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In An Age of Budget
Cuts, Using Your Alumni
To Fill in the Gaps
An open discussion on the value of
study abroad alumni.
Overview
• The Budget • The Students • The Resource • The Incentive • The Work • The Field
Presenters
• Andrew Bennett - ISA • Lisa Loberg - Cal Lutheran • LaSharon McLean Perez - UC Riverside
• Andra Jacques - Point Loma Nazarene
Sources • Interviews conducted with study abroad staff from: – UC San Diego – 10 study abroad, 2 Global Seminar workers
– UC Irvine – 10 -13 peer advisors – UC Riverside – 3 paid student workers, 10-14 volunteers – CSU Fullerton – 2 paid student workers
– CSU Long Beach – 4 paid student workers – CSU San Marcos – 1 study abroad, 1 IP student worker – California Lutheran University – 5 paid and 2 interns
– Point Loma Nazarene – 1 paid student worker, 8 volunteers – ISA Alumni Department – 250 Global Ambassadors nationwide
The Budget
The budget
• $750 million was cut from both the UC’s and CSU’s last year • While tuition has increased by 28% percent across the
nation in the last five years, UC tuition risen 73% and CSU tuition has increased 84%.
• 2.5 billion in higher education since 2008 • Like the rest of campus, study abroad offices are seeing
their budgets cut too. • Positions are being released, retirees are not being
replaced, and new hires are being offered miniscule salaries or partial hours.
Evolving Responsibilities
• While study abroad alumni have always worked or volunteered at study abroad offices, their roles are now evolving to fill in what the budget cuts have taken away
• Taking on roles like: – Advising – Processing applications – Transcripts – Handling financial aid – Communicating with admissions, financial aid, professors,
departments, students and parents
The students
The Returnee Student
• Unparalleled energy • They desire to retain some sort of connection to the
experience
• Friends willing to listen to “when I was abroad” stories becoming scarce
• Looking for a flexible campus job • Looking for work experience and resume building
• Interested in the international field
Alumnus Potente
• Studied in multiple locations • Studied in non-traditional locations • Takes initiative • Unafraid of public speaking • Problem solving/advising skills • Has camera, will shoot • Graphics savvy • Social media savvy • Was not a pain in the application process • Organizational skills • Communication/public speaking skills
Variety of relations
• Office Workers Paid by the SAO – Peer Advisors – Outreach – Front Desk – Administrative
• Federal Work-Study • Global Ambassadors (ISA) – Paid for by providers – Training
• Periodic Volunteers – Keeping a list of dependable alumni
• Submission of media (blogs/pictures/video)
Provider Interns Free assistance or bias influence?
• Nearly every major provider has an alumni internship program.
• Free resource • The provider, study abroad office, and intern need to
coordinate on how the student will promote the provider program along with study abroad in general on campus.
• What has been you experience? Positive/negative?
ISA’s Global
Ambassador Program
• Started in 2007 • Enlist returnees as promotions/marketing interns on their home
campuses. • Duties include:
– Assisting study abroad office • Volunteering at fairs • Classroom presentations • Office hours advising
– Postering – Greek presentations – Tabling. Many make posters. – Accompanying the ISA rep – ISA workshop
The Resource
Marketer Supreme
• From the moment they get of the plane, returnees become your most vocal and visible proponents of studying abroad.
• While you’re trying to get more likes on your office’s Facebook page, they’ve been adding friends since they were in middle school.
• Peer to peer advising. • They are the demographic you’re trying to reach
Masters of Media
• Encourage these activities during orientation, remind them while abroad through email, and ask for submissions after they return. – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, – Graphic design – Photography – Film and video editing – Web design – Blogs
• Still, there is also much on the job training that happens in the office.
Alumni Behind the Lens
• Photo contest, then show photos from our submissions. • Are you hosting photo contests? – Free content for websites, social media posts, print material
– Promotes student involvement – Increases their connection to your office
• The next wave: video content • Video blogging scenery, university, housing, excursions and
personal anecdotes
Reporters on the
ground
• Incentivise blogging by offering it as an internship – Reach out to your English, Journalism, or Creative Writing
departments – Broach the subject of coordinated internships with
appropriate academic departments on campus. Ask that writing submissions be included in the assignment
– Talk to the school newspaper about publishing opportunities – Connect writers with classrooms
The Incentive
Recruitment of Alumni
• During their study abroad application process, keep an eye for the all-stars
• Email blast all returning students • But personally invite a few stand out returnees to apply • Work through career center, emphasizing experience
working in an international field
Payment
• Pay ranges from minimum wage to $12 across surveyed schools.
• Raises are possible in some schools, not all.
The Incentive
• All this is grand, but how do you get the students to actually follow through with these tasks, especially on a tight budget? How do you keep them motivated?
The Work
Training
• Bring students in before the semester starts • Keep close tabs on students at the beginning of their
advising.
• Ask your provider representatives to hold info sessions to educate the students on the different programs
Duties
• Marketing/Customer Service: – First line of advising in the
office
– Leading info sessions – Classroom presentations
– Tabling on campus – Pre-departure orientations – Re-entry orientations
– Working reception
• Administrative: - Processing applications - Review transcripts - Processing financial aid - Following up for missing documents - Taking passport pictures
Where do you
draw the line?
• As helpful as student workers can be, there must be a line of responsibility they can’t cross – Final grades from transcripts – Confidential Information
• What duties should we keep from them? • What duties require an advisor’s approval?
The field
Real importance
• These are jobs with real responsibilities • The students work has an affect on peoples lives • They are selling something they believe in
• Their passion and interest is rooted in a life-changing experience they had themselves, but it is our responsibility to inform them on how to turn this experience and work into a potential career.
Professional
Development
• Already exposed to professional aspects of working in and office: demeanor, marketing, customer service, communication skills
• The relationships built with study abroad staff naturally lead to mentoring students on life after college
• Resume review • International resources at their fingertips • Letters of recommendation from international professionals • Help applying for grad school, Fulbright, Rotary, etc.
In-House Networking
• See the inner-workings of a study abroad office • Exposed to university administrative functions • Have support in attending conferences in the field
• Get to meet different providers reps and hear about their offices in different cities and life on the road
Lessons From Abroad
• Saturday event taking place in San Diego, Los Angeles, Bay Area, and now…NEBRASKA!
• Students dress in business attire and bring a portfolio of resumes
• Sessions pertaining to the field of international education, going abroad again by myriad routes, travel writing, photo journalism, etc
• Networking with a wide variety of professionals in the field: schools, providers, corporations, non-profits, etc.
NAFSA
• 32 students attendees here this week • 222 at the NAFSA national 2012
• Job networking, resume distribution • Informational interview
• Professional development and training
Success Stories
• Most alumni who return to work in the study abroad office stay connected to the international community in some form
• Many go back abroad. Half the student workers at UCSD have or are planning to study abroad twice
• JET, Peace Corps, teaching abroad • Graduate school domestic and abroad • Joining int’l ed. (EA, ISSS, or provider)
Thank you for attending
Thank you for listening
Thank you for participating
