Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously

You can be successful, serious about your career, and widely respected...but still not take yourself too seriously. Just ask Tina and Amy.

We are confronted with serious issues in international education. Too many of us have had to deal with student deaths abroad, trying immigration regulations and roadblocks, ethical issues related to host-community impact, equal access and opportunity to international experiences, the definition of experiential learning and academic integrity, etc. That's all serious stuff and those topics (and more) deserve smart, educated, and serious professionals to take them on, grapple with them, and make the study abroad experience, body of work, and profession that much better.

We have enough hard data in our field now to know that education abroad is positively correlated with most learning objectives we hope the experience achieves. It's good and serious work. And those of us who've found ourselves working in study abroad because of our own rewarding experiences, we can't imagine giving our heart and soul every single day to any other career.

We GET TO sell study abroad! How amazing is that!? We don't have to sell mattresses or cars or mutual funds. We get to support and promote an experience that is likely going to be one of the most defining experiences of any young person's life. And that's pretty amazing. Note: I say "sell" in this instance to emphasize the other "things" that we could be promoting, creating, studying in other industries. I don't use it to demean or belittle what we do in education abroad.

However, what I've observed in the most successful and sought-after people in our field is that even the rock stars know that they are mere mortals. They laugh at themselves and some of the silliness of our field. They tend to poke fun at the "politics" of it all, while still understanding that quality control and proper management are crucial to the advancement of theirs and any organization.

Rock stars know when to laugh. And they laugh a lot. They have a sense of humor about our work and what we do. They recognize that we don't all have nuclear launch codes and it's okay to have fun with our work and our colleagues. They make trusted friends and those friends trust them to design and deliver great programs. And we all trust that we're bringing on students with potential and curiosity as well.

An ability to laugh at yourself and acknowledge your own deficits (i.e. laugh at yourself) is crucial to building trust. And in what we do and the serious issues and questions we face, we need all the trust we can manage.

But don't be fooled. Rock stars aren't class clowns. What separates rock stars from the rest of us is that they can get down to business, down to the brass tax better than most. They know their stuff, they bring thoughtful and challenging ideas to the table, and they blow us all away with their ability to dive deep into an issue from many angles and perspectives. They make magic happen.

But they don't take themselves so seriously that they are unapproachable or stoic figures that the rest of us can't touch. They are friendly and welcoming…and most importantly, they are respected. If you don't believe me, consider how the masses tend to hate Anne Hathaway, but love Jennifer Lawrence. Jennifer is real and laughs at herself, while Anne comes across as pompous and too big for her britches. But they are both Oscar winners. Proof that you can get ahead even with a little humor. 

Keep your eye on the prize, but remember to smile and enjoy the ride as well. Do you know someone who exudes this quality? Tell us about them in the comments! I'll start. Mike Woolf (CAPA) is one of the most hilarious people in our field. He says some outrageous things and can always be relied upon for some good laughs. But he's also a serious professional who grapples with serious issues. You've got to have both - serious and silly. Perfect combo.

Psst…Hope to see a lot of you next week at NAFSA! If you see me around, please stop me and say hi. Blogging is a very solitary experience and I'm all about meeting the people who stumble upon my little slice of the internet. And be sure to come to my "How to be a Rock Star" session on Thursday, May 30th, at 8am Room 123!

I'll be loitering around the GoAbroad.com booth (#1729). Be sure to show my former employer and wonderful NAFSA sponsor some love and stop by for a laugh. I know I will! 

Photos found here (but with my edits) and here.

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NAFSA for Newbies - 2013 Edition

This year, I'll be attending my 7th NAFSA national conference in St. Louis. That's a lot to some; very few to others. But in six going on seven years I've learned a few things that have helped me as an employee of providers and universities, helped me in my larger international education career, and helped me generally have a good time at a huge, exhausting event. So here are my little bits of advice for NAFSA Newbies.

