■ COMMUNITY:
“I think something else that we do well and what I hear from our members and feedback from our events is providing a space and opportunities for members and professionals in the field to have discussion, talk about best practices... I think we do a good job of kind of fostering that conversation in giving platforms for members to do so.” – Lindsay
• Provides a sense of community • Dialogue Rich - Providing a space/opportunity for members and professionals in the field to have discussion, talk about best practices. • Variety of ways to involve the membership • Annual conference brings everyone in the field together
“I always have loved it when it was really fireside, it was dialogue rich… I think Forum’s great strength is when it’s the most conversational… I think that’s really, in whatever way Forum is able to retain, genuine, vulnerable dialogue, that isn’t posturing of any kind. That to me is what I loved about it, to be honest…I like meaningful substantive, relational, genuine, authentic kinds of frameworks, and I think Forum has one of the best shots of that.” – Lorna
■ BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP:
“I think it’s always been a space that there’s been a lot of nurturing and professional development that was both formal and informal, and really targeted in a very specific way to education abroad.” – Keshia
• Value of Membership • Training/Professional
Development - Nurtures the professional development of those in the field • Networking
“I think the Forum has done very well in terms of certification and training programs that help to reinforce the role of the Forum within the field. So, you look at everything from QUIP to the certification residency program, those are all opportunities I think that are unique to the field, that meet the needs of really many of the different members, whether that is a college or university, or an education abroad provider. And is also accessible to our international colleagues who are looking at the standards as kind of a grounding point for the entirety of the field.” - Craig
■ ADVOCATE IN THE FIELD: • Leadership • Forum serves as an
“I think you’ve seen that role of the Forum being an advocate for everybody, especially through this COVID-19 crisis… I do think the past few months have really brought that strength. I mean, it was always there, but I think we’ve just seen it in action.” - Elena
advocate for the education abroad field • Independent/Impartial Professional Organization for the Field • Brings in new voices (US, abroad and the underrepresented) • Field support of the Forum
“I think also having a leader who truly believes in equity, in the language that she uses, but also in the practices that she uses to reach the goals of the organization. That is something that I’m proud of, to be a part of the forum. When Melissa came in, she had these ideas, she had this philosophical perspective, that we are going to be concerned about equity issues from our international partners, to historically black colleges and universities, Latinx serving institutions, and excuse me, and she has been committed to making sure that those voices are at the table at every turn.” - Dawn
THE FORUM ON EDUCATION ABROAD // SOAR WHITEPAPER
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