Annual Delaware Valley Study Abroad Re-Entry Conference "Bringing the World Home"

The annual Delaware Valley Study Abroad Re-Entry Conference aims to provide college and university students who have recently returned from a study abroad experience with a variety of information. Developed by a committee of study abroad professionals, the conference will offer sessions on topics including career paths of study abroad participants, volunteer and non-profit opportunities abroad, the fellowship experience, and internationalizing your résumé and interviews. This event is open to any student from a college or university in Philadelphia or Delaware Valley who has studied abroad, in any foreign country, for any length of time.

Guest Speaker: Zabeth Teelucksingh, Executive Director, Global Philadelphia

Registration will shortly begin for the 2014 Conference. Due to space constraints, on-site registration will not be possible. The registration fee for the event is $10 if you pay in advance, $15 at the door the day of the event, and is due with the registration form. It includes lunch, registration, sessions and workshops, and conference materials. Some schools will pay their students' registration fees on their behalf; check with your study abroad office to see if your school is one of them.

Click here to register - The registration deadline is January 31, 2014. Please note that registration is limited to 110 participants.

What to Bring:

You will want to bring a copy of your résumé, a notebook, pen, questions for panelists, stories of your experiences abroad, and a willingness to learn!
What to Wear:

This is a casual event.
Schedule of Events

Eating. Sharing. Learning.

Over lunch, we will engage in activities and discussions geared toward reflection about your time abroad--sharing stories, learning from your peers, discussing strategies for adjusting back to living in the U.S., and exploring how your overseas experiences equip you with a valuable and unique perspective on the world.
Opportunities that Await You

After lunch we will focus on opportunities for you to build upon your study abroad experiences after you graduate. We will offer breakout sessions to provide more in-depth information on the following topics:
International Volunteering: This breakout session aims to demonstrate to returned study abroad students a number of ways in which you can engage in volunteer work with organizations abroad or non-profits based here in the US. The panelists are prepared to discuss their experiences volunteering abroad and the work that they each do locally with non-profits that support international efforts. As volunteer and non-profit work can be quite varied, so will the experiences shared on this panel; therefore, you are encouraged to ask questions of our knowledgeable panel.
Diving into Fellowships: This panel discussion is designed to educate students about fellowship opportunities that may be available to them as study abroad alumni. Each panelist has great experience offering advice and guidance for students who are interested in pursuing international fellowship opportunities. The moderator will begin the discussion with some questions for the panelists. There will be time at the end of the panel for questions from the audience.
Marketing your Study Abroad Experience: This session will help students to explore the possibility of attending graduate school abroad and what that experience actually entails. The panelists will discuss various aspects of this endeavor including differences in approach between US and European schools; the difference between undergraduate study abroad and studying full-time as an international student; what graduate schools abroad are looking for in international applicants and how to better prepare for your application. This is a great session for students who are thinking about returning overseas for graduate school.
Graduate School Opportunities Abroad:This session will help students to explore the possibility of attending graduate school abroad and what that experience actually entails. The panelists will discuss various aspects of this endeavor including differences in approach between US and European schools; the difference between undergraduate study abroad and studying full-time as an international student; what graduate schools abroad are looking for in international applicants and how to better prepare for your application. This is a great session for students who are thinking about returning overseas for graduate school.
Digging Deeper: This session is a chance to begin the long, hard work of integrating your foreign experience into your Re-Americanized life. We will explore some of the opportunities that face you now as you consider how your perspective has changed. What do you want to keep or throw away? How has this experience shaped you?
Conference participants will choose two sessions to attend. Additionally, the following session will be offered to all attendees:

Working Globally in the US: This panel will showcase people with work that has an international component, but is based in the United States. It is designed to help students to explore career paths that will provide avenues for their international interests. The moderator will ask some prepared questions and there will also be time for questions from the audience.
Photo Contest

Students attending the conference are encouraged to submit one photo from their time abroad for the Conference's Photo Contest. Finalists for the contest will be displayed at the conference and voted upon by attendees. The winner will be announced at the end of the conference. Students interested in submitting a photo, should do so when registering for the conference.