How do you convey what virtual exchange is in a way that draws the attention of students? Understanding the specific appeal of virtual exchange to different audiences is critical to capturing their interest. Communicating about the value of virtual exchange is important for any program’s success, particularly during recruitment. This webinar will explore the ways that programs leverage their messaging about virtual exchange as part of their recruitment strategy. Panelists will share their approach to creating a value proposition based on their individual program needs and audiences, and will also share best practices for engaging potential participants.

This webinar is hosted by the Stevens Initiative and The Forum on Education Abroad. Registrant information will be accessed and used by the Stevens Initiative and The Forum on Education Abroad leading up to and following the webinar.

Christine Shiau (@StevensInit) is Managing Director of the Stevens Initiative, where she leads program development & infrastructure, strategy implementation, communications, and operations, ensuring effective management throughout the program. Christine joined the Initiative following a career in the public and private sectors. She blends strategic insight and rigor with creativity to help champion the virtual exchange field. Christine graduated from the University of Illinois-Chicago with a BS in accounting and a minor in marketing. She received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Amelia Dietrich (@ameliajane) is the Director for Research and Resources at The Forum on Education Abroad and Managing Editor of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. She holds a Ph.D. in Spanish and Language Science from The Pennsylvania State University. She has written for academic and industry publications on topics including student health and safety abroad, education abroad best practices, the history of U.S. education abroad, bilingualism, code-switching, and language processing.

Katherine Hanson (@TheExperimentWL and @Worldlearning) is a Digital Program Officer for World Learning, where she implements The Experiment Digital, an 8-week virtual exchange program connecting over 1,000 youth from the U.S. and MENA region. Katherine entered the field of virtual exchange in 2016 as the Virtual Exchange Specialist at Youth For Understanding USA (YFU USA), where she expanded YFU USA’s virtual reach in over 55 countries, with an emphasis on youth in the Middle East and North Africa. Katherine then brought her insight on designing interactive and impactful activities to Global Ties US. She joined World Learning in March 2020 and, starting amid the coronavirus pandemic, developed a staff and facilitator training to build capacity for transitioning in person exchange programs to virtual, and support participant collaboration and dialogue in a digital space. Katherine currently serves on the board of the Virtual Exchange Coalition with the goal to grow the field and make international exchange opportunities more accessible across borders and boundaries.

Meghan Neuhaus (@MeghanNeuhaus) is a Senior Project Manager at the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI). Neuhaus works closely with WDI’s Education Sector on a variety of projects, and is the program manager for the Business & Culture: A Virtual Practicum program, supported by the Stevens Initiative. Prior to joining WDI, she interned at the Peace Corps headquarters and worked at Grand Valley State University, promoting study abroad programs and working with incoming international students. Neuhaus holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in international economics from Krakow University of Economics, and one in international relations from Grand Valley State University, as well as a certificate in e-learning design and development from the University of Washington.

Lindsey Powers (@IREXintl) is a Senior Program Officer with IREX managing the Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge program and Education for Coexistence program in Iraq. With a degree in education and curriculum design, Lindsey has spent a majority of her career providing strategic technical design, program implementation, and curriculum development for virtual exchange and teacher professional development programs. Prior to working at IREX, Lindsey facilitated teacher development to public and private educators in Jordan for four years and taught first grade for six years.