Rainbow
NEWSLETTER
Volume 22, Number 2, Spring 2016 The Rainbow Newsletter is published once a semester by the Rainbow Special Interest Group (SIG) of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The Rainbow SIG is comprised of diverse NAFSAns whose goals are to combat homophobia, heterosexism and transphobia within NAFSA, to counsel international students and study abroad students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, and to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender professionals in international education.
In This Edition:
• Not to Miss in Denver! - Page 2 • Colleges of the Fenway ‘Identities Abroad’ Resource - Page 3 • Pre-Departure for All: Inclusive Practices through Universal Design Page 5
• Fund for Education Abroad Updates and Awardees - Page 7 • RECAPS - quick reviews of relevant past events - Page 8 • Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Page 8 • LGBT Workshop from APUAF - Page 8 • Minnesota Meeting on Supporting Transgender Students - Page 9 • Queers Here...Queers There: Partnerships Between Study Abroad and LGBTQ Services - Page 10 • LGBTQ&A: Study Abroad: The Queer Student Experience Overseas / an Outreach Model - Page 13 • Election Info and the Rainbow Leadership Team - Page 15
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Volume 22, No. 2, Rainbow Newsletter
GET INVOLVED!
Subscribe: to the Rainbow SIG Listserv by completing the online form. Like: Join the private Rainbow SIG Group on Facebook Give: Donate to the Rainbow Scholarship (Page 14) Reach Out: Email the listserv by sending your message to: rainbow-l@indiana.edu Contribute: Submit content for the Rainbow SIG Newsletter (Contact Editors: Page 15) Represent: Volunteer to become a NAFSA Rainbow SIG Regional Rep
Not to Miss in Denver! Session: Impact of LGBTQ Identity on Education Abroad Advising and Implications for Best Practices • Tuesday, May 31, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Presenters will share how to navigate LGBTQ advising situations during predeparture, while abroad, and upon reentry. The session will cover effective strategies to promote advisers as allies, explore effective programming, and offer tips on how to encourage dialogue with students on topics of sexuality and gender identity.
Rainbow Open Meeting and Elections • Wednesday, June 1, 2:45 to 3:45 p.m.
Learn more about the Rainbow SIG! This open meeting is a great opportunity to learn how to
get involved, what new opportunities are out there, and to connect with LGBTQA colleauges.
Rainbow Reception: • Wednesday, June 1, starting at 8:00pm at Charlie’s Denver.
Always the best reception of the conference. Meet and mingle with other attendees at this great location. Come for great drinks with good friends, a fabulous drag show and a chance to help us raise money for the Rainbow Scholarships!
Poster Sessions: Increasing Diversity Outreach and Support in International Education Thursday, June 2, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. • Systematic Review of Literature on LGBQ International Students • Advising Transgender Students: What Advisers Need to Know
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Colleges of the Fenway ‘Identities Abroad’ Resource
By Michelle Lally & Jeff Sullivan, Global Education Opportunities Center at the Colleges of the Fenway www.colleges-fenway.org/global/identities-abroad/ The Colleges of the Fenway (COF) consortium in Boston, MA recently launched the ‘Identities Abroad’ campaign on March 22nd, 2016 to create awareness and promote participation of LGBTQ students in study abroad opportunities. Made possible by a NAFSA grant, the aim of ‘Identities Abroad’ is to help LGBTQ students have a safe, well-informed and unique experience abroad while also feeling comfortable to assert their identity. The ‘Identities Abroad’ project was initially proposed by former Simmons College Study Abroad Director, Laura Bey in collaboration with the six colleges that make up the consortium. The Colleges of the Fenway consortium consists of the following schools: Emmanuel College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services, Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Simmons College, Wentworth Institute of Technology and Wheelock College. The COF consortium makes up 16% of Boston’s undergraduate population. The content of ‘Identities Abroad’ was created, reviewed and approved through the collaboration of the COF Study Abroad Council. While this project was developed with LGBTQ students at the COF in mind, the goal is that any LGBTQ student that learns about the resource through word of mouth, social media or study abroad professionals on their campus may benefit from it. International education advisors can also benefit from ‘Identities Abroad’ broadly as professionals as common LGBTQ terms and expressions are defined. Professionals are provided with suggestions on how to create ‘safe spaces’ for visible and invisible members of the LGBTQ student community and encouraged to collaborate with LBGTQ student groups and organizations on their campus. The COF Study Abroad Council is currently coordinating with various study abroad providers and other colleagues to launch a broader official promotion of the ‘Identities Abroad’ campaign. The consortium’s study abroad advisors believe that this valuable resource will educate and empower LGBTQ students to pursue international education opportunities. This initiative provides students with: • Questions to consider when choosing a study abroad program • Potential challenges LGBTQ students may experience abroad • General information on various study abroad programs; and • Stories from LGBTQ student experiences when abroad. “Identities Abroad” also provides advisors with: • Definitions of key terms on LGBTQ issues; • Web resources and articles of interest; • Education about unique challenges these students may experience; and • Suggestions for creating a LGBTQ friendly environment and establishing a visible presence on their campus. A major achievement within the ‘Identities Abroad’ resource is a collection of first-person testimonials of COF LGBTQ students and allies who studied abroad in New Zealand, Barbados, Japan and India. Some of these interviews can be viewed online in the ‘Student Information’ section. The students reflect on what they experienced abroad in regard to LGBTQ acceptance, neutrality and/or intolerance and offer candid perspective about what role their LGBTQ identity plays in their larger sense of self. Additionally, the students participating in the initiative emphasized the importance of making the most of a study abroad experience regardless of cultural differences or personal identities. These students participated in international gay pride parades or cultural events, developed friendships, and networked within foreign LGBTQ cultures thereby enhancing their study abroad experience. The students indicated that they felt safe and supported by their academic institutions to express their sexual identities and explore local culture. Overall
