Advising International Students on Education Abroad

What does an education abroad professional need to know about working with international students who wish to study abroad? Many universities have dual goals in mind as they seek to increase international enrollments as well as expand education abroad. When campuses are successful with both, international students seek education abroad opportunities.

The concept of "advising" students has a different construct in an education abroad office than in an international student office, where regulatory issues predominate. Education abroad professionals, wisely, have no desire to become experts in regulatory issues; however, success with international students for education abroad does require an appreciation for these complex issues. During this webinar, an international student adviser and an education abroad adviser from two different campuses discuss successful collaborations.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify critical immigration and intercultural considerations that influence an international student’s ability to study abroad on his or her current U.S. visa or to acquire a foreign visa.
• Build communication and collaboration between the study abroad office and the international student services office to mitigate confusion and ensure students’ successful study abroad experiences.
• Develop a coordinated approach to advising international students, from exploration and predeparture to their overseas experience and reentry.

Speakers

Lynn Aguado
Michigan State University

Lynn Aguado manages Michigan State University (MSU) education abroad programs in France and Italy, and coordinates the MSU Office of Study Abroad scholarships. She has been a study abroad coordinator at MSU for six years, and is currently working part time on an MA in higher, adult, and lifelong education at the MSU College of Education.

Aguado got her BA in Spanish language and literature at the University of Michigan and spent an academic year studying at the Universidad de Sevilla in Seville, Spain. After returning home, she worked as a peer adviser in the University of Michigan study abroad office, which later led to a full-time position as a study abroad adviser. In addition to working at the University of Michigan and MSU, Aguado spent 10 years as a study abroad adviser and coordinator at the University of Missouri's International Center. She has been working in international education for more than 20 years, and has enjoyed helping numerous students have life-changing experiences through education abroad experiences all over the world.

Aguado has been active in the field of international education, giving presentations at regional and national conferences on topics such as study abroad visas, financial aid, scholarships for study abroad, and, most recently, working with international students participating in education abroad programs.

Margaret Richmond
Towson University

Meg Richmond is the associate director of the International Student & Scholar Office at Towson University. She earned her BA in English and Spanish from Wittenberg University in 2004, her MSEd in international higher education leadership from Old Dominion University in 2006, and is currently pursuing her MA in modern French studies from the University of Maryland-College Park.

As an undergraduate, Richmond spent a year in Spain, and following her graduation she lived in France for two years. From 2008-2012, she worked as an international student adviser at the University of Maryland-College Park, focusing on F-1 and J-1 student cultural and immigration issues. In 2012, she took on her current position at Towson University. She has presented at several forums, including NAFSA regional and annual conferences, regarding developing policies to encourage study abroad for international students.