Anyone who has worked with ISEP knows that it is a truly complex organization, built and dependent upon the interweaving of many people and procedures.  Perhaps no one experiences this complexity as tangibly as new Coordinators, and thus, it has historically been an ISEP objective that through the New Coordinator Pre-conference Workshop, newcomers might have the opportunity to see some of these intricacies broken down, illuminated, and made less overwhelming. During this intensive training workshop, the staff from ISEP Central introduced themselves with a fun game, and then devoted the next 5 ½ hours to reviewing elements of the placement process, presenting resources available to Coordinators (such as the new Web site, transcripts materials, etc.), and answering various questions about ISEP policies and procedures.

Guest presenters Roberto de Gea Canovas from Universidad de Murcia, Spain, and Larry Laffrey and Sara Friar from Edgewood College, Wisconsin, provided varied perspectives from experienced coordinators: Roberto presented his strategies for successful recruitment of study abroad candidates, while Larry and Sara led a discussion about practical techniques for incoming student orientation. 

During the afternoon portion of the workshop, ISEP Central staff guided participants through an interactive “Mock Placement.” During this role-play, groups of  Coordinators read sample applications, presented students to each other in a “placement meeting,” and collectively decided on the appropriate placements for each applicant, taking into consideration the students’ qualifications and needs, host institution requirements, and space availability issues. In this way, they were effectively able to step into the shoes of Program Officers and experience how ISEP manages applications and places students.

By the end of this long day, presenters and participants alike were feeling weary from the influx of information, but it had nonetheless been a valuable learning opportunity for all.