International educators unite, march for women

Representatives from study search platform GoAbroad.com will embark on a cross-country journey across the United States to join the Women’s March on Washington, as part of the company’s International Educators United for Women campaign (#intledunited).

Six people will make the 1,669 mile trip starting at GoAbroad.com’s base in Fort Collins, Colorado hosting events with international educators in four cities along the way, and finishing in the nation’s capital for the march on January 21.

“The main message of the Women’s March on Washington – that women’s rights are human rights – resonated deeply with many people on our team,” said Nikki Powers, vice-president of communications at GoAbroad.com.

“We realised how much these values aligned with our company mission and the broader mission of international education, which led to our official campaign name: International Educators United for Women,” Powers told The PIE News.

The events in the lead up to the march will take place in Denver, co-hosted by the Global Leadership League, in Chicago with International TEFL Academy, in Pittsburgh alongside Athena Abroad and finally in Annapolis, Maryland co-hosted with Global Experiences.

The events will provide a platform to brainstorm ways to support women’s leadership in international education, according to Powers.

“Our goal is to discuss and start to mobilise field-wide efforts that support equality,” she said.

Global Experiences will also use the Annapolis event to launch two scholarships, each worth $2,500, for female students participating in an internship overseas.

“Placements with international or local organisations focused on global issues, women-owned businesses and related experiences that can further global competencies will be the focus for these scholarship winners,” said Emily Merson, co-founder and CEO of Global Experiences.

Joining the campaign was a “natural fit” for Global Experiences, Merson said.

“As an entrepreneur in international education and a woman CEO I feel we all have a responsibility to help develop talent and leadership for our industry and the world,” she told The PIE News.

“There has not been a strong tradition of female mentorship in any sector of professional life, and I think that needs to change if we want to see so many talented women in the field reach their full potential.”