New Year’s resolutions and intention-setting do not just apply to our personal life – we can also use these tools to set goals for our professional development over a year too! A little over one month into 2018, we have had time to reflect, regroup, and decide what to actually devote our energy to in the New Year. In this post, yPIE DC Board members reflect on international education intentions for 2018.
What are your intentions within (and outside of) the field of international education this year? Share with us in the comments section, or chat with us at our next yPIE DC happy hour. We hope our 2018 goals inspire your own international education resolutions!
“As an international education professional, I travel often for work but rarely step outside of hotels, universities and airports. This year, I want to make more of an effort to travel for pleasure. I want to slow down and take time to explore new places and cultures.” – Stephanie, Chair of Communications Committee
“Late last year, I began my lengthy journey as a graduate student at American University’s School of International Service studying U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security. This year I resolve to take classes in areas that I do not have previous experience in while becoming more involved in my program’s community. In addition, I hope to take a spontaneous trip and run a couple of half-marathons along the way!” – Zach, Membership Committee
“In 2017, I started a new role in international education which offers me the opportunity to learn about higher education issues such as access, equity, and attainment for underrepresented populations. Since this is a new area and subject matter for me, I have spent much of my time learning what I can about these issues in the US context. In 2018, I resolve to broaden the scope of my learning and examine these issues from an international lens, looking at how these themes play out in other national and regional contexts, and what the US can learn from beyond our own borders.” – Erin, Chair of Events Committee
“Right as 2017 was coming to a close, I transitioned into a new position at CET Academic Programs, managing their new High School and Pre-College Programs. I am still learning a lot about my role and this newer sub-section of the field of international and global education, so my resolution this year is to dive into the growing body of academic research about best practices in youth study abroad and maybe even contribute something!” – Tess, yPIE DC Board Chair
“In early 2017, I had the opportunity to transition into a new professional role as a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Officer for a diverse portfolio of international education programs. While I have some background in M&E, this position allows for additional technical specialization and opportunities to connect with different people and paths within the international education field. This year, I resolve to utilize DC’s various resources to strengthen my qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills, including free edx.org courses and auditing classes at George Washington University as an alum.” – Lauren, Communications Committee
“Since graduating from the George Washington University in 2015, I’ve noticed the time I spend reading and writing about international affairs and cross-cultural issues has gone down. This year I want to engage with the international academic community on a more regular basis, and (hopefully) read at least one academic book a month!” – Holly, Events Committee
“In 2018, my resolution is to take advantage of the Professional Development Awards available through my employer, the British Council. I would use the funds to undertake a course that will strengthen my business development skills. In my day-to-day work I develop and implement full cost recovery programs, so ideally this course would help me to apply my background in international education to identifying business opportunities and managing successful programs.” – Jenna, Events Committee
“In 2018, I will seek out new opportunities to challenge myself professionally, both inside and outside my organization. I transitioned to a new office in December 2017 so I resolve to take advantage of the new scope and commit to design quality learning experiences for my new audience. Moreover, I resolve to deepen my engagement with the field by continuing to volunteer with American Councils, developing my portfolio, and attending conferences to learn from both experts and my peers.” – Ashley, Communications Committee