Midcareer Professionals in Education Abroad

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Midcareer Professionals in Education Abroad

• Who Are They and Why Should You Care?

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Were not visible as a group. It gives us a
chance to do things that people dont
expect. From 13th Gen, 1993
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History of This Group

• Nov. 2002 discussion at CIEE in Atlanta
• May 2003 open meeting at NAFSA Salt Lake City
• Sept. 2003 Mid-Career report released
• May 2004 open meeting at NAFSA Baltimore
• Sept. 2004 NAC panel
• Nov. 2004 Session at Forum Conference

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Who Are These Mid-career Professionals?

• 88 graduated from undergraduate study between
  1980 and 1995
• All have worked in international ed for more than
  five years
• Name reached by consensus
• Predominantly from the 13th Gen (born between
  1960 and 1982)

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Lacking the ego strength to try setting agendas
for others, they instead react to the word as
they find it. 13th Gen
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General Survey Notes

• Total of 50 responses (56!)
• Of respondents 24 were male, 76 female
• Of the males, 83 graduated after 1986
• 68 graduated between 1986 and 1995

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When did you finish your undergraduate degree?
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Did you study abroad as an undergrad?

• Percentage by group
• Before 1980 20
• 80-85 75
• 86-90 81
• 91-95 100
• 96 100

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Have you lived abroad in another capacity?

• Collectively, 76 have lived abroad in another
  capacity including including work, teaching,
  Peace Corps, and graduate study

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Did you deliberately seek to enter the field of
international education?

• Collectively, 74 sought to enter the field
• Of those graduating after 1986, 81 sought field

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Have you worked professionally in another field?

• Of those graduating after 1991, 57 have only
  worked in international education

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If yes, was it in education?

• Education is historically predominant

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Highest Degree Held
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Where are they working?

• 30 are working in an office of 1-4 people
• 28 in an office of 4-10 people
• 14 in an office of 10-20 people
• 34 in an office of 20

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What are their positions?

• 6 (3 respondents) manage/direct an office/org of
  10 staff
• 24 manage/direct an office/org of 1-10
• 32 manage/direct part of or a set of programs
  within an office/org
• 22 manages part of or a set of program within an
  office/org
• In total, 80 of respondents are in a directorial
  or managerial position

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Have you held a position in NAFSA, Forum or other?

• 42 (21) of the respondents have held a position
• Positions included
• 12 reg. SECUSSA
• 1 reg. Chair
• 3 committee chair
• 2 national SECUSSA

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Would you accept a leadership position in NAFSA,
Forum, etc?

• 46 would accept a position
• 18 would consider it
• 36 would not

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Anecdotal Notes

• Response rate
• This is not a group that takes time to talk about
  themselves
• Still a large range and suffer from in-between
  syndrome

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Why Should You Care?

• Often underutilized group
• This group tends to only fix whats fixable
• Very hard-workers, independent
• Harder to engage, but once engaged very engaged
• Many have worked at all levels of this field
• Family and friends very high priority