their personal experiences were overwhelmingly positive despite some existing controversial views or local discomfort regarding LGBTQ identities. Nevertheless, the students conveyed that participation in study abroad enriched their self-awareness and personal identity with a more global perspective. They gained greater appreciation for their identities and their community membership as a result of the experience. Continued on Page 4
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The “Identities Abroad” student information page guides students through the types of questions a LGBTQ identifying student might consider before committing to a study abroad experience. These include questions about a particular destination, host program, and reflection about self. While perceptions of LGBTQ communities vary from culture to culture and some have heard stories about less-welcoming communities, there are countries on nearly every continent where LGBTQ communities are accepted. This provides students with a plethora of study abroad options across the globe. Students are encouraged not to limit themselves in terms of options. On an intrapersonal level, ‘Identities Abroad’ poses reflective questions for LGBTQ students to ask themselves before studying abroad, such as: • “How open do you want/need to be about your sexual orientation while abroad with friends, professors, and host family and program staff? “ • “If you were to travel to a location where you would need to hide your sexual orientation due to safety concerns in the host country, how would this impact your overall study abroad experience?” This resource also highlights and explains the different types of study abroad scholarship opportunities that exist to help students fund their participation. Organizations such as the Fund for Education Abroad and Diversity Abroad are discussed, as well as provider program scholarships. ‘Identities Abroad’ encourages students to research their destination and host institution to determine if they provide the culture, community, and level of rights and expression a student desires in regards to gender relations, resources, or community. The Study Abroad Council plans to focus on specific strategies for ‘Identities Abroad’ such as determining what students find most valuable about this resource, performing focus groups with LGBTQ organizations on the six campuses and how this resource can expand to other LBGTQ students at additional academic institutions over time. This is an exciting campaign the COF Study Abroad Council is proud of accomplishing. They are eager to see the impact of this effort and receive feedback for how students are influenced by this resource tool.
Michelle Lally is a senior at Emmanuel College and is graduating with a bachelor's degree in communications focused on marketing. Michelle is an undergraduate student intern at the Global Education Opportunities Center and has been assisting in the development of a marketing and outreach strategy as well as promoting international education through social media.
Jeff Sullivan is the graduate intern at the Global Education Opportunities Center and is graduating with his master’s degree in International Higher Education & Intercultural Relations from Lesley University in May 2016. He has recently been a scholarship reviewer for the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA), volunteer and panelist for the Students Abroad for Growth & Experience (SAGE) Conference at Norwich University in Vermont, registration and evaluation coordinator at the New England Returnee (NERC) Conference, active with NAFSA Region XI and NAFSA Rainbow-SIG as well as the Boston Area Study Abroad Advisor (BASAA) organization.
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Pre-Departure for all: Inclusive practices through Universal Design By Amir Reza and John Crisafulli, Babson College
Preparing students to study abroad in a variety of locations with cultures, customs, regulations, and laws that vary greatly from that of the home institution is an important part of the education abroad process. When educators consider the content to be covered in pre-departure programs, there are many variables to consider. For instance, what prior experiences with international travel and living do our students have? In what ways are their study abroad destinations different or similar to their home institution’s culture and academic environment? And what are the academic, personal, and professional goals of our students? Although these are all important questions to consider when designing an effective pre-departure program, educators must also consider the importance of our students’ identities and the perceptions and realities of these identities in the host nation environment. Is the host institution and country culture affirming of our students’ identities? Aside from their national identity, are our students likely to be a minority in that environment? Are their identities (especially those identities which are not readily visible) likely to be challenged and negated in subtle and/ or blunt ways? Identity exploration has significant potential as a learning/teaching tool for students who are engaged in education abroad. It is also important to signal an inclusive approach to identity exploration, which goes beyond visible aspects of identity. For example, when we embed into pre-departure programs education related to LGBTQ rights and the accepted norms at various destinations around the globe, we not only help prepare our students who identify as LGBTQ for their journey ahead, but we also create a more vibrant education for all of our students who will be better educated as a result of understanding issues of identity, acceptance, rights, and cultural norms.
