Washington DC:

Please join the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) for our Second Annual FEA Reception- Opening Doors to the World on Thursday, December 1 from 6:00-8:00pm at the National Trust for Historic Preservation (near Dupont Circle). Enjoy a night of networking, great speakers, drinks and delicious food. Carola McGiffert, Director of the 100,000 Strong Initiative and Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific, is our featured speaker.  Tickets are $75. Young Professional tickets are $45 (age 30 and under). All proceeds benefit FEA and our life-changing scholarships. To buy tickets for the FEA Annual Reception or for more event information, please visit www.fundforeducationabroad.com/support-fea/upcoming-events/. If you cannot attend this event, donations are still welcome at the FEA website.

Boston:

The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to increase the number and diversity of US undergraduates studying abroad. FEA is an independent organization that gives semester and year-long scholarships for underrepresented students to attend the study abroad program of their choice. For more information about FEA, please visit www.fundforeducationabroad.org.

If you have any questions about the event or how to purchase tickets, please contact the FEA Executive Director, Kate McPhail at kmcphail@academic-travel.com or 1-202-349-7340.

Thanks to FEA for providing an avenue for us to be generous for such an important cause!

The Academy is the training program for those who are interested in exploring the field of international education. This is an excellent opportunity for those who are relatively new to the field and who would like exposure to various career tracks under the umbrella of international education.  Those who are accepted into the Academy must commit to a 9 month program and develop learning goals. They will be paired with a seasoned mentor who will work closely with them to work toward their learning plan goals and to assist in networking within the field so that they are pulling from the most appropriate resources for their own learning paths.  Having served as a mentor in this program,  I have seen the added benefit of Academy participants bonding with a cohort of peers who will become friends and “go to” colleagues down the road.

Academy participants learn the basics of International Admissions, International Student Advising, Education Abroad and Management. They are expected to attend a training in the Spring in Atlanta, Georgia (US)  and then to attend the national and their local regional conferences. Membership to the organization is given for up to 18 months as part of the program and mentoring is continuous throughout the 9 month period, although it typically takes place by phone and email during the bulk of the program.  Participants will also have access to NAFSA’s online manual during this period.

Applications for the Academy are due by December 1st, 2009.  There is a fee of $1649 to participate, but this typically  includes membership and registration fees for the 3 face to face meetings/conferences (although the region determines whether to discount or waive the regional conference fee).  Travel costs to conferences are additional, but many employers will contribute to the program fee and travel costs.

If you know anyone interested in the field of international education, please do tell them about the NAFSA Academy. And if you’re a seasoned professional and would be interested in volunteering your time as a mentor, it is a very rewarding experience and offers a tremendous opportunity to give back to our field, which has given us so much.