Ask an Alum: How to Pursue a Career in International Education
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CIEE alum Sarah Kate Hartt is a Study Abroad Program Manager at the University of Colorado Boulder. She manages programs in Latin America and Spain, supervises peer advisors, and works on access and inclusion initiatives. In addition to her semester abroad in Seville, Spain through the CIEE Advanced Liberal Arts program, Sarah Kate has also studied in Delhi, India and traveled in Europe, South America, the Dominican Republic, Nepal, and Australia. We spoke with her about how she came to pursue a career path in the field of international education:
CIEE: What led you to your decision to pursue study abroad as a career field?
Sarah Kate: I studied abroad with CIEE in Seville, Spain on the Advanced Liberal Arts program track. I took classes at the CIEE study center and at the Universidad de Sevilla. My primary goal was to develop Spanish fluency, and I’d say I got pretty close in just six months’ time.
When I returned from my semester in Spain, I applied to work as a student peer advisor in the CU-Boulder Study Abroad Office. I was interested in learning more about the field and saw the peer advisor role as a great way to gain exposure. I also saw it as an opportunity to stay connected to my experience abroad and work with like-minded colleagues and students.
I think especially now, when things seem ready to bubble over in every corner of the globe, it’s imperative that students travel, gain exposure to new ideas, new forms of diversity, new ways of life.
After working a year as a peer advisor, I chose to study abroad for another semester in India. That’s where I spent my last semester of college and it was the best decision I could have made. When I returned from India I was fortunate to land a temporary advisor position with CU Study Abroad, and when a full-time position opened up, I jumped at it. That was in 2012. I’ve since worked in a number of roles within the office. Currently, I manage a portfolio of programs in Latin America and Spain and supervise our team of peer advisors.
How did your CIEE program inform or influence your career path?
SK: My CIEE program opened my eyes to a new way of living in a new part of the world. I felt challenged every day, and it was refreshing. When I returned, I couldn’t stand the idea of students graduating without ever having had that opportunity.
I think especially now, when things seem ready to bubble over in every corner of the globe, it’s imperative that students travel, gain exposure to new ideas, new forms of diversity, new ways of life. Exposure cultivates understanding, and understanding creates a world we can all feel less cynical about.
What do you like most about your position as a study abroad program manager?
SK: I love a lot of things about my job. Each day is different and you never really know what to expect when the phone rings. Working on the university side of things, I appreciate how much contact I have with students. It keeps me feeling connected and serves as a constant source of ideas for how to improve access, communication, processes, or develop programming. 
What advice do you have for CIEE alumni interested in a career in international education?
SK: This is a dynamic, fast-growing field. There are lots of ways to get involved and lots of opportunities for growth.
If you’re a student and your campus study abroad office hires student employees, apply to be one of them. This can be a great way to get your foot in the door early.
Gain more international experience. Fulbright, Peace Corps or CIEE Teach Abroad are just a few opportunities of many. Explore resources available through NAFSA, the Forum on Education Abroad, or International Educator magazine to form opinions on some of the hot topics in the field. Network and ask questions. Be creative; look for opportunities with universities, study abroad organizations, government institutions.
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