This approach borrows from the philosophy of universal design (UD). “Universal Design was originally developed for making the physical environment accessible to the disability community (Zeff, 2007, p. 27).” The outcome of successful UD is that all members of the community, regardless of their ability can benefit from new designs, which create an accessible environment and potentially create awareness for those who may have not been cognizant of the difficulties of access for certain members of the community. The ideals set forth by UD can be expanded to address the needs of educating increasingly diverse student bodies, and in some cases to include the needs of students with particular identities that may not be visible (Burgstahler & Cory, 2008). Education Abroad professionals can extend the basic tenets of UD to consider new pedagogies, which are more inclusive, and enhance the awareness of all students about the challenges that the LGBTQ community may face when they travel and reside abroad in different parts of the world. The best pedagogical approaches will inform and prepare students who identify as LGBTQ, and expose others to issues that they would not have otherwise considered. This methodology and design of pre-departure programs has educational benefits for all students by meeting the needs of LGBTQ students. Theoretically this may seem like a reasonable approach, but what does this look like in practice? At Babson College, pre-departure education starts with the very first advising appointment. In our goal-based advising model, all students are asked to complete a goals questionnaire before meeting with an advisor. The questionnaire includes space for them to select general themes that they would like to discuss during their appointment; included in that space is the theme “LGBTQ Identity Abroad”. Here, the goal is to (1) provide a safe space for students to feel comfortable disclosing and (2) present it as something that is worth talking about and considering. Once committed to studying abroad, all students are required to complete a number of pre-departure activities including reading materials in their education abroad portal, completing a pre-departure orientation assignment and ultimately attending a pre-departure orientation session. In each of these activities, we include the importance of considering one’s identities and the identities of others as they relate to study abroad and intercultural competence. Continued on Page 6
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Through the initial reading materials, we are able to lay out important considerations for students to digest and research further on their own including global health and safety concerns for LGBTQ students. From there, students work on their pre-departure assignments, of which a major part asks students to reflect on culture and identity abroad. First, they are asked to compare the cultural values of their home country to those of the country they are visiting using The Hofstede Centre’s web resources and to write a reflection. Next, students are asked to list 5-10 aspects of their identity and are guided through a set of reflection questions that ask them to explore the way identities like LGBTQ, gender and race are seen in their host country and to consider how they will interact on those issues. All students are expected to research and respond, not just those that identify as LGBTQ. Finally, the face-to-face pre-departure session aims to bring everything together. The culture and identity presentation includes an exercise that builds on the pre-work. The students are asked to chart their own identities’ molecules while taking into account the complex nature of identity. That complex nature is illustrated by a series of scenarios that are shared with them, including, “A student who identifies as gay or lesbian who might not feel comfortable to share their sexual orientation with their ultra-conservative host family or classmates in a country where homosexuality is not accepted.” In these sessions, the discussions that follow suggest that asking all students to consider this scenario helps educate non-identified students through perspective taking. During the health and safety portion of the session, students are asked to respond to case studies as if they were going through the incident themselves. All students are asked to consider what they might do if they were being harassed for being gay or denied services because of their gender identity or expression or any number of other scenarios they wouldn’t normally face. Facilitating this important topic through this exercise allows for education on how each scenario might play out depending on cultural differences and how other, non-identified students can be allies in those scenarios. By utilizing universal design, we are better prepared to meet the needs of our students who identify as LGBTQ. An inclusive and effective pre-departure session must consider their unique needs and help them consider the myriad of issues that may arise when they embark on their journeys abroad. We want them to maximize their learning and remain healthy and safe. It is important to note that although we rely on the universal design framework to articulate a pedagogy which is inclusive, we in no way wish to imply that identifying as LGBTQ constitutes a disability. The goal is to extend the theoretical framework of universal design to develop inclusive pre-departure programs to address the needs of creating an environment that accepts, affirms and provides access to all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Sources: Bergstahler, S. E., & Cory, R. C. (2008). Universal design in higher education: From principles to practice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press. Zeff, R. (2007). Universal design across the curriculum. New Directions for Higher Education, 137 (Spring 2007), 27-44.
Amir Reza, Vice Provost, International & Multicultural Education In his role at Babson College, Dr. Reza is responsible for providing leadership for collaborative advancement of the college’s internationalization and efforts designed to create a more inclusive campus for students. In this role he oversees several areas of the college including international student & scholar services, education abroad, faculty-led electives abroad, multicultural programs, multi-faith programs, and service learning. Reza earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from the University of Maine. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration at Boston College’s Center for International Higher Education.
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John Crisafulli, Senior Education Abroad Advisor John advises for undergraduate semester abroad programs in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Northern Europe and Oceania as well all graduate semester abroad programs. Additionally, John serves as the International Exchange Program coordinator. John is past co-chair of the Boston Area Study Abroad Association and was the 2013 recipient of the NAFSA Region XI Rising Professional award. John holds a B.S. in Communication from Bryant University and M.S. in College Student Personnel from the University of Rhode Island.
Volume 22, No. 2, Rainbow Newsletter
Fund for Education Abroad Updates and Scholarship Recipients The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA), in partnership with members of the NAFSA Rainbow SIG, is proud to announce the 2016-2017 FEA Rainbow Scholarship recipients. Three top-performing U.S. students, for whom study abroad was previously beyond reach because of background, or lack of financial resources, have been awarded. A fourth Rainbow scholarship recipient has been awarded through the Silver Lining Fund, an independently funded designation of the Rainbow Scholarship that broadens access by allowing one award recipient to remain anonymous. “We could not be happier with the outcome of this year’s review process that identified these exceptional Rainbow Scholars,” said FEA director, Jennifer Calvert. “We will host the students’ blogs as they share their experiences, and connect them with other Rainbow Scholars and advisors to create a robust, supportive community before, during and after their study abroad.” This year’s Rainbow Scholarship recipients include: Cinderella Saavedra of New Mexico Highlands University studying Summer 2016 on a CIEE program in Czech Republic; Michael Clark of Borough Manhattan Community College/ CUNY. studying Fall 2016 on a SIT program in Uganda & Rwanda (learn more about Michael’s upcoming experience); and Kylie Kinion of Tulsa Community College studying Fall 2016 on a university-sponsored program in Japan. An anonymous awardee was also selected for the Silver Lining Fund.
