Pitch Competition Returns for Annual Conference 2026

InnovateEA is back!

Have an idea that could reshape education abroad? InnovateEA: Igniting Change in Education Abroad is an initiative launched by The Forum on Education Abroad that invites international educators to dream big. Pitch a bold solution to one of the field’s biggest challenges—whether it’s access and inclusion, sustainability, funding, or staffing. We’re looking for fresh, forward-thinking ideas that might seem radical today but could redefine tomorrow’s best practices.

Maybe it’s a new funding model, a policy to advance access, or an innovative approach to orientation. Whatever it is, this is your chance to gain recognition and spark real change.

Are you in?

Goals

• To support The Forum’s mission to “cultivate educators who champion high-quality education abroad experiences that ignite curiosity, impact lives, and contribute to a better world". 
• To encourage innovation as a means to overcome challenges and improve practice. 
• To bring a dynamic dimension to the annual conference that energizes and inspires attendees.
• To elevate new voices and celebrate emerging leaders. 

Eligibility

• The individual submitting and delivering the pitch must be employed by a Forum member organization. The competition is open to individuals and teams of up to three from Forum member institutions and organizations. Multiple submissions from a single institution/organization are welcome. Finalist pitches will be presented by a single team member at the Annual Conference in Nashville.
• Innovations should be focused in scope and targeted to address a specific challenge facing the field of education abroad, such as access, representation, sustainability, ethics, or peace. 
• Pitches for new education abroad programs are not eligible; we’re looking for innovative practices or resources.  
• Proven solutions that have already been fully implemented are not eligible. 
• Forum staff members, Board members, and InnovateEA selection committee members are not eligible for the competition. However, individuals from sponsoring institutions and organizations are eligible to compete.​

selection criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Innovation. An original, creative, and bold approach. 
• Impact. Clear outcomes and potential to make a significant, enduring impact on practice in the field of education abroad. 
• Achievability. A solution which is bold, ambitious, yet achievable within the next 1-2 years. 
• Exemplification. An example of the Standards of Good Practice in action that may be replicated by others to benefit the field of education abroad. 
• Dynamic Delivery. Your video pitch should demonstrate that you are an engaging speaker and your presentation style communicates your passion, experience, and creativity. 

The selection process will prioritize: 

• Representation of a range of institution types, including 2-years, HBCUs, MSIs, and geographic diversity 
• Representation of underrepresented voices at The Forum’s Annual Conference and in the field of education abroad. This includes:
  • International host institutions  
  • Community Colleges, technical and vocational education and training (TVET)   
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)   
  • Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs)   
  • Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) 
  • Education Abroad Organizations

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Key Dates

• ​December, 2025 - March, 2026: Mentoring of finalists to prepare for pitch presentations
• February 2, 2026: Draft script and slide decks due
• February 23, 2026: Final slides due
• March 13, 2026: Present during the Closing Celebration of Annual Conference 2026

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Announcing the 2026 InnovateEA Finalists​

The Forum on Education Abroad is pleased to introduce you to our five finalists for 2026! Each finalist will present their pitches at the Annual Conference on Friday, March 13, during the Closing Celebration Luncheon in Nashville, Tennessee. ​

AI Context Playbook: The AI Built for International Education

Kodi Henderson, Education Product Lead, Hanover CRM
Rob Burchell, Managing Director, Hanover CRM

Generic AI forgets the language of study abroad. The AI Context Playbook (AICP) changes that, turning your institution’s unique knowledge into secure, domain-smart AI tools. By embedding your terminology, workflows, and compliance rules directly into AI systems, AICP powers accurate chatbots, compliance validators, and placement matchers. The result: staff spend less time repeating instructions and more time solving meaningful challenges, without sacrificing privacy, program nuance, or equity of access.

Creating Global Belonging: The Pride Network for Education Abroad

Carolina Castro Huercano, Chair and Assistant Professor of the Global Master of International Education, School of International Training

The Pride Network for Education Abroad empowers international educators to better support LGBTQIA+ students worldwide through free online training and a vibrant global community. Professionals earn badges and ally stickers to signal safety and inclusion, while students connect through a parallel LGBTQIA+ network for peer support and feedback. Together, these networks create visibility, accountability, and belonging across borders—ensuring LGBTQIA+ students can thrive, no matter where in the world their education takes them.

