than have ever previously been available. At the same time, having colleagues across campus who understand the importance of international provide for enhanced opportunities for collaboration and support to enhance the work of the field. Other campus areas where internationally focused positions are being created included alumni, development, career services, counseling services, and many other areas across campus.
You only have to do something until you want to do it, then you won’t have to do it anymore – Leland Val Van de Wall
While thinking about this enhanced level of job opportunities by finding opportunities in administrative areas across campus that have a connection to internationalization and study abroad, most positions are still available within the study abroad, international student, and ESL departments on a college or university campus. Along with finding a way to enter the field, often, to move up in the field it is necessary to move to another college, university, or company that supports the field. As a co-presenter at a pre-conference workshop during the 2015 Diversity Abroad Conference, I presented with two (2) others in the field who are all currently going through professional transitions. I know of many others that have moved to be in charge of international offices in other countries and others who have moved between on-campus and off-campus responsibilities. Bill Clabby moved from a public university to a study abroad provider and then to a private university:
“Education Abroad is complex, vital, transformative and unique. As such, in order to understand it, and to facilitate experiences that will be transformative, it really helps to have many perspectives. I have been fortunate to have worked in several areas of international education. I started with my own experiences abroad - one year immersion in a French university, two years in the Peace Corps in Senegal, and one year teaching in Japan.
Professionally I spent 17 years at UCSD, a fairly large Research I university, in the Programs Abroad Office. I worked as an advisor and ultimately director of Opportunities Abroad. This gave me a campus and student perspective on the field, and showed me how the University of California Systemwide program works as well as a wide range of program providers. I also saw the administrative side of working with academic departments, and some of their interests and perspectives.
At this point I was offered an opportunity to work for an established program provider, ISA. My title was Executive Vice President of Research and Strategic Alliances. This job gave me the chance to see how programs are created, managed, marketed and maintained. From there I could see the challenges and solutions inherent in running programs abroad, and the possibilities that providers can create in partnership with universities, that could rarely occur if created and maintained by a university alone. I also was able to validate what I could not see from the university side, issues such as on site support, health and safety challenges and solutions, staffing here and abroad, financial challenges and needs, and connecting diverse academic systems.
Preparation for this step was greatly helped by networking through professional associations, volunteering to work with conferences, and a graduate degree in a related field. People and skills are key to growing in our field.
After five years in this area, I was offered an SIO (Senior International Officer) position at a smaller liberal arts university - St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. This is my current position. My title is Associate Vice President for Global Initiatives. The opportunity here is to work where a community of educators and students can be influenced and shaped with a vision for preparing students for the 21st Century and the globally connected world in which we live. I am able to work toward building more programs abroad, helping support international students on campus, creating greater awareness of the world in and out of the classroom, and facilitating collaboration of the university with off-campus international entities. Here I see the diverse needs and interests of academic departments, the study abroad office, central administration, US and international students, and the community at large.
For this transition, it was vital that I worked with the institution, so that I had some perspective on the needs and aspirations they had in mind.
In brief, each area of international education offers a perspective on the field, and teaches us new skills. I believe that nearly any intercultural, administrative, linguistic, or educational experience can add to the skills needed to succeed in this field. Ultimately, we are about the work of creating understanding and mutual support that makes the world a community and fosters goodwill. We make the world a better place and enrich life.” – Bill Clabby, Associate Vice President for International Initiatives, St. Edwards University
Heather Hamir also moved between a number of institutions:
I started in the field 16 years ago as an advisor, and have now worked at three universities at the director or executive director level, culminating in my appointment as the next President and CEO of the Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University beginning in July. These transitions were possible because of my professional experience and service, my education, the network of colleagues I've been privileged to gain over the years, and -- although it sounds obvious -- my willingness to relocate. Starting in a smaller office was a tremendous advantage for me as it gave me the opportunity to learn multiple facets of study abroad operations that I might not have had access to in a larger office. I took every chance to get involved on and off campus, including presenting at conferences and participating in committees. Service within institutions and the field expanded my professional perspective while helping me build a network of wonderful colleagues. My education has also influenced the opportunities available to me. I started in the field with two masters, then earned my Ph.D. while employed full-time. The doctorate positively influenced all four of my promotions, even while I was ABD, which was more impact than I had anticipated. I gained an unanticipated benefit from the doctorate through my dissertation research, the results of which led to new strategies, partnerships, and professional interests. All of these elements made me a good candidate in various searches, but at the end of the day, it was my willingness to consider positions across the country that allowed me to advance to my current role.
I started in the field working on a development project in Cameroon (1989). Then, worked in the study abroad office at USC (1989-1998). Then, started the Center for Global Education at USC (1998), moved it to LMU (2004) and then to UCLA (2010). One area that the Center has been putting in a significant amount of focus have been increasing diversity in study abroad and enhancing the impact of study abroad on retention and success. We have just completed a study which has shown a positive correlation between study abroad at California Community Colleges and student retention and success for all students and even a stronger impact for Hispanic students. We have also been working on issues related to enhancing support for international students, supporting their student life on campus as well as their retention and success, but also emphasizing the potential that international students have for supporting “internationalization at home” on campus and making their connections with domestic students a high impact activity supporting domestic student retention and success.
A colleague told me about an Associate Dean, International Education position that was opening up at California State University at Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), a campus in Los Angeles that is part of the California State University system. After looking at the information about the campus, one that is highly diversity (over 50% Hispanic and almost 20% African-American students). It is also an institution that is working to increase study abroad and international student numbers. It is also working to improve retention and success rates. As I met with members of the administration as well as faculty and staff, there seemed to be a strong energy to support the ideas we have been doing research and resource development about – using international as a high impact activity to increase international learning, but also impact retention and success. As Bill Clabby noted above, “Preparation for this step was greatly helped by networking through professional associations, volunteering to work with conferences, and a graduate degree in a related field.” I will be bringing the Center for Global Education with me from UCLA to CSUDH in this new role and look forward to continuing to connect with you through the Terra Dotta Newsletter and sharing resources and information that we develop to support your efforts in the field.
As you consider your entry into the international higher education field or think about your next transition within the field, broaden your view beyond traditional international student and study abroad jobs and develop your resume in ways that open you up to future potential opportunities. Also, through your challenges in your current position as well as your future job transitions, remember this quote form Churchill: “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”