The Rainbow Scholarship was established in 2011 in memory of Dave Burkhart by his partner, Bo Keppel - a long time Rainbow SIG Board Member. Dave never earned a college degree but greatly admired the international students and advisors with whom Bo worked, attending NAFSA conferences with her year after year. When Bo suggested the Rainbow Scholarship initiative in Dave’s memory, colleagues rallied, funding the first Rainbow Scholar in 2012. To date, twelve Rainbow Scholars have been awarded, including two Silver Lining Fund recipients. The Rainbow Scholarship increases access for self-identified LGBTQI students at any U.S. college or university, and is made possible by dedicated members of the Rainbow SIG of NAFSA, FEA board members, donors and volunteers. Significantly advancing diversity in study abroad, a total of 117 students, including first-generation, minority, LGBTQI, community college, and students studying in non-traditional destinations, will now have benefited from over $500,000 in scholarships awarded since the Fund’s inception in 2010. The vast majority (80%) of the 2016 FEA Scholars are first-generation college students, three quarters (76%) are of minority background and will study the host country language (72%), and over half (56%) attend minority-serving institutions or community colleges. The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to increase opportunities for dedicated, underrepresented American students to participate in high-quality education abroad programs by reducing financial restrictions through the provision of scholarships.
There are a number of ways you can help support the Fund for Education Abroad Scholarships, here are a few:
• Attend fundraising events in your area • Donate to FEA - http://fundforeducationabroad.org/donate/ • Review scholarship applications - http://fundforeducationabroad.org/volunteers/ • Sign up for the FEA newsletter • Promote the scholarship to your students Page 7
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RECAPS:
In this section we’ll hear about recent events or gatherings that focused on LGBTQ issues in international education. Please be in touch with the authors for more informaiton.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow Conference
By Conrad Zeutenhorst, University of Maryland, College Park
In June 2015, the University of Maryland, College Park, hosted the first Somewhere Over the Rainbow Conference, a gathering to discuss gender and sexual identity issues within the field of international education. Over 100 international education and development professionals, activists and representatives from the State Department attended from across the country and from overseas. To the knowledge of the planning committee, Somewhere Over the Rainbow was the first of its kind to focus entirely on LGBTQ topics in international education. Somewhere Over the Rainbow was administered by University of Maryland staff members and graduate students, representing a variety of campus units, with experience working with and supporting LGBTQ individuals in international contexts. The shared interests and experience in supporting and advocating for LQBTQ students and staff resulted in this idea to create a forum of professionals to meet, inform and share best practices to better understand the reality of LGBTQ community experiences in a global context. Conference content focused on the sexual and gender identity issues related to incoming international students and outgoing study abroad students. In the lead up to the conference, the planning committee solicited presentation proposals from the international education professional community. The committee chose proposals that would create a balance of sessions applicable to education abroad and international student and scholar support professionals, while providing introductory learning opportunities for those less familiar with LGBTQ issues. Selected topics ranged from creating inclusive spaces and unpacking the LGBTQ identity acronym, to best practice for international education professionals, and updates on the work of LGBTQ rights groups abroad. The conference opening plenary addressed sexual orientation and gender identity challenges and opportunities within a global context which framed the day’s subsequent breakout sessions. Break-out sessions and presentations throughout the day addressed: learning LGBTQ inclusive vocabulary; building organizational inclusion in professional settings; advising and supporting students in the U.S. and students going abroad from the U.S.; designing LGBTQ inclusive study abroad programs and preparation for study in non-traditional locations; and information on conditions for LGBTQ communities in China and Europe. The closing plenary focused on the role that the field of international education plays in providing inspiring experiences for the LGBTQ students who come to the United States to study, and those American students who choose to study abroad. Panelists included students who had recently studied abroad and higher education and education abroad professionals. Currently, the Somewhere Over the Rainbow Committee is partnering with the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals to present a free webinar series for the month of April 2016. The series will feature four on-line presentations on LGBTQ-related topics in international education. Plans are also underway for a second Somewhere Over the Rainbow Conference to take place in spring 2017, to provide a space for different voices and perspectives with a view to looking forward in the support and development of sexual and gender identities, both internationally and at home.
Association of American University Programs in France: LGBT resources in Paris Workshop By Christopher Edwards, CEA Study Abroad Paris with Lisa Fleury and Francie Plough-Seder
Students studying in the US often have access to LGBT-friendly resources such as alliance associations, SafeZone spaces, and more generally, a support network to share their questions, concerns, or curiosities. However, when students go abroad they often encounter a very different context. For many, the language barrier hinders their efforts to establish ties with local individuals, associations, and professionals. Even for those students who speak the language of their host culture, they may lack knowledge about cultural norms and realities that pertain to the local LGBT community: what does it mean to be an LGBT person in the host culture; are there specific legal concerns or health risks; what local resources can they turn to for support? The APUAF (Association of American University Programs in France) is a non-profit association that regroups all of the US study abroad programs in France. Ever striving to better address students’ LGBT needs and learn more about resources, APUAF organized a workshop around three principle themes: questions of identity and adaptation; questions of jurisprudence and health; and a presentation on local resources for our students. In the first panel, a family therapist and a psychologist addressed questions of identity and adaptation, including risks taken by people in our student’s demographic. The psychologist elaborated on generational changes in meeting and
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RECAPS: Continued...
