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Joe Stanley is the Director of International Programs at Simmons College. As director, Joe oversees international student services and all study abroad programs. His research interests include European urban studies, intellectual history and politics, as well as pedagogical approaches to international education. He holds a Ph.D. in History from Binghamton University (SUNY) and has published in the NAFSA Review of Global Studies Literature and Life After Study Abroad.

Kathleen Head currently serves as the Operations Manager for International Programs within the Center for International Studies at MCPHS University. In this role, she oversees all study and service abroad activities as well as exchange programming and other international projects. Kathleen completed her Master of Science in Global Studies and International Affairs at Northeastern University where she conducted field research in Italy as a part of her thesis on European higher education and student mobility.

Presented by Colleges of the Fenway and Verge Magazine

The time, effort and expense required to embark on an overseas study, volunteer or internship placement can, at times, seem daunting. But what about the return on your investment?

Join our panel of study abroad professionals from the Colleges of the Fenway as they examine how a well-chosen international placement can develop and enhance key skills and competencies sought by employers and learn how to articulate and leverage your international experience to help launch you on your chosen career path.

Profiles of the panelists are below.

Rebecca Bacon is the Director of the Global Education Opportunities Center at Colleges of the Fenway, a consortium of six neighboring Boston-based colleges.  In this role, she provides strategic leadership and support to meet the changing needs of the colleges’ internationalization efforts.  Rebecca convenes international education representatives from all six colleges to ensure that decision making processes are informed and collaborative.  Together they work on the development of best practices and international education benchmarks that can be customized by each college.

Kayla Desnoyers is the International Program Liaison for the Center of International Programs and Partnerships at Wheelock College. She received her MA in Middle East & Islamic Studies and International Affairs from the American University of Paris; she brings extensive knowledge of French, the history of Islam, and Middle East politics and passion for intercultural work. In her position, she assists in the delivery of Wheelock College- Singapore Early Childhood degree programs and advises students on study abroad opportunities.

A Gap Year is a structured period of time between high school and college with some pretty magnificent data to support the outcomes. Students are better prepared for college, clearer about their own ambitions, and colleges love Gap Year graduates. Join us and our panel of Gap Year experts to talk about program options, planning suggestions, and integrating with college.

Panel discussion hosted by the Amercian Gap Association.

Madelyn Wigle is a marketing representative and gap year advisor for NOLS. Her journey at the school began in 2010 when she did a 30-day Alaska Backpacking course. From there, she went on to graduate from James Madison University in Virginia, and upon graduation, accepted an internship with NOLS in Lander, Wyoming in 2013. After her internship, she worked and traveled internationally for a year and a half and returned to Lander to work full time for NOLS this past February.  As an accredited 501(c)(3) educational school, NOLS takes students on extended wilderness expeditions teaching technical skills (like backpacking, rock climbing, sailing, etc.), leadership, and environmental ethics. Since 1965, NOLS has grown to 19 different locations internationally, and works with the University of Utah to provide college credit. NOLS offers a variety of course lengths, from 14 days, 30 days, semesters, and even an academic year lasting 135 days.

As an Oregon native, Brent graduated high school and was accepted at OSU to pursue a professional career in engineering. For reasons that still aren't clear, he made a last minute decision to delay his academic aspiration and took his first trip overseas. He landed in Australia and began traveling and living with an international community that began to transform his perspective of the world. This 6-month excursion redirected his life and paved the way for a decade of study, travel and work all across the globe. All together, Brent has spent nearly 4 years in 35+ countries. Some of his experiences include: well restoration/water purification in West Africa, organizing peace-building events in the Middle East, captaining a commercial fishing boat in Alaska, youth empowerment education in rural South America, eco-tourism development in SE Asia, leading wilderness/white water excursions across the US and community engagement projects in India.

Brent holds a B.A. in International Development and a Master in Public Administration with a focus on Global Leadership and Management. He also facilitates a communal living space in NE Portland with his wife Cassie. Brent feels strongly about utilizing his passions and interests to promote social equity and global awareness.

WTBD Guatemala, Andes and Amazon Semester Instructor
B.A. with honors in International Development, minor in Anthropology, McGill University.

Growing up canoeing and camping along the shores of the St. Lawrence River, Eva has always been a nomad at heart. After completing two gap years working as a divemaster in South East Asia and volunteering throughout Central America, Eva returned to Canada to complete her degree at McGill. Using the momentum from her time abroad, Eva became a key member of the McGill student government, started an organization working with recent Canadian immigrants and spearheaded various initiatives such as the University’s Annual Human rights Speaker series. In 2006, Eva moved to Costa Rica to work with Reto Juvenil Internacional and coordinated youth volunteer involvement in local grass root development programs.

Inspired by slow travel, Eva made her way home from Limones Panama(and eventually to Northern ON) by taking over 70 local buses, 5 boat trips, various bike rides and by tackling a number of well-earned miles by foot. From 2007-2009, Eva worked as the Far North/Niagara Project Coordinator for Katimavik (Canada’s national leading youth service organization). In this role, Eva supervised 6 communities, partnered with over 50 not-for-profit organizations and managed close to 200 youth volunteers on their intensive 9 month odyssey across Canada. In the summer of 2009, Eva found her way to Dragons where she led a Guatemala program and later, a couple Andes and Amazon Semesters. Presently, Eva is thrilled to be working as the Dragons Admissions Director and in her spare time enjoys volunteering at the Boulder homeless shelter, touring on her bike and running Pop Up Cafes.