Engaging International Alumni as Strategic Partners

Every international educator knows the value international students bring to campus, but few have tapped their institution's international alumni to their full potential. In this book, experts on international alumni relations describe how higher education institutions can develop international alumni networks-and keep alumni connected to their alma mater by nurturing two-way relationships.

Chapters and case studies from institutions and organizations around the world cover how international alumni can contribute to international student recruitment, philanthropic efforts, professional development, and community engagement initiatives.

Sandra Rincón, MSc, is founder and president of NL alumni network-Netherlands, senior consultant to EU ALUMNI, cofounder of Here2Start and Here2Work, and a PhD candidate at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. Her area of study is international alumni relations and international higher education. With 30 years of experience in international education and intercultural communication, Rincón advises, trains, and coaches professionals on international engagement. She volunteers with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the European Association for International Education (EAIE), ICARe Alumni, and NAFSA: Association of International Educators and hosts Brite Ideas, a podcast for advancement professionals. Rincón is an alum of the University of California-Davis, University of California-Irvine, and California State University-Fullerton. She has lived, studied, and worked in Colombia, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States.

Gretchen Dobson, EdD, is a global engagement specialist, author, and academic with more than 25 years of experience. She advises institutions, companies, organizations, and governments on creating sustainable strategies and solutions to best manage relationships with their global stakeholders and brand ambassadors. Dobson is the author of Being Global: Making the Case for International Alumni Relations (CASE Books, 2011) and the International Travel Handbook (Academic Impressions, 2014) and editor of Staying Global: How International Alumni Relations Advances the Agenda (EAIE, 2015). Dobson received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Boston College and a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. She holds faculty appointments with University at Albany in New York and Endicott College in Massachusetts. She is based in New South Wales, Australia.