In this section we’ll hear about recent events or gatherings that focused on LGBTQ issues in international education. Please be in touch with the authors for more informaiton.
dating, notably brought about by the advent of social media applications à la Grindr. These changes, according to him, go hand-in-hand with the casual approach to sexual relationships that is common amongst the Neflix-and-chill generation. Both experts concurred that unfamiliarity with both the language and cultural differences could pose certain risks due to unfamiliar communication norms. The second speaker treated legal questions for the LGBT community in France and how French jurisprudence interfaces with European law. Some participants were surprised to learn that France had been reprimanded on several occasions by European authorities for its inconsistencies in the treatment of LGBT persons. The jurist covered topics such as mariage pour tous (“marriage for all” or, as we refer to it in English, “same-sex marriage”), the legal framework of the family in France, adoption by same-sex couples. While not directly applicable to the student cohort, it served as a reminder of the general context in which LGBT persons live in France and may help administrators more accurately frame the political or popular discourse their students hear in host families, in the news, or in their daily social lives. Next, representatives of local health organizations shared statistics on trends in sexual health including infection rates of common STDs and their recent rise amongst the MSM (Men who have sex with men) demographic. Multiple associations exist in France providing assistance to people at risk of contracting STDs and for those already living with them. In addition to the statistics on STD transmission rates, the two panelists provided an overview of these associations and how we administrators and/or our students could access their resources. The workshop ended with a visit to the Centre LGBT de Paris – Ile de France. After a general presentation of their space, Flora Bolter, co-president of the Centre, gave a brief presentation of the Center’s history and its principle activities. Participants thus learned of the myriad ways in which their students could become involved in the center’s activities as well as the numerous resources available: a library, DVD collection, meeting rooms, expert counseling (legal & health issues). Ms. Bolter also explained how study abroad students could become involved in the many associations housed at the Centre: social clubs, sporting clubs, all LGBT-themed organizations. Christopher Edwards, Academic Director at CEA Study Abroad and co-organizer of the workshop, gave a closing presentation on SafeZone and the possibility for APUAF to sponsor a SafeZone workshop for its members. The workshop allowed members the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the various realities and challenges that LGBT students face while abroad. Several action items ensued from this event that should help the France-based study abroad community continue supporting its students. For example, the therapist and psychologist (Cindy Davis and Dr. Louis Monaco) announced the creation of a website for LGBT students in France who seek support while studying abroad in France. Furthermore, due to the interest expressed by APUAF members, a permanent working group was formed to organize diversity-related activities including a SafeZone training.
Minnesota Meeting on Supporting Transgender Students By Kevin Morrison, Macalester College
In December a group of 30 Minnesota study abroad professionals gathered for an afternoon of discussion about transgender issues and their impact on study abroad programming and student participation. While often included as part of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual communities, transgender students can easily be overlooked, and are often misunderstood. The goals of this interactive workshop were to explore and discuss the unique challenges that these students may face when considering an international experience, and to identify best practices and resources available to assist in supporting transgender students through the study abroad cycle. The workshop was led by Kevin Morrison, Director of Macalester College’s Center for Study Away, and Jason Kouba, Regional Director of University Relations and Outreach for Academic Programs International (API). The session began with a conversation about gender, sexuality, and gender identity and expression, where participants were asked to respond to questions such as: How do you determine a person’s gender? What are some characteristics you associate with being male/female? What is the difference between gender and sexuality? This lively exchange of ideas evolved to a discussion about those individuals whose gender identity does not match that which they were assigned at birth, or rather being transgender. Transgender individuals experience discrimination that their cisgender peers do not in situations as seemingly benign as ordering food at a restaurant, boarding a bus or train, and even making a purchase at a retail store. What’s perhaps even more disturbing is data that shows how transgender youth are frequently victims of abuse by their fellow classmates, and even their teachers and administrators. Continued on Page 10
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The presentation data about the larger transgender community provided a context for a more detailed discussion about transgender students, and some of the challenges that they may have already dealt with even before considering whether or not to study abroad. Transgender students face many of the same issues their non-transgender classmates do when considering an international experience such as credit transfer and how to finance their program. But they may also encounter a number of challenges that are not considered to be a “typical” part of the study abroad process. Workshop participants were introduced to a number of unique situations that advisors may encounter when working with transgender students including: concerns about finding a program in a location that offers legal protections for the transgender community and what can be done in the event that they experience gender-based harassment; identifying a program with appropriate housing options; how to obtain a visa and navigate airport security when the gender indicated on their passport does not match their gender expression; ensuring that they will have access to hormones while abroad and whether these will be covered by insurance. By examining several of these situations through case studies, attendees were able to discuss openly with colleagues how they would address each issue, and identify what resources may already be at their disposal. Colleagues shared personal insight and stories of success and challenges that they have faced, and offered a variety of ideas on how they can help ensure that transgender students have a successful international experience. The importance of active ally-ship was also discussed. Additional information about resources such as the National Center for Transgender Equality, FTM International, GLAAD, and more were shared. The goal of this workshop was not to make anyone an expert, but rather to begin a dialogue and to openly discuss how education abroad professionals can ensure that all students can have a meaningful international experience regardless of their gender identity or expression. As study abroad offices work to increase the diversity of their participants, they need to be prepared to work with students from all backgrounds, including those who identify as transgender. Hopefully this workshop will lead to more discussion within the larger education abroad community, as well as on individual campuses across the country.
