Via Holds Events to Recognize the Importance of International Education
Scott Regenthal, Technical Support Engineer, hiking Il Sentiero degli Dei in southern Italy.
Like our Education Abroad colleagues across the globe, Via TRM is observing International Education Week (IEW), an initiative by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education.
According to the IEW website, the Department of State recognizes that international education is integral to building and sustaining a more democratic, secure, and prosperous world. That resonates with us at Via because we wholeheartedly believe that global experiences will change our world. In fact, we’re having great fun this week learning how international experiences have impacted the lives of our Via family.
Here’s how Via celebrates International Education Week 2021:
Monday, Nov. 15: Monday Mashup
We asked our Via team members, “Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled internationally and why is it your favorite?”
Mara Ohorodnik, Marketing Manager, at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand.
We learned so much from one another! Here are just two examples:
Lisa Stern, Via’s CFO, lived in Paris twice—once during a semester in college and again for a year with her husband and three children. “We learned resilience and that we can do hard things,” Lisa says. Highlights included staying at an ice hotel, truffle hunting in Italy, seeing a show in London, and visiting Anne Frank’s house in Amsterdam.
Scott Regenthal, Via’s Technical Support Engineer, spent three years in Ecuador during the Peace Corps. He lived and worked in a small coastal village where he learned patience, perseverance, humility, empathy, and gratitude.“It was eye-opening to be immersed into the lives of others who presumably are less fortunate, but who, in reality, have equally enriching lives with qualities that are, in some ways, enviable.” We also shared images of our favorite time abroad in Slack. And at the end of the week, look for a blog about our team’s international travel experiences!
Tuesday, Nov. 16: Sant’Anna Institute Webinar
We love learning from our colleagues so we attended the Sant’Anna Institute International Internship Program’s LEaDing Students to Success Webinar. We learned how the program teaches students strategies to confront challenges and to be empowered by adversity. We heard from guest speakers Katie Nageotte, gold medalist for the women’s pole vault in the Summer 2020 Olympics, and Caroline Caporossi, a Sant’Anna alum who is the founder and president of the Association for the Integration of Women in Modena. The two shared how they navigate challenges in professional and intercultural settings. Thanks for the webinar, Sant’Anna Institute!
Bridgett Coyle, Software Engineer, Front End, enjoying taco de birria (Tijuana style) with side of garlic fried rice.
Wednesday, Nov. 17: Via Team Lunch
We may live all over the country, but at lunchtime the Via team came together to eat.
Each of us ordered international cuisine—some ate before our virtual lunchtime, some snacked, and others had their order delivered during our time together. We each shared what we ordered—and why. A yummy time was had by all—and we have the photos to prove it!
Friday, Nov. 18: Good Vibes
At Via, we’re all about good vibes. We even call our newsletter Via Vibes—and during our Friday meetings, we each share a “good vibe” we got from a team member during the week. It might be as simple as, “When you told that joke in Slack, it really lifted my mood.” Good Vibes Friday seemed like a great way to wrap up IEW. We spent more time listening to our team members share those incredible living abroad stories, which you can read in this blog.
Chelsea Balderson, UX/UI Designer, eating pho, a traditional Vietnamese soup dish.
Let’s Connect
Via TRM believes global experiences will change our world. That’s why we created traveler relationship management and travel risk management software, which helps universities and organizations empower global experiences. Reach out if you want to learn how Via can help lighten your workday.
Happy International Education Week 2021!
