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Gateway Flex
Embedded Virtual Experiential Education

Integrate virtual international education into existing residential course offerings and build the next generation of global citizens.

What is Gateway Flex?

Real-world case studies and intercultural enrichment experiences round out this next generation approach. Gateway provides connections to content and industry experts and can integrate cultural enrichment activities throughout the course to support students as they learn from real-world case studies and are introduced to aspects of intercultural learning.

Residential
Course
Virtual Experiential Learning
Intercultural
Learning

Why Gateway Flex?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education was mostly concerned with mobility-based
programming that afforded a small percentage of students to earn credit abroad to fulfill home institution degree requirements. In this new era, mobility is complemented with newly mainstreamed modalities to engage a wider demographic of students, including virtual programming.

Embedded virtual experiential programming offers a flexible solution to invigorate residential instruction while increasing access to critical educational experiences which help prepare students for the globally connected workforce. The breadth of opportunities that virtual programming makes available ties otherwise residential courses to real world learning in new and exciting ways. The potential result:

Let Gateway be your partner for next generation embedded virtual experiential programming.

How Does Gateway Flex Work?

Gateway makes the planning and implementation of programming easy. Once a partnership agreement is in place at the partner institution, Gateway works with interested faculty members to develop programs that align with faculty interests and engage students in meaningful learning. This is achieved in four basic steps:
Gateway gets to know your learning objectives and vision for the intercultural education components of your course.
Gateway develops a proposal to enhance your course with virtual intercultural education elements and then organizes the program.
Gateway supports your delivery of the program, helping facilitate any logistics and addressing intercultural learning aspects where helpful.
Gateway collects and provides partner institutions with student feedback. As needed, Gateway can provide recommendations for the assessment of student learning.
Additional technology is not required; In general, students will engage with host organizations via the host institution’s preferred communications platform (e.g., Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc). Gateway Flex programs should not be viewed as an optional course add-on, but rather integrated completely into the design and delivery of each participating course, with requisite participation of all enrolled students.
Faculty member builds on the embedded virtual experiential experience.

Students register for a course per usual protocols. Course description provides information on virtual program and program fee, if any.

In small groups, students are assigned to host organization(s).

Gateway

Gateway arranges experiential learning projects that align with the course content and goals. Gateway provides program description and learning modules to course instructor. Gateway appoints a coordinator to provide orientation, support, and facilitation of optional enrichment activities.

What Kind of Experiential Programming is Offered?

Faculty members from most any discipline can easily enhance their residential courses by embedding virtual experiential learning into existing course syllabi.

A Global Sprint

Gateway also offers a tailored, intensive, short-term program model focused on Global
Entrepreneurship and aspects of design thinking. This program engages students in an intensive, five-day exploration of entrepreneurship facilitated by an experienced entrepreneur and a range of other entrepreneurs and educators from around the world.

For more information, click here.

What Kind of Intercultural Enrichment Programming is Offered?

Gateway provides students with cultural enrichment opportunities for a more complete experience.

How Much Does It Cost?

Course fees may vary based on required inclusions, but the standard fee is calculated on a per student enrollment basis. Several financial models are available to participating colleges and universities. Common options include:
Course Fee
Students pay a modest course fee to the university upon registration for the Gateway embedded portion of their course, which, in turn, is paid to Gateway. Gateway prefers not to bill students directly.
Institution Fee
Costs are covered from tuition or internal funds by the hosting academic unit, payable to Gateway.
Mixed Model

Costs are covered from both student fees and home school sources, payable to Gateway.

Program fees vary based on requirements, duration, and intensity.

Gateway International Group has made the commitment to allocate 3% of all revenue to support traditionally underrepresented student participation in
international learning and engagement. We have designated the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) as a recipient of funds gathered through Gateway Flex. FEA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented in U.S. education abroad.

Program Leaders​

Gateway International Group offers highly professional and seasoned international educators who bring years of experience in higher education and have extensive knowledge of education abroad programming and practice. Gateway operates in accordance with the Forum on Education Abroad’s Standards of Good Practice on Education Abroad and Guide to Online Global Learning Experiences.

Ms. Amy Blume

Amy Bartnick Blume is an experienced education abroad leader who is solution-focused and analytical with an eye toward connecting people, managing projects, and bringing ideas to fruition.

Kyle Rausch

Dr. Kyle Rausch is an experienced international educator whose work has largely focused on collaborating with faculty members on education abroad and other intercultural learning programs. Additionally, his research and professional experience examine how to increase access to international education by underrepresented students.

Catharine Scruggs

Catharine Scruggs is an international educator with expertise in developing and implementing educational programs and processes, managing operational capacities and program delivery through local partners for both international and U.S. students.

Let's Get Started

Contact us today to start the conversation and learn more about our innovative approaches for maintaining and flexing your classroom capacity.

Amy Blume

AFFILIATE

Amy Bartnick Blume was a Butler University Chemistry major when she studied abroad at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. She pivoted from this initial degree to her international higher education career by making the most of happenstance from study abroad. Over her years in education abroad, Amy worked in student advising, academic affairs, institutional engagement, and recruitment at the Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University (IFSA).

Amy received her Master’s in Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management at Indiana University and during that time worked at the Center for Urban Policy and the Environment. In her positions at IFSA, Amy engaged and connected with hundreds of students and institutions around the world to build partnerships, promote new education abroad models, and match curricular needs.

Traveling in the U.S. and to over 50 countries around the world, allows Amy the chance to constantly use and expand her intercultural learning. Amy has presented on appreciative advising, alumni engagement, and various topics in education abroad at NAFSA and Forum conferences. As an advocate for diversity and inclusion, Amy has supported efforts in the field by volunteering on committees and as a mentor for underrepresented students.

