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Collegial Conversations, November 2007
Through these conversations NAFSA hopes to target the best practices and experiences of some of international education's preeminent leaders. Every month the International Education Leader Development Network will ask one of its subscribers to answer the following three questions. Over the coming year we hope to see many unique and thought-provoking answers.
Connie Perdreau
During the month of November, Connie answered questions and offered gems of wisdom. View the discussion now!
In the Delphi Study, respondents were asked to state skill and knowledge areas most needed by a Senior International Officer. The five most mentioned (although not in rank order) were: Diplomacy/tact, Prioritizing, Organization, Ethics, and Cross-Cultural Skills.
What advice would I give to mid-career professionals about leadership? I will frame my remarks about one of the most necessary, yet often under-estimated skills for international educators, that of cross-cultural communication. This is a multi-level skill which involves continuous and on-going professional development for all international educators throughout their careers. I will approach my reflections on the basis of three personal characteristics: 1) being a woman of color, 2) being an internationalist, and 3) being an educator.
Reflection Number One: Discover the Cross-Cultural World Inside the U.S.
Increase your cross-cultural skills by starting with the personal – the "zen" or experiential way of expanding your world without even leaving the country. Make an effort to surround yourself by American diversity. I daresay 100% of NAFSAns know the wonderful world of people and colors reflected in our international student population, but what about the rainbow American world we actually live in day-to-day? Could 100% of us say we have deep, true personal experience with the world of U.S. diversity, the marvelous multi-textured quilt of people, colors and cultures found within our own borders?
One of the most illuminating resources recommended to me when I began senior leadership in NAFSA was The Nine Nations of North America, authored by Joel Garreau of The Washington Post. This fascinating sociological work describes geographical and cultural diversity in North America. It made me think about our domestic diversity in different ways. I often refer to the knowledge I gained from it when dealing with Americans from other "nations" or even within my own, so to speak. Deepened and enriched knowledge and personal experience with domestic diversity of all kinds would open up the world of the international educator. The discovery of the multitude of incredible cross-cultural global and domestic parallels and connections could generate new perspectives while stimulating innovative approaches in doing our jobs.
For example, what role should the international educator have in uniting the world of the U.S. student of color and the world of the international student? What cross-cultural characteristics would bring them together? Are you able to identify just a few of them? Are your students able to name similarities they may have as people of color in the U.S. or international students within a larger predominant culture? We can help to create this cross-cultural nexus. In fact, by virtue of pure serendipity, NAFSA held a webinar on November 7, 2007 entitled "Designing Dynamic Cross-Cultural Presentations for Campus and Community." Professional development in campus programming coupled with an increase in your knowledge of diversity, both domestic and international, could help bridge the culture gap on our campuses. A possible result of more frequent interactions with international students could make U.S. students of color more open to consider studying abroad. A further possible result could be that an international student would be stimulated to take a course or otherwise seek more social connections with Black, Latino, or Native American history and cultures. International educators can make cross-cultural miracles in diversity happen.
Reflection Number Two: Discover the Cross-Cultural World Outside the U.S.
The newly designated "flat world" is easily navigated, so go for it! But are you ready for the journey? "Have gun, will travel," is replaced by "Have passport, will travel" for us peace-seekers. This critical travel document ought to be a job requirement for each of us. Assuming you do have one, be sure it hasn't expired. Seek every conceivable way to travel abroad, and apply for every opportunity available. Wouldn't it be mind-expanding if not only every student, faculty member, and international educator, but every staff person at our educational institutions dealing with international students – from the office clerical staff to the health center employees- had a passport and used it? It would be easy enough for every university employee to start by visiting one of our good neighbors, Canada or Mexico. Moreover, uncomplicated travel to Cuba, our neighbor only 90 miles away, will surely be possible again one day. Have you ever thought about taking an intensive week or two of French or Spanish as a new or refresher course abroad? Colleagues who have done intensive language programs abroad rave about such professional development experiences.
If this type of short-term study abroad can have an amazing impact on you and your career, imagine what it would do for those who have never been outside the boundaries of the U.S. I will never forget the administrative assistant in my study abroad office who actually spent her summer vacation studying Spanish in Mexico. It was not only a life-changing experience, but a professionally enhancing one that affected our entire office and the delivery of our services. The enhanced empathy, cultural awareness, linguistic appreciation, geographical and sociological knowledge gained from professional employee short-term study abroad experiences can enrich the entire work environment. For increased career focus and self-discovery, every international educator, particularly at the mid-career point, should have the opportunity to go abroad. The enormous benefits to be reaped are indeed priceless in the practicing world of the international educator and the students we serve.
Reflection Number Three: Deepen your cross-cultural knowledge in informal and formal ways.