Queers Here…Queers There: Partnerships Between Study Abroad and LGBTQ Services By: Shevonne Nelson and Gina Asalon, Miami University, Ohio
This article is a short trip through our shared learning journey of supporting students across institutional divisions, personal feelings, and seeming disconnectedness to forge a strong partnership. Gina Asalon is a Study Abroad Advisor in Global Initiatives and Shevonne Nelson is an Assistant Director in the Office of Diversity Affairs and Coordinator for LGBTQ Services, both at Miami University in Ohio. We are sharing our journey because we believe it would benefit other professionals from both LGBTQ Services and Study Abroad Offices to establish collaborations and/or partnerships that support students of difference. While the story and some of the fears might be unique to how we have come to know and work with one another, we believe there are also some great universal takeaways. Our Partnership: Shevonne’s Perspctive Little provokes more fear and excitement in the heart of parents of college students than the prospect of study abroad. Add to this the anxieties that come with the potential lived experience of racism, sexism, and homophobia and the combination may lead an otherwise well suited student to self-select out of a potentially life changing study abroad experience. As a professional who works with students who are caught between the excitement of international travel and a domestic experience that is filled with many burdens of being the “other,” I know the fears of students and parents all too well. In fact, it was similar fears that led me to not explore a study abroad option beyond the beautiful publications that did not reflect me. Now, as a full-time professional within a Diversity Affairs Office and situated as the point of contact for LGBTQ+ students, I have to work with them through their fears and my own. Perched in front of us is a university initiative that desires for 60% of our students to study abroad during their undergraduate experience. I, admittedly, wrote off this initiative as someone else’s responsibility, in part because our Study Abroad Office is situated in Academic Affairs and our office within Student Affairs, easily leading itself to being just outside of our partnership range. I would have been content to simply share with students in passing that this opportunity exists, but then one of the students I serve really wanted a study away/abroad experience. They were not content to just know that we have options, they wanted to know how they fit into the experience, and they wanted to know that information not from a brochure but from me. It was at this time that I had to flip back through some notes that I took during Continued on Page 11
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a meeting with a representative from the Study Abroad Office. You see, while I attended the meeting I didn’t engage in any meaningful and lasting way with the information presented. I took down some basic notes about scholarships, deadlines, and points of contact so that I could just refer students to their office. But that is not what this student required of me; they wanted me to help them see themselves in an experience that I personally didn’t know and had no framework for really understanding. This meant I needed that reference I had taken down. I contacted Gina Asalon in Study Abroad, whom I just seen in one of my Safe Zone 101 training sessions. I felt most comfortable reaching out and asking some of the tough questions surrounding queer bodies abroad because I knew she had a reference point for the domestic challenges that queer spectrum students face. I knew that gender roles and expectations changed from country to country as did laws governing “homosexual acts,” but this was guided by the tiny bit of literature surrounding the subject and anecdotal stories told by peers over the years. Many of my students need a queer community and this student in particular wanted to make sure that they could find others “like them” in the semester that they would be potentially away. I needed help, I needed someone who had been abroad with a queer consciousness. Gina provided this for both me and the student. Working together to help this one student see themselves in the study abroad experience led to us working together to help more students see themselves in these experiences. See, we found that this partnership takes more trust than most of our other campus partnerships and collaborations. I had to learn to trust that Gina had the best interest of diverse students in mind, and she had to learn to trust that someone who had not been abroad could learn to have value for the experience. Our Partnership: Gina’s Perspective At Miami University, the Study Abroad Office is housed squarely in Academic Affairs, but I see it more as a bridge between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. As anyone working in a study abroad office knows, we’re not simply advising students on the courses they can take abroad and then sending them on their way. We have meetings and orientations to discuss culture shock, physical and mental health, safety, what to do in an emergency, etc. because we know that studying abroad is so much more than just academics and I would categorize that as student support. If we take student support a step further and recognize that students going abroad oftentimes have unique concerns and apprehensions, it only makes sense that we would address those concerns, as well. International educators don’t need to be experts on every area that we know we need to cover in an advising meeting or in a pre-departure orientation because, in most cases, we have access to the experts on campus. It is a matter of equity that underrepresented students be given access to every opportunity available to every other student. Because we do not ask questions about sexual orientation and gender identity in any way, we do not officially know how many LGBTQ+ students do or do not study abroad; regardless, it is fair to say that these students have unique concerns that may prevent them from even looking into study abroad programs. Therefore, we have just as much of a responsibility to address their concerns proactively as we do to address them in an advising meeting or in an orientation. How do we do that? We use the allies and resources available to us on our campuses or in the community. At Miami University, we have a phenomenally supportive Office of Diversity Affairs, which houses the equally supportive LGBTQ Services run by Shevonne. About three or four months into working at Miami University, I requested a meeting with the Office of Diversity Affairs to learn about three things: 1. What the relationship was between our offices, 2. What they thought our office could be doing better to support their students, and 3. How our offices could collaborate moving forward. At that point, Shevonne hadn’t been at Miami for even a month, but I was impressed by her eloquence and passion in advocating for her students. Shevonne has never been abroad, so I don’t think she would have thought to pursue a relationship with the study abroad office. Additionally, I think it’s safe to say that she wasn’t immediately convinced that promoting study abroad to her students was in their best interest. But I think that’s just it: the only way to ensure that we are working in the students’ best interest, we need to - at the very least - be consulting with the offices that work directly and oftentimes more intimately with these students. Over the next year or so, Shevonne and I met, discussed, spent time building trust, learned more about each other’s areas, and became friends. We recognize that every college or university’s Study Abroad and LGBTQ Offices will have a different relationship, but it is critical that conversations take place between the two offices to determine how they can best support their students.
