Accelerating the Impact of Study Abroad: First Year Programming

Friday, March 21, 2025

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM US EST

Location: Pine, Mezzanine level

Session Leader(s)

Christian Meyer

Executive Vice President
EF Education First
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Slides

Presenter(s)

Sonia Feigenbaum

Senior Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Chief International Officer
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, United States
Kathleen Fairfax (she/her/hers)

Vice Provost for International Affairs
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
KB

Kendall Brostuen

Vice President of Academic Affairs
EF Study Abroad
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

For students, first-year programs can put them on an accelerated performance track, although many schools have traditionally resisted the idea. Enrollment teams, meanwhile, are facing unpredictability. Yield, melt and attrition are increasingly volatile and the need for differentiation in an enrollment downturn is real for many schools. Come to this session to discuss the pros and cons of first year programs with witty and fun senior leaders from EF, UT Austin and Colorado State University.

Learning Objectives:

Understand both the strategic and student impact of first year study abroad programming.
Clearly enunciate the unique dimensions of first year study abroad programming.
Advocate for first year study abroad strategies on campus.