1. Bring A Sweater & Comfortable Shoes
Okay this one is very utilitarian, but I'm telling you, it's probably the most important piece of advice that will contribute to your comfort during the conference. DO NOT IGNORE. NAFSA is always in late May and most places will be a bit warm/extremely hot at that time of year. So be sure to dress accordingly. However, you'll spend most of your time in frigid conference rooms. Enter sweater/cardigan, stage left!

It may or may not have been "wear your jean jacket to NAFSA" day.

Having another layer on hand will help you warm up and cool off as needed. About the shoes: I believe that all happiness starts in your feet. If you're miserable below the ankles, this conference is going to be miserable for you. The conference center and expo hall are typically huge, receptions are scattered around the local neighborhood and city, hotels can be a hike if you're not staying right next door, and the days are long. Your feet will take a beating. However, I love wearing heels (it might be because I'm so vertically challenged) and my feet can start to kill me by mid-afternoon. I always carry a pair of professional flats/sandals with me that I can wear between events or long walks back to my hotel. Just something small I can tuck in my bag during "business time."   If you're anything like me, even the most comfortable heels feel like walking on needles after a day at the conference. Bring some flats.

For the fellas reading this, I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry you are stuck wearing a full suit most of the conference. Missouri in late May is sticky and humid. I'm sorry. Be sure to wear a nice undershirt  so that when you do ditch the suit jacket, your shirt stays nice (if you know what I mean). And invest in good dress shoes. I've been at many receptions where my guy pals are in just as much feet pain as I am in heels.

2. Sign-up for the Mentor/Mentee Program
The mentoring program is a great opportunity to get at least one hour of attention from a seasoned professional. It's definitely more of a meet-up than a program. The mentoring relationship is really only for the conference, but hopefully you make such a great connection/impression with your mentor that it extends long after the conference is over. I was a mentor at the national in Kansas City and it was great. The sad part is that due to travel schedules, my mentee missed the formally scheduled orientation meeting for introductions…and we struggled to find a mutual time to meet during the conference (though had a serendipitous meet up at the opening reception!). That's why it's important to connect and ask LOTS of questions even before the conference begins. I'm signed up to be a mentor again this year. I think one of the most exciting things about study abroad is meeting all the up-and-comers. If you're interested, you can sign up here. They call it a "student mentoring program", however, if you're just starting in the field and not currently enrolled as a student, you should still sign up. You can definitely make a case for it and no one is going to check your student ID. *wink*

3. Take EVERY Opportunity to Network and Meet New People
I understand that not everyone is a raving extrovert, but for one week, pretend to be.

Meeting @mhizon and @kavatraveler for the first time in the flesh!

If someone invites you to a reception, work it into you schedule and Go! If someone asks for a meeting - tell them you have 15 minutes - and Go! Someone wants to introduce you to a colleague or friend - shake hands happily. If you don't have anyone to talk to at a reception, make eye contact with someone else standing all alone and BOOM you have a new friend and colleague. I know it can be difficult to have the stamina for the early mornings and late nights (believe me! My friend and former boss, Troy Peden, is amazing at this!). But if you're new and trying to start/grow your career in international education, you have to get out there, meet people, and be memorable (in a good way). Whatever it is, make sure you take advantage of an opportunity to meet new people and hear their stories. You never know when a random handshake at a conference will turn into a job offer later. It's happened to me; it can happen to you.

4. Don't Just Attend Sessions - Participate Too!
I love going to sessions. I guess you could say I like to geek-out at conferences. #studyabroadnerdforlife

You know you're a #studyabroadnerd when your name badge looks like this.

If the presenter is a good communicator, it makes attending that session sooooo much better. But even if the presentation is lacking, make sure you engage! Ask questions during the Q&A, offer up ideas during round table discussions, give examples of work you've seen or done that relates to the topic. Just like in college, you'll get extra career mojo points for participation. It shows that you are engaged, thoughtful, and interested in study abroad and will help others identify another person to connect with about that topic.