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What We Did & What You Can Do This strong working relationship and friendship led us to work together in the following ways. Our hope is that this list will serve as a springboard, or at least an idea generator, for developing a relationship with your LGBTQ Office: • We established a point person in the Study Abroad Office to the Office of Diversity Affairs. • All Study Abroad Advisors, and almost all of the staff within the Study Abroad Office, has attended Safe Zone training. • Shevonne spent time in the Study Abroad Office learning about study abroad programs and the various services offered by the office. • Gina created a brochure series called “Diversity in Study Abroad” where each brochure targets a different audience. The LGBTQ brochure was drafted together and the brochures are available in both offices. • Because we have established a point person, as well as trust, we also created a pipeline: if a student expresses interest in studying abroad, Shevonne will direct them to Gina. If Gina is not ultimately the advisor they need to see, she will get them to the right person. • We agreed that if there is a student who would feel more comfortable discussing certain things with both of us in the room, we will schedule a joint advising meeting. • Last year, the Study Abroad Office reiterated its commitment to supporting our LGBTQ+ students by covering the costs for both Shevonne and Gina to attend the Somewhere Over the Rainbow conference. • The opportunity to collaborate once again presented itself in the form of article submissions for SIGnals. Although it’s a busy time of year for both of our offices, we believe it is vitally important to take advantage of opportunities to continue collaborating. Each of these partnerships and collaborations makes us, as well as other individuals and members of our offices, better able to serve our students. This shift in mindset from “my” students wanting to study abroad to “our” students wanting to study abroad helps cut down on everyone’s anxiety and fear because we know we have a partner in ensuring (to the extent possible) the best experience possible for our students. And the students we work with know that they have more than one place to turn for support, information, and affirmation. Gina Asalon is a graduate of SIT Graduate Institute where her research focused on the racial/ethnic diversity of high school study abroad participants. She is currently a Study Abroad Advisor at Miami University in Oxford, OH and also coordinates the office's diversity initiatives.
Shevonne is the Assistant Director of the Office of Diversity Affairs and Coordinator for GLBTQ Services at Miami University. Shevonne has worked across several functional areas within the academy over the last ten years advocating and supporting students.
DON’T MISS! RAINBOW RECEPTION at NAFSA JUNE 1, 2016 starting at 8:00PM CHARLIE’S DENVER GREAT DRINKS! AMAZING DRAG QUEENS!
COME HAVE FUN AND HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE RAINBOW SCHOLARSHIP! Page 12
Volume 22, No. 2, Rainbow Newsletter
LGBTQ&A: Studying Abroad: The Queer Student Experience Overseas / an Outreach Model By Maria Segala, Boston College
Studying abroad is a big part of the Boston College undergraduate experience; nearly 50 percent of the graduating class will have participated in a study abroad program through our office’s offerings. Through semester long / academic year international exchanges, short term faculty-led summer programs, and summer internships, a variety of opportunities exist. In the past, our department in collaboration with other on-campus departments, has worked to reach out to vulnerable populations, including students of color, Pell grant recipients, and first generation college students. Studying abroad is for everyone. Outreach Model: The outreach model used for the LGBTQ&A student population followed a similar format to our general study abroad engagement events. A panel of returned students with a variety of diverse experiences lead the discussion alongside a moderating staff member. The moderator helps to guide the discussion with prompting questions about the academic experience abroad and cultural immersion. The second half of the session is dedicated to open discussion and questions from the attending students. We try to host an outreach event in this style each semester. Prospective study abroad students want to hear from their peers and returned students are enthusiastic to share and get involved. Preparation: On our campus, LGBTQ student support is overseen by the Dean of Students office, providing campus wide support, programming, and mentorship to related student organizations. The event series ‘LGBTQ&A’ focuses on different themes put forth by the student body. Study abroad had come up before, but such an event had never occurred. The immediate response from students confirmed that this was something the student body had been waiting for. Finding Students, to Present and Attend: On a campus where LGBTQ visibility is often something you must go looking for to see, the marketing of events aimed at the community require targeted efforts. Utilizing existing networks, student groups, and organizations always helps. In our case, we both needed students willing to share their experience as queer students abroad as well as a student audience interested in attending. A message went out to all returned study abroad students regarding the opportunity to speak to their peers about their personal experience abroad. One of our first volunteers was also a very vocal student leader on campus, and rallied others. For attendees, mass emails went out a month before, a week before, and the morning of the event. Through my colleague in the Dean of Students office, a tailored email message was shared amongst the LGBTQ student organizations and list servs. Fall 2015 Session: Our panel consisted of three returnees: a gay male who spent a semester in Otago, New Zealand, a gay female who spent a semester in Copenhagen, Denmark, and a bisexual female who had participated in an eight week language-intensive summer session in Bordeaux, France. The panel participants identified as cisgender and were traditional-aged white students. The semester students were both Seniors, with the summer student having completed her program between her freshman and sophomore year. In both the semester length programs, the students lived in student housing with other international students or locals (in New Zealand). The summer program participant lived in a homestay. The session was hosted mid-day and we provided lunch. It was well-attended with nine attendees and three panelists. A brief presentation on the study abroad process and options was followed by a look at LGBTQ experience around the world, in social, legal, and practical experience. The highlight of this event is always the student panels and our returnees were open, honest, and constructive about their experiences. Each panelist introduced themselves and talked for a few minutes about their time abroad. This was followed by a series of questions focused on housing/homestays, social life, and being out. The flow of the event was kept intentionally casual, a sort of family lunch. In addition to our student panelists, our Quito, Ecuador on-site coordinator Rocio skyped in to join the event and offer a perspective on being LGBTQ in Latin America. Our office employs on-site coordinators around the world. These international education professionals often teach culture courses to BC students, while providing logistical and personal support. Rocio shared a letter a former student had written her about his experience as a gay man in South America. She acknowledged while the laws lagged behind the progress seen in North America and Europe, her caring input alongside the incredible letter from the past student offered a picture of a safe community. Rocio is not only immensely warm and
