Championing Education Abroad Amidst Uncertainty and Shifting Priorities​

Muncie, Indiana 
Friday, September 12, 2025
10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST

In an era of rapid global change, education abroad professionals must be equipped with tools and strategies to navigate disruption and foster student success abroad. Through interactive sessions and expert insights at this day-long seminar, participants will gain an understanding of how global events and shifting geopolitical priorities influence the education abroad experience.  

Hosted by Ball State University and The Forum on Education Abroad, the seminar in Indiana is designed for early and mid-career education abroad professionals in the region. 

Together, we will develop frameworks for navigating external environmental influences, while upholding global learning values and advocating for education abroad opportunities.  

By the end of the program, participants will be empowered to champion student-centered supportive practices that enhance learning and engagement across diverse international settings. 

Download the Flyer

Outcomes You can Expect

By attending, you can expect to walk away with the following outcomes: 

• Understand best practices in preparing students for successful global experiences at this moment in time. 
• Gain insights into how global events and shifting priorities impact the field of education abroad. 
• Learn to champion supportive practices that enhance student success in international contexts.

Agenda & Location

Agenda
The following agenda is tentative and subject to change. Session titles, descriptions, and speakers are coming soon! 
10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (1.5 hour lunch)
10:00 a.m. | Welcome​ 
10:15 a.m. | Session I 
11:00 a.m. | Break​ 
11:15 a.m. | Session II​ 
12:05 p.m. | Break 
12:10 p.m. | Session III 
1:00 p.m.   | Lunch​ (included with registration) 
2:30 p.m.   | Session IV 
3:20 p.m.   | Break 
3:25 p.m.   | Session V 
4:15 p.m.   | Closing 

Location
 
Room SC 102, Yuhas Room 
2001 W University Ave 
Muncie, IN 47306 USA 

Nearby Hotels
| L.A Pittenger Student Center | Muncie 
| 4220 W. Bethel Ave. | Muncie, IN 47304 

For more information about visiting Ball State University, visit the . ​

Registration Rates

Your registration includes lunch and a coffee break.
Not sure if your institution is a Forum member?

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Registration Period	Valid Dates	Pricing
Early Bird Registration	June 18 – July 18	Member: $289 Non-Member: $339
Regular Registration	July 19 – September 9	Member: $389 Non-Member: $439

Registration for this event closes on September 9, 2025.

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Planning Committee

Mandy Brookins 
Executive Director Rinker Center for Global Affairs 
Ball State University 

Mandy's Bio

​Since 2000, she has served in numerous capacities as an international educator at institutions such as Michigan State University, Earlham College and DePauw University.

A lifelong learner, Mandy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Asian and International Studies from Kalamazoo College, a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Michigan State University, and a Master of Public Affairs and International Development from the Paul O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Bloomington.
​
Mandy is a passionate global education advocate and is committed to ensuring equitable access to cross-cultural learning for personal and professional growth. She combines her love of languages and travel with her enthusiasm for cross-cultural exchange and higher education.

Heather Schieman 
Associate Director of Education Abroad & Away 
University of Dayton 

Heather's Bio

​Heather currently serves as the Associate Director of Education Abroad & Away at the University of Dayton (UD). She started her professional career in 2012 after the completion of her Master's degree in College Student Personnel and four years of intermittent on-site international work. During her time at UD, she has spearheaded the development of both a robust professional and student-led advising structure. She has always blended her background in student development theory with her passion for international education, and has been adamant about keeping holistic student and professional development at the core of her work. Aside from helping develop UD’s approach to advising, she focuses her time and research on the development of relationships between universities. Recently, shifting to be the lead manager for the university’s portfolio of exchange partnerships, allowing her to dive into better practices for curriculum integration, program assessment, and student support for long-term programming.

Pato Lin-Steadman 
Director for Programs and Training 
​The Forum on Education Abroad 

Pato's Bio

Dr. Patricia (Pato) Lin-Steadman serves as Director of Programs and Training, a role that allows her to combine her background and passion for education abroad with her other diverse professional experiences (teaching, professional development, trainings, and liaising with higher education professionals) to help promote and further develop The Forum’s mission.
 
Born and raised in Argentina to Taiwanese parents, and then immigrating to the U.S. for college, Pato’s entire life has been an experience in living, studying, and working in diverse cultures. Her college experiences instilled in her a passion for helping students thrive while studying in foreign countries. In addition to being an international student herself, she also participated in other study abroad opportunities, including studying briefly in England, Jamaica, and Taiwan.
 
Pato has worked in international education across three different institutions and taught university courses in cultural adjustment and ESL. She completed her Master’s in International Studies, and her doctoral dissertation focused on evaluating changes in several factors of intercultural attitudes and awareness among students who studied abroad, providing valuable insights into factors which promote optimal outcomes for student experiences before, during, and after their foreign study.
 
In her professional work, Pato’s portfolio has included developing focused trainings for higher education staff who work with foreign students, facilitating study abroad opportunities for students, boosting overall campus internationalization, and directing intercultural exchange programs.  
 
Most recently, Pato worked at Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) as the Associate Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Through this role, she built valuable relationships with higher education leaders across the country, and she led a diverse portfolio of educational programs and initiatives.
 
Pato holds a B.S. in Elementary Education, an M.A. in International Studies, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. She speaks fluent English, Spanish, and Chinese.

She is also a Certified Professional in Education Abroad.

Kyle B. Sturges 
Associate Director, Global Education 
The Ohio State University 

Kyle's Bio

​Kyle Sturges joined The Ohio State University as Associate Director of Global Education in 2020. 

Prior to joining Ohio State, Kyle previously held positions at two other Big 10 universities (University of Maryland-College Park and Indiana University) and a small, private institution (University of Notre Dame). Throughout his career, he has developed a focus and dedication to access to international and higher education opportunities for all students through strategic program development and management, recruiting, and advising - primarily in the area of study abroad programming.

As an undergraduate, Kyle spent an academic year in Madrid, Spain, and as a graduate student he served as an instructor and administrator on a summer study abroad program for Indiana high school students in Valencia, Spain. In addition to his own study abroad program and personal wanderlust, Kyle has professional experiences across the globe, including site visits and program development and leadership activities in Australia, China, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, and Tanzania and international recruitment activities in Brazil and other parts of South America, South Korea, and Japan. Kyle is also a proud recipient of a Fulbright International Education Administrator Award to Japan.

Alicia Miller
Director of Global Initiatives & Operations 
Ball State University 

Alicia's Bio

​Alicia Joy Miller, Ph.D. is the Director of Global Initiatives & Operations at Ball State University. In this role, Alicia works to promote internationalization efforts across campus, supporting programs and initiatives that foster global engagement. Alicia holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Ball State University, a Master of Arts in TESOL from Ball State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction from Mercer University.

Annika Vinje 
Study Abroad Advisor 
Ball State University 

Annika's Bio

Annika Vinje has served as the Study Abroad Advisor at Ball State University since February 2024. She combines academic foundations with practical expertise to support students on their global journeys. As an undergraduate at Butler University, Annika studied abroad for a semester in Amsterdam, an experience that inspired her to return to the Netherlands to pursue a Master of Science in Communication Science from the University of Amsterdam. These experiences sparked her passion for helping students step outside their comfort zones and into the world. Her goal is to help students cultivate their global mindset- making sure they have the ability to adapt, communicate, and problem solve- skills that will help students not only on campus but for the rest of their lives.