Re-Entry

Students Wants, Needs, and How to Engage Them

Tonya Tooley and Noah Peden

#AfterStudyAbroad

Twitter: @LifeAfterSA

Who Are We?Tonya Tooley: Strategic Editor• Studied abroad in Czech

Republic• CSU Alum• Tonya@LifeAfterStudyAbroad.c

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Noah Peden: Content Editor• Studied abroad• CSU Alum• Noah@LifeAfterStudyAbroad.co

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www.LifeAfterStudyAbroad.com

Why Does Re-Entry Matter?• CNN iReport

• India: the Story You Never Wanted to Hear

• http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1023053

• Reverse Culture Shock - Wide spectrum

• Life After Study Abroad + Lessons from Abroad = ~20,000 Students• 6.6% of Alumni

• University and Providers• Do you provide re-entry support?• What % of your alumni engage?• How much of your time/effort are you

spending on re-entry?

• “Why do I feel weird?”

• Tell their story

• Remember their experience

• Stay Connected

• Another Adventure Abroad

• Community

• Realistic expectations

• Info at the right time

• Multiple Touch Points

• Understanding

• How to use what they learned

• How to cope with changes they’ve experienced

• Find their passion

Wants Needs

• To Have Fun

• Make Money

• Reconnect with friends they met

• Study Abroad 2.0

Next Adventure Abroad

• Easy to access resources

• Easy to digest

• Info on what is feasible

• Realistic Expectations

• How to be self-sufficient abroad

• Information on opportunities

• Day in the life of an expat

• Living abroad ≠ Study Abroad

Next Adventure Abroad

• Why do they need to pay to volunteer or intern?

• Graduate School Abroad vs Here

• Real TEFL Info to Avoid Scams

• Real Tips on How to Get Abroad Again

• NOT a fairy tale

Wants Needs

Wants

• Work abroad

• Travel for work

• Be a travel blogger

• Study Abroad Advisor

• Volunteer abroad once a year

Needs

• Realistic Expectations

• Study Abroad on Resume

• How to talk about study abroad in an interview

• Channel their passion into a career

Increase Engagement by Bridging the Gap between Wants & Needs

Actionable AdviceRealistic Expectations• Return Home: Tell them in advance that friends might not care• Next Adventure Abroad: “How can I go abroad again?”• Study Abroad & Your Career: Communicate cultural competency

Information • Return Home: Article about reverse culture shock• Next Adventure Abroad: Link to trusted resources• Study Abroad & Your Career: Workshop, webinar, info session

Community• Return Home: Invite to alumni group• Next Adventure Abroad: Point them to outside communities• Study Abroad & Your Career: Share your story

“Hello! My name is Katlyn and I am a current junior in college. This past summer I embarked on a mission trip to Uganda and then followed with a semester in London. Needless to say, I came back completely and irrevocably changed. Here I am in my second semester of junior year completely stuck and lost. My university is failing miserably at doing anything to help us "study abroad" kids and there is simply nothing that seems to help. I have contemplated transferring or taking a year off ..just doing something other than being stranded in my small town world. I need excitement and adventure with people who are different than me, people who are hopelessly wanderlust and want to constantly live outside their comfort zones. Its kind of a miracle I stumbled upon your site in the midst of all this transition. Each story on this site I can personally relate to and I hear myself in each one. I don't even know the point of this e-mail, but I have tried every other outlet with no success and I need something or someone who simply understands. I am 20 years old and everyone says I have my whole life ahead of me.. but I am not sure where to go or what to do. I need a change. I need adventure. I just need some help and I have no idea if you guys are the people to go to with the answers but from what it seems its a good place to start. Thanks for starting this website, I couldn't need it more.”

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