Wheelchair Riders Change the World!

Ashley Holben, Project Specialist, Mobility International USA
Susan Sygall, CEO/Co-Founder, Mobility International USA

"Wheelchair Riders Change the World!" is a bold new initiative to increase the number of wheelchair riders participating in international education and to enhance the experiences they have abroad. Wheelchair Riders Change the World! provides scholarships to self-identified wheelchair riders to have an international education experience consisting of both in-person and online components. Each of these scholars will take on leadership roles to champion topics such as disability justice, climate justice, peace-building, and inclusive development. Participants return home as passionate ambassadors for international education and recruit peers to create a multiplier effect.

Connecting Community College Students to the World: A Virtual Fair Model

Shawn G. Wall, Founder & Executive Director, World at Hand

Community college students make up nearly 40% of U.S. undergraduates yet represent less than 10% of study abroad participants. To address this gap, World at Hand has partnered with the Fund for Education Abroad to launch the Colorado Virtual Study Abroad Fair, the first statewide online fair dedicated to community college students. The fair connects students with providers and four-year institutions to expand awareness, create new scholarships, and build transfer pathways. By offering direct access to programs, scholarships, and sessions focused on finances and transfer credits, this model can reach thousands of underserved students and serve as a blueprint for other states to emulate.

Neurodiversity and Disability Abroad: A Website for Inclusive Study Abroad

Mary Alice Haas, University Relations Director, CIS Abroad
Cherie Fishbaugh, Executive Director of Specialized Learning, West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Emily Rooney, Director of Academic Programs and Services, CEA CAPA

A comprehensive website making study abroad inclusive for neurodivergent students and students with disabilities. It features a vetted program directory, interactive questionnaires that generate advocacy emails, downloadable toolkits, ambassadors from these populations, and curated scholarships. Additional pages connect students and advisors to external organizations like MIUSA and to professionals already doing this work, highlighting their expertise. By combining resources, programs, and community connections, the platform empowers students, supports advisors, and motivates providers to improve accessibility.

Finalist Presentations ​

• Five finalists will be selected to give a 5-minute TED-style talk Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Closing Celebration of The Forum’s Annual Conference in Nashville. 
• The audience will vote for the most innovative idea and will select the winner in real time.  
• Finalists are required to:
  • Attend the Annual Conference in person in Nashville to present at the Closing Celebration on March 13, 2026, for an audience of 1,000+ attendees.  
  • Participate in virtual mentoring sessions prior to the conference. 
  • Submit final script and slide deck for a TED-Talk style presentation by February 23, 2026. 
  • Participate in virtual run-through with their mentor and Forum staff. 
  • Participate in a dress rehearsal during Annual Conference 2026 in Nashville.​

Voting ​

In person participants of The Forum’s Annual Conference will vote to select the winner at the Closing Celebration on Friday, March 13, 2026. ​

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Get to Know the 2026 InnovateEA Mentors

Sara Dart

Sara's Bio

Sara Dart is Senior Vice President for Education in Ireland where she supports Irish higher education institutions in partnership, outreach, and recruitment efforts. She sits on the Access Partner Advisory Board for the Fund for Education Abroad and authored the chapter on student advising in the most recent edition of NAFSA’s Guide to Education Abroad. She has served on multiple working groups with the Forum on Education Abroad, as Co-Chair of the New England Lessons From Abroad Conference and Communications Representative for NAFSA Region XI. She has presented extensively on topics including personal branding, imposter syndrome, and burnout in international education. Sara holds a BA in History and an MA in Higher Education Administration, both from Boston College.

Maggie Mahoney

Maggie's Bio

Dr. Maggie Mahoney is the director of global engagement at the University of Houston Institute for Global Engagement. She has over 15 years of experience in higher education. At UH, Dr. Mahoney leads efforts for strategic internationalization, including global program development, education abroad, student global competence development, risk management, and global partnerships. Maggie is a Fulbright Scholar, having completed the International Education Administrator’s seminar in India. She earned an Ed.D. in ethical leadership from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, an M.Ed. in higher education administration from The University of Texas at Austin, and a B.A. in French from the Centenary College of Louisiana.