5. Talk to People You Don't Know
This relates to #3 and applies to newbies and oldies, alike. Confession: I can be the worst at this. For one, I'm really shy (most don't believe this about me but it's true) and two, I like to catch up with friends I rarely see. But regardless of this, we all need to be open to walking up to a stranger, saying hello, and striking up a conversation. Most (but not all) seasoned professionals in the field will appreciate your fervor and energy, and who knows, you might unknowingly walk up to office director or company executive…and BOOM you have a job offer! Hey it could happen. Don't be shy.

I've known Adam Miller (Abroad101) for a couple of years. He introduced me to Josh Irons (studyabroad.com) in Vancouver.

Remember: We're all at NAFSA because study abroad impacted and inspired us in some way. If you don't know what to say, just say this: "So what's your study abroad story." The person will likely talk for hours. :) I'm challenging myself to meet a lot of new people (especially first-timers) at this year's NAFSA. I encourage other established professionals to also try to meet some newbies who might be nervous and shaking in their boots. Remember - We all attended our first NAFSA once…and it wasn't easy.

6. Have Fun, But Not Too Much Fun
I've been accused of loving NAFSA. I think I just love people and conferences generally let me meet and reconnect with a LOT of people all at once. At a certain point, going to the main conferences in education abroad can be like a mini-reunion of former colleagues, classmates, and clients. As a result, you can have a lot of fun just "hanging out" with your friends at receptions!

Always love reconnecting with these ladies!

However, as much fun as the conference can be, be sure to get down to business too. This is also when self-awareness is really important. If you're at a reception and you're starting to say inappropriate things to people you barely know. Ummm, you've probably crossed the line into unprofessional-ville and it's time to switch to water. Don't be hungover in the morning (or at least don't let anyone know/see that you are). Don't be the last one to leave a reception. And most importantly, make sure you have positive conversations with everyone. Everyone slips up - I know I have. And it may take some time to figure out how to have "professional fun," so take queues from others. Always remember that it's a very small field and you don't want to cultivate a reputation that will be tough to shake in the future.

7. Choose Your Swag Carefully
This might seem silly, but I'm not kidding. Everyone will be giving away some cool swag. Be selective. You'll throw most of it away when you get home.

8. Don't Talk to People Only Because You Want Something
This could also be called "Don't Burn Bridges." When I worked for a provider, I was at my first NAFSA conference and introduced myself to a random person at a reception (see #5). I was extremely intimidated; I was surrounded by hundreds of people I didn't know. When I said hello, this person was very smiley and friendly and I learned that he worked for another program provider. As soon as I said where I worked, his demeanor immediately changed and you could tell that I was "no use" to him anymore. He couldn't get away from me fast enough. And it made me feel like crap. Fast forward two years later when I was working for a university. That same rep (who worked in my region) was suddenly super friendly to me and always eager to talk. Sadly, I never forgot how badly that rep had made me feel and it hindered our professional and collegial relationship for some time. It's a trivial way to think about study abroad, but at the end of the day, with so many wonderful programs out there, we can afford to be pickier about what programs we approve and send students on. And sometimes, the relationships we have with people will play a roll in our decision-making. In short: Don't burn a bridge. It's a small field (despite what the photo below may imply). Respect everyone and recognize we all have value.

Opening reception, NAFSA 2010, Kansas City

9. Take Time to Rejuvenate
NAFSA is busy and there's very little allowance for "me time". But try your best to take a little time every day to rejuvenate, focus, rest, workout, meditate, something. Do whatever you need to do to keep yourself motivated, pumped, and ready to tackle that next meeting, session, or reception. It's a high-wire act balancing this with #3, but you'll only make quality connections when you're feeling energized and rested.

10. Explore!
We wouldn't be very good international educators if we didn't try to explore a new city or location when given the opportunity. Take an afternoon or evening to check out a local restaurant, park, museum, or anything uniquely local. You'll appreciate the nuance of the conference host city so much more once you leave the conference "zone." Check out these blogs here, here, and here all about things to see and do in St. Louis.