Listen to and learn from seasoned experts in the field. Take a cross-cultural course, workshop, seminar, or anything that touches on these skills. Are you familiar with the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication? Don't let lack of financial support stop you from seeking out opportunities such as this. Create a proposal and apply for funding from your home institution. Try the innovative. If you can't get to a professionally sponsored event, buy a book about understanding another culture even if you feel you're already savvy in this area. Visit the website, "What's Up with Culture?" at http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture for on-line training resources which could be highly useful to both you and your students. It's a virtual treasure trove about understanding cultures, including our own, and shows that we can always learn more. Indeed, some of my own most valuable learning moments have been the result of diversity training, even though I already knew a great deal about the subject. Knowing basics about the theoretical framework and valuable research in cross-cultural skills will aid in understanding, experiencing, and relating to diversity on every scale.
Connie Perdreau
Connie Perdreau
Connie Perdreau recently joined the Center for International Programs Office at the State University of New York (SUNY) in New Paltz. Connie is coordinating special international projects at New Paltz, including risk management and study abroad policies. She is the Director Emerita of Education Abroad at Ohio University, where she served in international education for more than 30 years prior to taking early retirement in 2006. Last year, she returned to her Hudson Valley hometown of Beacon, New York, in order to become her mother's caretaker and continue her career in international education. Connie has been active in NAFSA since 1981, making many presentations at conferences and serving on a number of NAFSA committees, as well as serving as President in 1996-97 - making her the first African American and first person of color to hold this distinction.During the month of November, Connie answered questions and offered gems of wisdom. View the discussion now!
In the Delphi Study, respondents were asked to state skill and knowledge areas most needed by a Senior International Officer. The five most mentioned (although not in rank order) were: Diplomacy/tact, Prioritizing, Organization, Ethics, and Cross-Cultural Skills.
Please reflect on one of these areas in terms of how to shape professional development around it.
What advice would I give to mid-career professionals about leadership? I will frame my remarks about one of the most necessary, yet often under-estimated skills for international educators, that of cross-cultural communication. This is a multi-level skill which involves continuous and on-going professional development for all international educators throughout their careers. I will approach my reflections on the basis of three personal characteristics: 1) being a woman of color, 2) being an internationalist, and 3) being an educator.Reflection Number One: Discover the Cross-Cultural World Inside the U.S.
Increase your cross-cultural skills by starting with the personal – the "zen" or experiential way of expanding your world without even leaving the country. Make an effort to surround yourself by American diversity. I daresay 100% of NAFSAns know the wonderful world of people and colors reflected in our international student population, but what about the rainbow American world we actually live in day-to-day? Could 100% of us say we have deep, true personal experience with the world of U.S. diversity, the marvelous multi-textured quilt of people, colors and cultures found within our own borders?
One of the most illuminating resources recommended to me when I began senior leadership in NAFSA was The Nine Nations of North America, authored by Joel Garreau of The Washington Post. This fascinating sociological work describes geographical and cultural diversity in North America. It made me think about our domestic diversity in different ways. I often refer to the knowledge I gained from it when dealing with Americans from other "nations" or even within my own, so to speak. Deepened and enriched knowledge and personal experience with domestic diversity of all kinds would open up the world of the international educator. The discovery of the multitude of incredible cross-cultural global and domestic parallels and connections could generate new perspectives while stimulating innovative approaches in doing our jobs.
For example, what role should the international educator have in uniting the world of the U.S. student of color and the world of the international student? What cross-cultural characteristics would bring them together? Are you able to identify just a few of them? Are your students able to name similarities they may have as people of color in the U.S. or international students within a larger predominant culture? We can help to create this cross-cultural nexus. In fact, by virtue of pure serendipity, NAFSA held a webinar on November 7, 2007 entitled "Designing Dynamic Cross-Cultural Presentations for Campus and Community." Professional development in campus programming coupled with an increase in your knowledge of diversity, both domestic and international, could help bridge the culture gap on our campuses. A possible result of more frequent interactions with international students could make U.S. students of color more open to consider studying abroad. A further possible result could be that an international student would be stimulated to take a course or otherwise seek more social connections with Black, Latino, or Native American history and cultures. International educators can make cross-cultural miracles in diversity happen.
Reflection Number Two: Discover the Cross-Cultural World Outside the U.S.
The newly designated "flat world" is easily navigated, so go for it! But are you ready for the journey? "Have gun, will travel," is replaced by "Have passport, will travel" for us peace-seekers. This critical travel document ought to be a job requirement for each of us. Assuming you do have one, be sure it hasn't expired. Seek every conceivable way to travel abroad, and apply for every opportunity available. Wouldn't it be mind-expanding if not only every student, faculty member, and international educator, but every staff person at our educational institutions dealing with international students – from the office clerical staff to the health center employees- had a passport and used it? It would be easy enough for every university employee to start by visiting one of our good neighbors, Canada or Mexico. Moreover, uncomplicated travel to Cuba, our neighbor only 90 miles away, will surely be possible again one day. Have you ever thought about taking an intensive week or two of French or Spanish as a new or refresher course abroad? Colleagues who have done intensive language programs abroad rave about such professional development experiences.
