Fund for Education Abroad reposted this
So great to attend my first Fund for Education Abroad gala last night! Big shout out to the Embassy of Denmark for hosting all of us. The ambassador shared a very sweet story of his own exchange experience in Kansas and how he's going back there for Christmas to meet with his host family. It was a very gentle reminder to stay true and connected to those formative experiences from when we were younger. It set the tone for some great speeches from Angela Schaffer and honored guests. Some quick key notes and takeaway messages from those below: ☆ The importance of paying it back through paying it forward. There is beauty in the ripple effect of investing in good deeds and people who will look do that for the next group. ☆ Life is a big group project and we're all just finding our roles, while others may not be as engaged. How we manage personalities and outcomes matter. ☆ Staying true to who we are and navigating our passions really matters. Showing who we are through our interests and expressing ourselves through all of that keeps us connected to those past experiences. Yesterday, I traveled over 500 miles from Newport, Rhode Island to Annapolis (to see my family) and then to to attend this event and I thought that effort was special. But there were so many FEA scholars who who came in from way farther - even from California - to show the meaning and significance of their experiences abroad. So great as always to see many friends and colleagues in the field at organizations who work hard to help support students with these experiences. Over the years, as an FEA volunteer, I've reviewed dozens of scholarships and I've helped do interviews with finalists. This gala helped make the significance and the importance of the work that FEA and everyone puts into education abroad. If I have said it once, then I'll say it again, "study abroad is a team sport." Big shout out to everyone who pitched in and helped set the event up alongside the FEA team members. Big events like that don't happen without many hands pitching in to help create meaningful events like this. #FundForEducationAbroad #FEA #FEAgala #FEAgala2024 #EducationAbroad #StudyAbroad