Patricia C. Martin

Patricia Martin has been an advocate for the student experience abroad and has laid the groundwork upon which many initiatives and practices that the field of education abroad now relies. Patricia was an early pioneer of the online community forum, SECUSSA-L, of which the SECUSSA group, she chaired in 1998-99 when the World Wide Web was still in its infancy, regionally-based Re-Entry Conferences similar to the one she organized in Philadelphia in the early 1990s and health and safety regulations with the landmark publication, “Responsible Study Abroad: Good Practices for Health and Safety” (2002) which is, considered to be the first widely distributed set of principles guiding professionals on how to set up and implement sound health and safety policies in education abroad. Patricia’s work in the area of health and safety in education abroad was a highlight of all her achievements. The “Responsible Study Abroad” guide was a result of work done by the Interassociational Task Force on Education Abroad, of which Patricia was also the chair. Patricia was also involved in the CORE Educational Program (CEP) with NAFSA, particularly the health and safety curriculum, and was the editor of NAFSA’s Crisis and Risk Management for Education Abroad publication in 2017. Other publications include being a co-editor for NAFSA’s “Guide to Education Abroad for Advisors and Administrators” (2005) and as a researcher for “Study Abroad: The Experience of American Undergraduates” (1990).

Patricia has been a strong advocate for the collection and meaningful use of data to improve advising and administrative processes in education abroad, has mentored some of the top leaders in the field and even contributed her efforts towards the Forum on Education Abroad, an organization of which Patricia was one of the first elected leaders to the first Forum Council and was an early proponent for recognizing excellence in research abroad by students that is now the Award for Academic Achievement Abroad by the Forum.

Throughout her long and productive career, Patricia pursued administrative excellence through scholarship, advocacy, service and mentorship. The scope and depth of the impact that she has had on international education is, in many ways, immeasurable. Hers is the type of service that cultivates sustainability and innovation through the influence she has provided to people throughout the field of education abroad, leaving a strong legacy and a strong foundation upon which we continue to build.

Education Abroad Leadership Awardee

Patricia Martin received the 2018 Education Abroad Leadership Award.