If this type of short-term study abroad can have an amazing impact on you and your career, imagine what it would do for those who have never been outside the boundaries of the U.S. I will never forget the administrative assistant in my study abroad office who actually spent her summer vacation studying Spanish in Mexico. It was not only a life-changing experience, but a professionally enhancing one that affected our entire office and the delivery of our services. The enhanced empathy, cultural awareness, linguistic appreciation, geographical and sociological knowledge gained from professional employee short-term study abroad experiences can enrich the entire work environment. For increased career focus and self-discovery, every international educator, particularly at the mid-career point, should have the opportunity to go abroad. The enormous benefits to be reaped are indeed priceless in the practicing world of the international educator and the students we serve.
Reflection Number Three: Deepen your cross-cultural knowledge in informal and formal ways.
Listen to and learn from seasoned experts in the field. Take a cross-cultural course, workshop, seminar, or anything that touches on these skills. Are you familiar with the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication? Don't let lack of financial support stop you from seeking out opportunities such as this. Create a proposal and apply for funding from your home institution. Try the innovative. If you can't get to a professionally sponsored event, buy a book about understanding another culture even if you feel you're already savvy in this area. Visit the website, "What's Up with Culture?" at http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture for on-line training resources which could be highly useful to both you and your students. It's a virtual treasure trove about understanding cultures, including our own, and shows that we can always learn more. Indeed, some of my own most valuable learning moments have been the result of diversity training, even though I already knew a great deal about the subject. Knowing basics about the theoretical framework and valuable research in cross-cultural skills will aid in understanding, experiencing, and relating to diversity on every scale. Strategic planning and leadership were also skills that were frequently mentioned. How can someone gain experience in these areas, especially if s/he has limited formal opportunities to supervise or direct?
- Commit yourself to a cause or an organization for which you have a passion. Become an activist, member, participant or joiner at the level of your choice, even if you can't commit a great deal of time to it. You'll find such involvement will be its own greatest reward, and you will somehow find the time to accomplish it. On a personal basis, as a young voter, my early activities with the local chapter of the League of Women Voters helped to shape my leadership skills and helped me prepare for a life of on-going political commitment and participation in truth, peace, and justice causes.
- Know your workplace and how it functions. Get to know the intricacies of how your institution works in terms of governance and committee structure. Know the mission statement and how what you do relates to it. Be able to configure institutional reporting lines and levels of authority. Find out about campus politics. Then, jump in! Apply, volunteer, or just be an observer at meetings that interest you. Go where the opportunities lie. Good leaders in the profession are almost always actively involved at their home institutions. In reflecting on my own initial leadership and strategies planning experience, I recall vividly the many invaluable lessons I learned in a variety of campus governance settings, from graduate student government leadership to becoming an administrative senator, and all the steps in-between.
- Get actively involved with your professional association. Many of you may have memberships in several organizations associated with your career, so check out the opportunities just waiting for you. Organizations can always use extra help. Remember that you're not going to start out at the top. To the contrary, volunteering at the level you're needed will work out the best in the long-run because you'll get a bird's-eye view of how the association works. NAFSA, in particular, offers a number of ways for you to support its mission and activities, from volunteering or presenting at regional conferences to professional development workshops to the leadership academy, and more! You'll also get to meet some of the best and most collegial professionals on the face of this earth, fellow NAFSAns. What I still find absolutely mind-boggling is the number of different types of professionals that come under the umbrella of NAFSA, from those of us working in varied capacities at institutions of higher education, to NGO representatives, to service providers, to ambassadors and many, many more!
- Get at least two mentors, one professional and the other personal. Every leader I have ever known has been able to name at least one of his/her mentors in a heart-beat. You can have one or more mentors at different stages of your career. It's great when your professional mentor is your boss or more experienced colleague, but remember that a personal mentor, such as a good friend or close family member, is just as important for your well-being. Confiding in the latter categories of mentors can be the most refreshing and stress-relieving part of your day. Personal mentors will help you to retain your sanity through the tough times and make sure that you are focused. Becoming a leader requires knowing when to say "yes" and when to say "no," and personal mentors can help you make that decision. They know you the best and can help protect you from yourself, if necessary, or let you know when it's time to soar.
What is currently on your bookshelf (real or virtual) that you have recently read or intend to read soon?
- "Globalization and Higher Education" by Prof. Dr. Simon Marginson (U. of Melbourne) and Prof. Dr. Marijk van der Wende (U. of Twente) Education Working paper no 8, Unclassified document from OECD, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
- "Climate Change" (UN Program, 60th Annual DPI/NGO Conference)
- A Life Inspired: Tales of Peace Corps Service
- Draft Campus Emergency Response Plans
- The Fahari, The Libertad, and The Oracle, student publications on campus
- "Abroad View" (study abroad publication)
- International Educator
