In January, IES Abroad Assistant Vice President of Diversity Recruiting & Advising, Gretchen Cook-Anderson, took a trip across the pond to present at Diversity Abroad’s Inaugural Global Diversity and Inclusion Institute in London.
Held at the London Metropolitan University, the Institute was a chance to bring global education professionals together and learn more about the role identity and culture play in the study abroad experiences of our students. Gretchen’s presentation, “Contemporary Diversity & Inclusion Considerations: The U.S. Perspective” focused on the connections between sociocultural, critical race and social identity theories, and study abroad for students in the U.S. Her co-presenters were B.J. Titus, Director of Institutional Relations, Diversity & Inclusion at the University of Minnesota’s Learning Abroad Center, and Dr. Aaron Bruce, Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer at ArtCenter College of Design. 
“The Institute offered IES Abroad a chance to lead discussions with our peers in Europe on U.S. student identity and diversity,” said Gretchen regarding the benefits of attending the conference. "Attendees experienced a number of ‘aha!’ moments of clarity and realization about how to enhance experiences abroad for their students.”
Integral in fulfilling our mission is a commitment to the representation and integration of diverse perspectives, cultures, and ideas. In 2008, we launched our Initiative to Diversify Education Abroad (IDEA) to creatively address the relatively low participation of underrepresented students in study abroad. In the ten years following the launch of our IDEA initiative, we have built a dedicated Diversity Team, expanded the financial and informational resources for students, collaborated with new partnerships, increased participation in outreach activities, and more.
You can catch more IES Abroad staff members presenting with additional partners and colleagues in the field on a range of diversity topics at the Diversity Abroad Conference on March 14-17 in New Orleans, LA, including:
- Gen Z-ing: Diverse Students and the Co-Creation of Outreach Initiatives | March 16, 8:30 - 9:45 AM | Gretchen Cook-Anderson, IES Abroad
- Missing Abroad: Latinx Students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Study Abroad | March 16, 10:30 - 11:30 AM | Hernando Sevilla-Garcia, Senior Diversity Relations Manager, IES Abroad
- Building the New Normal: Creating an Inclusive Office Culture | March 16, 2:30 - 3:45 PM | Kandice Rose, Senior Diversity Relations Manager at IES Abroad, IES Abroad
- Unsafe vs Uncomfortable: Helping Diverse Students Discern in Homestays Abroad | March 17, 10:15 - 11:15 AM | Gretchen Cook-Anderson, IES Abroad and Natalia Garcia Caballos, Coordinator of Student Affairs & Internships, IES Abroad Granada
- A Seat at the Table: Ensuring Your Space in International Education | March 17, 10:15 - 11:15 AM | Noelle Baldwin,College Relations Manager, IES Abroad
Learn more about IES Abroad’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Read first-hand student accounts of how their identity intersects with life abroad.