NAFSA has created a guide for first-timers here and walks you through pre-, during, and post- conference tips.

I know several other sites have put together their own tips and advice for navigating the national NAFSA conference. Please leave links in the comments if you know of other resources.

Have a great NAFSA everyone! If you're not at NAFSA, you can follow the conversation on twitter by searching the hashtag #nafsa13 and me @InStudyAbroad.

Pssst: I'm really excited to also share that GoAbroad.com is sponsoring Inside Study Abroad at the conference! What can I say - we still love each other. (Insert collective "awwwww")  I'll be doing some special sneak-peak coverage with them before and during the conference. So stay tuned for that!

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The Future Hijinks of Inside Study Abroad

Quick Note: I'm absolutely overwhelmed with all the virtual and real love you guys have shown me since my big announcement on Tuesday. Seriously. You all rock and make this little experiment of mine seem a little less crazy and a lot more achievable. So thank you, thank you for all the support! I couldn't do this without you. For realz.

So now that I'm charging out on my own and starting my own company, I'm making plans and making moves to grow this little slice of the internet into something that's helpful, informative, collaborative, and dare I say, fun for education abroad professionals. Of course, there's going to be a few posts aimed at students (I'll always be an advisor at heart), but the majority of this site is aimed at the pros who have made study abroad administration their career. (Shhhhh…don't tell anyone about the fun part.)

Since I wrote the first post back in February 2009, InsideSA has been a mishmash of random posts that I would write one night and throw up on the web the next day. And some of the most popular posts to date have been relatively off the cuff - getting a job without a master's, top grad programs, and the ever ridiculous "what my friends think I do" meme. Moving forward, this blog will have a lot more structure and focus on a few key topics (with some randomness thrown in for good measure).

• Going Pro: Getting a Job and Building a Career in Study Abroad - If I've learned anything over the years it's that when your audience repeatedly tells you what they want, give it to them. From the countless emails, tweets, private messages, texts, and carrier pigeons I receive every week from people who stumbled upon my blog and want/need/beg for advice on getting a job and building a career in this field, I know that this is a topic that is near and dear to a lot of people's hearts. And I plan to deliver. I'll be keeping the job board up as well and featuring those positions across the social media-sphere.
• Study Abroad Hacker: Advice for Students - Hold on. Before you roll your eyes and think "Great, another site with generic advice on picking a program," let me explain. This advice is going to be a bit different than the boiler plate advice we've all seen. The internet has plenty of articles out there with the "roses and sunshine" articles about study abroad. This advice is going to get at the underbelly of hacking the study abroad experience. This advice may also rub some people in our field the wrong way. Good. I think we all need our feathers ruffled every once in awhile - it helps us start a dialogue and *hopefully* evolve into better professionals who build better programs.
• Buzzzzz: Hot Topics in Education Abroad - These articles are aimed at education abroad professionals and will focus on the news and issues of the day. One week I might breakdown the anatomy of program fees, another week I might write about mergers and acquisitions and what it means for the field, the next week might be a who's who, mover and shaker post. The goal of these posts is to ignite discussion and get us all thinking hard about the status quo and considering a new normal. 
• Study Abroad Admin 101 - These articles will cover the basics of study abroad administration, but I want to go beyond "how to" guides (there are plenty of those!). Each 101 article will feature examples of people and offices who are doing it and doing it well. Why recreate something at your institution when the university down the street or around the world is doing it better? It's time to get back to basics and showcase some innovation in program design, delivery, and administration. And if you're anything like me, you don't want to wait for a conference to happen in order to learn what great things others are doing.
• In the Trenches - With these posts, I'm pulling back the curtain on the amazing people, offices, universities, and program providers who are grinding it out every day to make study abroad available. More video interviews with big players, day-in-the-life breakdowns of those in the trenches, and even some on-the-ground office crashing videos/pics. After all, this blog is called Inside Study Abroad. Get ready to go way backstage and see what all the fuss is about. 
• Fun Stuff - I said I'd bring the fun and I don't plan to let you down. So prepare for some cheeky posts with study abroad randomness. And it all starts Monday. Stay tuned.

