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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Laura Ingalls (laura.ingalls@worldlearning.org) in Washington, 1.202.464.6973

SIT Study Abroad Partnership Council Meets at Brandeis University

BRATTLEBORO, VT (December 11, 2008) -- From December 4-5, 2008, the SIT Study Abroad Partnership Council met on the campus of Brandeis University for a spirited and constructive exchange. As SIT Study Abroad's principle advisory board, the Partnership Council provides vital perspectives and important expertise on the design, delivery, and assessment of SIT programs and their integration into the undergraduate curriculum. The Partnership Council is comprised of 15 deans and directors in the study abroad field from colleges and universities across the US. Present at the December meeting were 10 Council members and senior SIT staff including Adam Weinberg, Executive Vice President and SIT Provost, and Maureen Powers, Vice President and Dean, SIT Study Abroad.

This was the first time a Partnership Council meeting was held at a partner school, and SIT Study Abroad is grateful to Brandeis for hosting what proved to be an excellent and highly interactive discussion. Council members provided specific feedback and helpful recommendations pertaining to critical areas such as how the economy is affecting study abroad; academics and curriculum integration; student affairs issues; and program growth and enrollment.

The meeting also gave SIT Study Abroad the opportunity to share with Council members key improvements SIT is making to further enhance our programs, administration, and staff. These include the addition of new programs such as Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment and Uganda and Rwanda: Post-Conflict Transformation; Web site improvements; streamlining the on-line application process; and the addition of Michael Smallis, SIT Study Abroad's new Dean of Student Affairs, charged with enhancing student life, safety, and security.

The Partnership Council plays an essential role in strengthening SIT's relationships with students, faculty, and staff in many of SIT's most important sending schools. Through open, vigorous discussion, Council members communicate to SIT Study Abroad the perspectives and concerns they encounter on their campuses throughout the year. This productive exchange of ideas improves SIT Study Abroad's role as a full-service provider of outstanding, experiential study abroad programs for undergraduate students and their home colleges and universities.

SIT Study Abroad is very appreciative of the participation and contributions of the following Partnership Council members at the December 4-5 meeting:

• Dr. Elizabeth Brewer, Director, International Education, Beloit College
• Susan Holme Brick, Director of International Programs, Whitman College
• Kendall Brostuen, Director of International Programs, Associate Dean of the College, Brown University
• Mary Ryan Dando, Director, Study Abroad Programs, University of Colorado, Boulder
• Valerie M. Eastman, Director of Off-Campus Study, Scripps College
• Rob Hallworth, Director of Study Abroad, George Washington University
• Dr. Andrew Law, Assistant Dean for Off-Campus Study, Denison University
• Michael Monahan, Director, International Center, Macalester College
• Dr. Carolyn Sorkin, Director, Office of International Studies, Wesleyan University
• Dr. Ana Maria J. Wiseman, Dean of International Programs, Wofford College

Partnership Council Members who could not be present at last week's meeting include:

• Mark Beirn, Director of Study Abroad, Tulane University
• Dr. Jeffery W. Cason, Dean of International Programs, Associate Professor of Political Science, Middlebury
• Cori Filson, Director, Office of International Programs, Skidmore College
• Minnie Battle Mayes, Director of International Programs, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
• Teresa E. Wise, Executive Director, Office of International Affairs, Clemson University