“My experience in Berlin was one of personal growth and gaining independence. I saw my self-confidence and world view grow significantly from my time studying abroad, and for that reason, this short period of my life was a turning point. After returning home, I knew I could live again on my own in Europe. So, I decided to change my career and move back to Germany just five years later. These IES Abroad programs are doors to possibilities that one is not exposed to in their home community.

Now, I help others find work in Europe, mainly in Germany, since last year with the company I currently lead. I always recommend that students experience study abroad to get a sense of whether they could do it on a longer term.”

Kevin Kocher

“As a student of the world herself, Maria consistently traveled across the globe to experience life in ways it should be enjoyed. She was all about romanticizing life and the things around her, her schedule was always brimming simply because Maria wanted to experience it all. Her love for adventure took her all over from Alaska to Thailand, where she thrived in nature and always surrounded herself by trees, water, and the large blue sky above her. Arguably, she never stopped “studying abroad,” and she laughed the entire way through.

Maria’s scholarship manifests all the love and joy Maria had for her community, and rests in the power of finding oneself through travel and exploration. She helped send thousands of students across the world, where they each defined themselves in new ways, thanks to Maria’s guidance (assisted by her unmatched ability to type approximately 1,000 words per minute).

We have faith that this scholarship will continue to help spread Maria’s legacy through all corners of the world. It brings comfort to know that her love for transformative travel will be carried on by our students. Our lives will never be the same after the loss of our beloved friend, a source of so much light in so many lives—but know this: if you’ve experienced joy, you’ve already found Maria.”

Chelsea Lakdawala & Marlowe Padilla

“Study abroad radically changed my life’s trajectory. As a first-generation
immigrant, I once believed that success meant following a carved-out path. But during my semester in Rabat, Morocco, I gained the confidence to navigate uncertainty—and, by capturing the experience on video, the technical skills to pursue storytelling. This new path led me from Al Jazeera to the Council on Foreign Relations, where I use video to spotlight global issues and foster dialogue within the international community.”

Jannatul (Thamine) Nayeem

“Study abroad offers transformative growth, builds community, and develops leaders who prioritize the well-being of all. My own study abroad experience was pivotal—it had a profound impact on shaping my worldview and belief in the power of cross-cultural understanding. Now, CEO of NAFSA, I work with a team of dedicated professionals to address pivotal issues, advocate for expanded access, create pathways, and contribute to globally engaged citizenry for a more peaceful and just world.”

Fanta Aw, Ph.D.

“I see study abroad as a universal human right that each one of us has the very real possibility of advancing in some way. To be free, to feel and know what it is to be truly free as a human being, includes having the ability to learn about oneself and the world regardless of birth origin, passport, complexion, economic status, or other social circumstance. When we engage study abroad as a human right advancing justice and equity with dignity and intention the whole world gets to breathe more easily—and what is more basic, more human, more leveling than breathing? It’s easy this way...Personally I am deeply committed to ensuring that within our lifetimes we see such a great transformation in access, understanding, and opportunity, no one ever has to endure what I did being the only one of any versions of ourselves in international education again. I mean this in terms of individual students, professionals and institutions. To me, global learning through study abroad is a key aspect of well-being cultivation because to know what truly matters for each of us requires that we leave what we know as home for a while to learn who we really are and what we actually need to feel appreciated, seen, heard, and engaged. My personal and perpetual commitment to global learning is to ensure that it feels and works better for each of us while growing an assets-based framing centering the lived and learning experiences of global scholars worldwide.”

Keshia Abraham, Ph.D.

“Study abroad is a physical, mental, and cultural voyage for most students arriving in Nice, France. Teaching thus becomes an enquiry into their minds, an attempt to pique their curiosity, and a quest to push them to go further in the study of complex systems when they leave. Having navigated the complex world of international organizations, I share doubts and experiences in a chaotic world. Success for me is students connecting the dots between the need for justice, diversity, and sustainability.”

Christine Alfsen

“Study abroad is an integral part of my identity, that I promote with every given opportunity. My approach to learning has always included the sphere of the foreign—a boundless quest for education beyond borders. I routinely engage with moments that yield exposure and insight into a collective and comprehensive knowledge base across the globe, and I remain optimistic about the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which translates to each person’s humanity being tied up with the humanity of others.

This has led me to apply for numerous opportunities to travel abroad for work experiences, educational pursuits, and charitable outreaches. In this quest I have travelled to London from The University of the West Indies for a summer of work experience.

My notion of study abroad also includes reaching out to the various cultures of the global communities living within my own nation and learning from the experience.”

David (Dave) Neita, J.D.

“Leading The Forum enables me to see the breadth and depth of study abroad opportunities available to today’s students. We are all living through a challenging period in history, and the realities of climate change, global conflicts, and the changing geopolitical landscape affect all of us. It can be far too tempting to withdraw and stay safely within our own social media bubbles. Study abroad helps students understand that the world is complex, sometimes contradictory, and often beautiful!

Being a part of the IES Abroad community has opened doors for me, and more importantly, has led to lifelong friendships with colleagues I treasure.”

Melissa Torres

“In 2022, I accepted a new position within Scholastic—Chief Impact Officer—to challenge the brutal reality that 70% of children in the US are not reading proficiently by 3rd grade. I’ve brought my 25 years of experience as EVP, President of Scholastic Book Clubs to this job and launched a new program, The United States of Readers, piloted and tested to serve 10 million children living in poverty, attending under-resourced schools who currently have no access to choose and own their own books and develop their literacy. Named a Big Bet for America by the Rockefeller Foundation, chosen as a partner by Save the Children, and supported by notable literacy advocates such as author James Patterson, WNBA Star Caitlin Clark, and many others, the United States of Readers is on its way to change the world by improving literacy for all kids in the US (and eventually across the globe) by delivering on book choice and ownership, and measuring improvements in self-confidence and reader identity among PreK–8th grade kids. If you are interested in learning more, please email me anytime at JNewman@Scholastic.com.

I wanted to make sure I could speak with authority about current education and literacy instruction practices, so I returned to graduate school—while working remotely from Cambridge—and received my Master of Education from Harvard University. I also wanted to create high-interest, low reading level books for kids who want interesting stories but are not yet fluent readers—and go through the experience of being an author—so I published a book series with Scholastic: The Bobs and Tweets. And because I was truly terrified, I wrote these rhyming chapter books under the pseudonym Pepper Springfield. I continue my work with many nonprofit organizations, including the brand-new Impact Reading, as well as Reach
Out and Read and Pajama Program.

And closest to my heart, I became a grandmother to three beautiful girls: Sophie, Nina, and Emmylou, and nothing reminds me more of the importance of getting great children’s books into kids’ hands than when we read together.”

Judy Newman