Boom! And that's just the blog topics I'm planning to cover. It gets better. I have a few big projects I'm scheming that will happen "off the blog" including a digital magazine, online community, and professional coaching. More details to come as I get these things off the ground and things start poppin'!

Of course, I'm only one person and my thoughts/ideas/opinions on just about everything may not be shared by the masses. That's okay. I like it when people disagree. So I'm excited, eager, desperate for other study abroad pros to guest post on any and every topic above. And as much as I like to call myself a one-woman-study-abroad-show, it would be nice to have some help. So next week I'll be putting out a call for some rock star interns.

As with any idea or new venture, this blog and slice of the internet is still evolving. What it is today could be completely different in 3 months, 9 months, a year, etc. It's exciting and I can't tell you how grateful I am to have you all along for the ride. This blog isn't just my soap box for rants (though that will happen occasionally) - it's a place for all of us to learn, debate, and get better.

So… to get this dialogue going, please, oh please, leave a comment with your thoughts on the evolution of Inside Study Abroad. Anything sound terrible and you want to beg me NOT to cover? Anything that sounds awesome and will keep you coming back for more? Anything I'm missing that you wish I'd include? Let me know!

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Leaning In and Moving On - Why I Left My Dream Job at GoAbroad.com

Yep. You read that right. In March, I resigned from my position as Senior Vice President at GoAbroad.com.

And then I went for a margarita…and started to freak out. A little.

Troy and Brooke, NAFSA 2012

But let's go back to the beginning. About three and half years ago I met Troy Peden (founder and CEO of GoAbroad.com) at a regional NAFSA conference in Minnesota. I was running study abroad at the University of South Dakota and building a study abroad system and culture there from the ground up. We had a random conversation about something related to marketing in study abroad and I gave my full, unedited opinion (which, if you've met me, is my basic MO). For some crazy reason Troy liked that about me - he liked my ideas, my organization, and my - je ne sais quoi - audacity. About nine months after meeting Troy I found myself packing up my life in South Dakota and driving across the plains to Fort Collins, Colorado. Troy just told me "write up your job description and we'll go from there." The rest, as they say, is history.

Brooke, Kayla, Tiffany, and Nikki - GoAbroad Holiday Dinner 2011

The years I spent working with Troy and for GoAbroad were the most rewarding, challenging, frustrating, fun, amazing, and educational of my career. Troy put a lot of trust in me allowing me to build my team from scratch and lead an organization that was heading into challenging (but exciting) new terrain. I'm extremely proud of what I accomplished at GoAbroad. From my position, I was able to hire and mentor a team of very new professionals introducing them to the study abroad field, client/customer/institutional relations, online marketing/social media, and overall business strategy. I also learned all about about payroll taxes and other fun business nonsense.

Brooke, Troy, and Rhea - Denver Nuggests game, 2010

With a great team of people and mentorship from Troy, I led the conceptualization and implementation of the GoMedia online marketing services division, developed a US-based institutional relations strategy, created the GoAbroad Innovation Awards now in year three, and strategized the overall direction of the partnerships, marketing, content, and growth for GoAbroad. Am I tooting my own horn a little? Hell yes! I'm extremely proud of everything we've achieved at GoAbroad. Yes I have my flaws and still lots of improving to do in every aspect of my career, but that doesn't mean I'm not happy with what I've achieved so far. And I know that Troy and the team are only going to see even more success moving forward. They have no bigger fan out there cheering them on than me.

"GoooooooooAbroad!" - NAFSA 2012

I'm determined for this cheer to catch on even if the entire team thinks I'm a big dork.