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personable, but the student spoke of his homestay family, to whom he was out as he sorted out his own sexuality and were a great source of support - a true ‘second family’. Both students in New Zealand and Denmark talked of the relative ‘normality’ of homosexuality in their adopted home cities. Being American was much more interesting and noteworthy to locals than being gay. The bisexual student in France was participating in a program made up of students from our home institution, but she too reflected on feeling safe with peers, the lead faculty member, and in the region of Bordeaux. Panelists lastly addressed what their international education experience had contributed to their future personal and professional lives. The gay female student who had spent a spring in Copenhagen was returning to Denmark after graduation to enroll in a Master’s program, while the summer program participant was in the process of considering a semester abroad. Our single male was a very involved and vocal student leader in several LGBTQ student organizations on campus and his time abroad only seemed to strengthen his voice and personal confidence. Attendees seemed more confident in actively pursuing an international education experience in the near future; several attendees eventually applied for summer sessions. LGBTQ&A: Studying Abroad & International Education Week: While we organize outreach events throughout the academic year, I coordinated our LGBTQ study abroad event to fall within the two weeks Boston College celebrates International Education Week (IEW). This not only added a student-focused event to our two week schedule but also provided much needed visibility, putting LGBTQ students ‘on the map’ in the international education opportunities available on campus. Conclusion: Working in a medium size Catholic university as an out staff member, I rarely get direct questions about studying abroad as LGBTQ in individual student meetings or general outreach events. However LGBTQ students often reported to the Dean of Students office their interest and concern about study abroad. This event created a safe space to identify concerns, connect students both to each other and our office, and provided a learning experience. Students not only know they can study abroad around the world regardless of sexuality, gender, or any other identity, but now they know they have a friend and fellow family member available to support them in the journey. Maria R. Segala has had held several positions within the Office of International Programs at Boston College, currently serving as the Technology and Communications Specialist. In this role, Maria oversees all technology efforts in the office, including the student database and online application system, appointment booking system, and the website / social media platforms. Additionally she advises students on study abroad programs in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, along with Washington, DC internship programs and ocean-based programs. Working with LGBTQ students both as a mentor and a study abroad resource is a personal passion. Maria holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in English from Siena College and a Master’s of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Boston College.
Have a great idea or story to share?
We’re looking for submission for the next edition to come out in the fall. Contact Darren Gallant to propose a submission. The formal call for submissions will come out in late summer /early fall. We’re looking for: • submissions from professionals working with international students in the USA • recaps of relevent regional events and programs • country profiles - what’s it like for students when they get abroad? • new and creative ideas on how to support students Page 14
Volume 22, No. 2, Rainbow Newsletter
Rainbow Regional Representatives Region I - OPEN Region II - OPEN Region III Mark Powell; mfpowell@uno.edu Jeff Simpson; jeff.simpson10@okstate.edu Will Bonfiglio; boniglio.w@wustl.edu Region IV Kristen Albrecht; AlbrechtKL@missouri.edu David Gardner Region V Jesus Velasco; jvelasco@millikin.edu Joseph Halaas; jhalaas@bus.wisc.edu Mark Chung Kwan Fan; chungkw1@msu.edu Lawrence Rodriguez; lrodriguez2@saic.edu Andy Quackenbush; quackenbush@studyabroad.wisc.edu Region VI - OPEN Region VII R. Scott King; scott.king@moore.sc.edu
Region X Rebecca Greenstrom; becky.greenstrom@nyu.edu Andrew Platt; andrew.platt@fredonia.edu Region XI David Griffin; David_Griffin@emerson.edu Region XII Steve Jacques; jacques@hawaii.edu Outside US Representatives Kevin Stensberg (China); k.stensberg@thebejingcenter.org Christopher Daberer (Canada); christopher.daberer@fo.ualberta.ca
ELECTIONS FOR OPEN POSITIONS
• Elections will take place at NAFSA 2016 in Denver, CO during the Rainbow Open Meeting on June 1, 2016. • Candidates do not have to be present but must submit a statement prior to June 1 to the current Co-Chairs • Open postitions include:
Region VIII Lukman Arsalan; larsalan@albion.edu Brett Wobbe; bwobbe1@jhu.edu
• Co-Chair (1) • Newsletter Co-Editor (1) • Web-Content Manager (1) • Scholarship Coordinators • Regional Represntatives (all)
More information on these postions will be available online here soon: http://www.rainbowsig.org/
Rainbow Leadership Team
RAINBOW CO-CHAIRS • Andrew Coleman ’14 -’16; andy.rainbowsig@gmail.com • Scott Tayloe ‘15-’17; stayloe@cisabroad.com
NEWSLETTER CO-EDITORS • Kyle Rausch ’14 -’16; kyle.rausch@asu.edu • Darren R. Gallant ‘15 -’17; gallantd@brandeis.edu WEB-CONTENT MANAGERS • Stephen Capobianco ‘14-’16; slc328@cornell.edu • Ray Bates ‘15-’17; ray@keiabroad.org MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR • Susan Carty (Advisory Board); scarty@iu.edu
LISTSERV MANAGERS • Daniel Soto (Executive Board); dsoto@indiana.edu • J. Scott Van Der Meid (Advisory Board); svanderm@brandeis.edu SCHOLARSHIP COORDINATORS • Danielle Samek ’14–’16; dsamek@iu.edu • Luca Lipparini ’14–‘16; luca.lipparini@duke.edu • Ashley Glenn ’14–‘16; ea.glenn@utah.edu • Jan Kieling ‘15-’17; yaneechay@hotmail.com • Gina Asalon ‘15-’17; asalonga@miamioh.edu • Conrad Zeutenhorst ‘15-’17; czeut@umd.edu • Mark Lenhart (Honorary); mlenhart@academic-travel.com
TREASURER • Rick Russo; russo@berkeley.edu
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