Info Sessions are online presentations providing an introduction to virtual exchange, the Stevens Initiative, and basic steps for getting involved in a program or starting a new one. This session will address key virtual exchange elements, ways to engage, and opportunities and resources for support.

This session is intended for someone with little to no knowledge about the Stevens Initiative and/or virtual exchange, and gives a broad overview of both. This is a good first step for becoming familiar with the Initiative’s work prior to the announcement of the 2022 Virtual Exchange Grant Competition in the coming months.

Kyle Kastler is a Senior Program Associate, where he oversees alumni engagement for participants and awardees of Stevens Initiative programs and contributes to the Initiative’s research and knowledge sharing work. In his role, Kyle focuses on providing support to alumni to leverage their virtual exchange experience into future opportunities and sharing resources about virtual exchange with the wider field. Previously, he contributed to the field of international exchange by working on in-person youth exchange programs funded by the U.S. Department of State.  Kyle joins the Initiative after completing a Master’s Program in International Education Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park where he researched and wrote about practitioner perceptions of virtual exchange.  Kyle, originally from Kansas, is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, a Critical Language Scholarship Recipient, and holds a B.A. in Spanish and Political Science from Missouri Southern State University.

Megan O’Donnell is a Program Associate at the Stevens Initiative. She works on the program’s partnership and outreach portfolio. She joins the Initiative from EAB, where she helped stand-up a public-private partnership called the Moon Shot for Equity to eliminate equity gaps in higher education across regions through carefully targeted best practices, technology, and support from local communities. Prior to that, Megan worked as a math teacher in the South and West sides of Chicago through different service year organizations. Megan graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in Psychology, focused on Adolescent Psych, a minor in Theatre Performance, and a Certificate in Children’s Literature.