But I bet you're wondering why. Why would I leave if everything was all roses and sunshine? Of course, life at GoAbroad wasn't perfect. What job ever is? But at the root of my time there, the truth is - I. Loved. It. And I wouldn't change my decision to work with Troy and GoAbroad for anything. But despite all this…it was time to lean in.

No. I didn't read Sheryl Sandberg's book and immediately call Troy and quit my job. In fact, since I finished grad school I've been thinking about different business ideas and in the past year I actually started putting one specific idea down on paper as an actual grown-up business plan with research and even spreadsheets. But since I resigned in March, I've read Sheryl's book and it further reinforced my decision that this was the best move for me. It all comes back to the heart of who I am, the career I want, and the life I want to design. Probably for about 5 years I've been refining my entrepreneurial mind coming up with a new business idea every day, spending my free time reading about the Inc. 500 companies, devouring articles about start-ups in FastCompany, talking with other entrepreneurs asking "how did you do it," and generally being inspired by my many friends who've taken the plunge/risked everything  to build their own companies and ideas.

Danny - The Other VP

As much as I love Troy and GoAbroad, it was never going to be mine…and for me, that's just not enough. I've spent years scheming, planning, researching, crunching numbers, more planning, brainstorming, and generally dreaming about starting and running my own company. And as the days ticked by and as I grew more confident that I could actually do this, it was clear that it was time. Time to lean in - to my ideas, my abilities, my dreams. As one friend described it, "You're standing at the cliff, completely prepared and ready to take that leap. You just need a light tap on the tush to push you over the edge."

Troy's Angels - The GoAbroad US Team

So with some savings in tow, a 40-page business plan, some smart advisors, and my own will to make this happen, I'm taking the leap. I'm now Brooke Roberts, crazy entrepreneur and CEO. And it's freaking scary and amazing. And guess what?

I might fail.

Just typing that makes my heart beat a little faster and the "freak out" face emerge. After all, I got my LAST official paycheck last week, I'm shopping for my own health insurance, and I have mortgage payments and student loans looming over head. "What the hell are you thinking, Brooke?!" is a common thought that runs through my mind. But then I remember that I'm ready. And believing in yourself is half the battle, right? I'm extremely self-conscious about this decision and question my own abilities every. single. day. But I have to keep reminding myself that every step I've taken in my career has prepared me for this moment. Every person who's mentored and advised me has groomed me for this move. All the pieces are in place. Now it's just time to start doing. I totally expect to make a lot of mistakes and find myself standing in many puddles of proverbial failure. But at least I'm going for it.

My first Kansas Jayhawks basketball game. And Noah Peden photo-bombing. #rockchalk

So what am I doing? Great question. I'll be focusing and working on two primary projects. The first is a yoga resource and travel website. For those of you who know me personally, you know that I love yoga and I'm all about making it accessible to the masses wherever they are in the world. I won't say much more about it here (it's still under construction and not really a "study abroad" thing). But if you're interested in following me on this "starting my own company" ridiculous journey, you can follow me on Twitter and my personal blog where I'll be posting updates and some behind-the-scenes info and stories.

The second (and secondary) project I'll be working on is…wait for it…Inside Study Abroad. Yep. I'll actually be devoting a lot more time and energy to this site and a ton of ideas to help provide more information, advice, and resources to all you study abroad super fans out there. I have another post coming this week all about the future of InsideSA, so stay tuned for that.

So there it is. The what, why, and how of the next step in my career. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who reads this blog and especially to the hundreds of you who have emailed me over the past few years giving me the encouragement that I may actually be able to do this and build something of my own. It seriously brings tears to my eyes thinking of all the support and encouragement I've received from so many.

Thank you to the GoAbroad team - USGA and GAP - for helping me learn so much about leadership and the kind of team I want to build in the future.

To Troy, thank you for helping me grow (even when it was painful) and for believing in me.

Thank you, Boss, for everything! 

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