Kyle Rausch

AFFILIATE

Dr. Kyle Rausch is an experienced education abroad professional whose work has focused on the oversight of faculty-directed education abroad programs, including the development of program leader training and institutional risk management policies and protocols. Currently serving as the Executive Director of the Study Abroad Office at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Kyle’s experience includes helping institutions build capacity for education abroad, specifically for institutions that serve high numbers of underrepresented students. During his tenure with Arizona State University, Kyle led the faculty-directed programs team to scale programming responsibly, helping move the institution into the top 10 sending institutions as reported by the Institute of International Education. Kyle has also developed institutional risk management policies for international travel, managed the response to emergencies affecting institutional travelers abroad, and taught and led student groups on-site in Europe. Kyle earned a Doctor of Education from ASU with his research focusing on supporting first-generation college students in education abroad. He earned a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in French and International Affairs from Florida State University. Kyle currently serves on the Council for the Forum on Education Abroad and further volunteers by serving on advisory boards for various education abroad organizations.

Catharine Scruggs

Affiliate

Catharine Scruggs is an international educator with expertise in developing and implementing educational
programs and processes, managing operational capacities and program delivery through local partners for
both international and U.S. students. She has performed these roles at educational foundations, Kaplan
International, and CIEE where she managed 60 study centers and 300 staff serving 7000 students annually.
She earned a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s in International
Studies from American University.

Episode 29: Cultural Lens on U.S. Higher Education: Analyzing International Perceptions of 'Anti-Woke’ Discourse

Dive into a nuanced exploration of the global discourse surrounding higher education in the United States. Join us for a panel discussion with esteemed international educators as we embark on a journey through the lenses of culture and international perspective, examining how global audiences interpret and engage with the ‘anti-woke’ discourse within the context of U.S. higher education. This engaging panel discussion will delve into the intersections of culture, ideology, and education, and the complex landscape of how international audiences perceive the ‘anti-woke’ narrative that has emerged within U.S. academia.

Whether you’re a senior international officer, or simply curious about the diverse viewpoints shaping U.S. higher education, this podcast episode will provide an invaluable space for critical analysis and insightful conversations.

Speaker Biography:

Fanta Aw is a distinguished leader in international education, renowned for her extensive contributions to global learning, cross-cultural understanding, and educational equity. With a deep commitment to fostering connections between diverse cultures and promoting educational excellence, she has significantly impacted the international education community.

Fanta Aw’s career has been characterized by her dedication to advancing global education initiatives, promoting diversity and inclusion, and nurturing partnerships that transcend borders. She has held influential roles in various organizations, advocating for the importance of international collaboration and learning experiences that empower individuals to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.

As a thought leader and visionary, Fanta Aw’s insights and expertise have shaped discussions on the future of international education, emphasizing the significance of equitable access, cultural exchange, and lifelong learning. Her work has not only elevated institutions but has also inspired countless individuals to embrace the transformative power of global education.

Date: September 14th, 2023
Time: 12 noon ET

Sponsored by:

Mark Beirn

AFFILIATE

An experienced global researcher and administrator, Mark Beirn brings a critical approach to risk management, factoring structural racism and identity-based violence into his rubric for supporting equitable global mobility.

Specialization Areas:

– Global Risk Management
– Education Abroad
– Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in International Education
– Health and Safety
– Curriculum Development

 

Stephen Appiah-Padi​

AFFILIATE

Stephen Appiah-Padi is an international educator with several years of teaching and administrative experience in both 4 and 2-year HEIs. An experienced global education practitioner-scholar, with a demonstrated history of success in the field.

Dr. Appiah-Padi has a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada in Educational Policy & Administration with a specialization in International/Intercultural Education.

At Northwestern College, he provided oversight in the administration of education abroad and international student services. In Lansing, Michigan, he first oversaw diversity and intercultural education at Lansing Community College, and later created the Center for International and Intercultural Education (CIIE) which merged intercultural engagement and international education programs of the institution, and he became its first director. Additionally, Dr. Appiah-Padi taught a course, “Diversity in the American Workplace”, to undergraduate management students of the College. In his current position, he provides leadership and vision in advancing strategic internationalization initiatives, including international partnerships and study abroad programs at Bucknell University.

Dr Appiah-Padi has created and facilitated several workshops for faculty and staff development in higher education and in business organizations. He has presented at several national and international conferences. In NAFSA, among several volunteer leadership positions, he has served as Dean of the Fundamentals of Intercultural Communication Workshop, the Leadership Development Committee member, Chair of the Africa Special Interest Group, and a Fellow of the Global Fellowship Program for mentoring emerging leaders of internationalization in African HEIs. He currently serves as a member of the NAFSA Board of Directors.

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Rosa Almoguera

AFFILIATE

Dr. Rosa Almoguera has worked as an international educator for over twenty years. She was trained as a Hispanic Philologist at the Universidad Complutense, in Madrid, and did her M.A. at the University of Pennsylvania. Her Ph.D., from Universidad Complutense included a field study and edition of written balladry “Romancero”. During many years Rosa combined teaching and her role as a senior administrator at the Fundación Ortega-Marañón in Toledo, Spain. At the Foundation, Rosa directed and, in many cases created, programs for the University of Minnesota, Notre Dame, Princeton, Ohio State, Arcadia, and the University of Chicago. She has also been a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, University of Portland, and Interamericana de Puerto Rico.

Beginning in 2016, Rosa works as an international education consultant for both public and private European and US higher education institutions. Rosa has been successful in developing new partnerships and programs, as well as helping improve already existing ones.

Rosa is a member of Forum and NAFSA and has presented with higher education professionals on innovative academic and research programming, STEM in study abroad and Nationalism in Europe. Rosa is currently completing the final Professional Certification from the Forum on Education Abroad.