Meg Ramey

Meg's Bio

Meg Ramey, Ph.D., is Founder and Executive Director of WorldKind, an award-winning learning experience design firm. Since its inception in 2020, WorldKind has provided instructional design services to 20+ international education organizations and trained 13,000+ students before studying abroad.

As a higher education professional with 20+ yrs. experience across 5 continents on both university and provider sides, Dr. Ramey understands the pressures institutions face to prepare students for safe and ethical travel. That’s why in 2023, she led the launch of the WorldKind Academy, a cloud-based, interactive training platform, to reduce administrative burden while ensuring comprehensive student preparation. The platform’s flagship “Traveler Trainer PROgram” now delivers expert Travel Health & Safety Training in an interactive, scenario-based format designed to boost Gen Z engagement and retention to 10,000+ students annually.

Under her leadership, WorldKind won the Forum’s inaugural InnovateEA prize (2025), placed second in DAGlobal's Innovation competition (2024), and has been a finalist for GoAbroad’s Innovation awards in “Sustainability” (2024), “Diversity” (2025), and “Technology” (2023, 2024, 2025). Additionally, Dr. Ramey is a frequent speaker at international education conferences, such as the Forum, NAFSA, Global Inclusion, and WISE, and has served on the boards of YESLiberia, Harrisburg Keystone Rotary, Hanover CRM, and PACIE (Pennsylvania Council on International Education).

Uttiyo Raychaudhuri ​

Uttiyo's Bio

Dr. Uttiyo Raychaudhuri is the Vice Provost for Internationalization at the University of Denver, leading the university’s global strategy to foster inclusive and transformative international education. With over two decades of leadership in higher education, he has advanced innovative global partnerships, mobility programs, and international enrollment initiatives. Dr. Raychaudhuri’s vision centers on creating equitable, interdisciplinary, and globally engaged learning experiences that empower students to lead with purpose and impact in an interconnected world.

Angie Schaffer 

Angie's Bio

Angela (Angie) Schaffer is the Executive Director of the Fund for Education Abroad, a nonprofit providing study abroad scholarships and support to students with financial need. A first-generation college student from Baltimore, Maryland, Angie earned a B.A. in International Relations from Goucher College, where she served as Director of Sponsored Research and Corporate & Foundation Relations and Assistant Director of International Studies. Angie has also served as Senior Director of Program Development at Cultural Vistas and as ARO and Program Officer with a J-1 Teacher Visitor sponsor. She started her career in Education Abroad at the University of Maryland and holds a Master of Arts degree in International Education Policy. She has written about the value of experiential learning and exchange and has led education abroad programs and workshops in Japan, India, and South Africa. In Summer 2019, Angie co-led a Fulbright-Hays Group Project Abroad for Baltimore-area educators to Rwanda and Mauritius.

A graduate of the Moms as Entrepreneurs Academy, Angie is also the founder of A2Z Ventures LLC, supporting nonprofits by providing a variety of services, including grant writing, strategic planning, development and fundraising, intercultural & educational training, and program and project management. Angie is a member of the Forum for Education Abroad Council and sits on the Advisory Board of the Global Respectful Disruption Initiative.

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Past InnovateEA Pitch Competition Winner

Congratulations to the 2025 and inaugural winner of InnovateEA: WorldKind Founder and Executive Director Dr. Meg Ramey and her innovative idea, "Belonging and Wellbeing"! Read the recap of the Annual Conference 2025 Closing Celebration and the excitement of our first-ever InnovateEA pitch competition.

Belonging and Wellbeing

Meg Ramey, WorldKind

When students aren’t prepared to handle health & safety risks abroad, their ability to learn is affected while institutional costs & liabilities also increase. According to The Forum’s own 2023 “Student Risk Report,” mental health was the number one incident leading to students leaving their study abroad, accounting for 66% of early program withdrawals. In a survey conducted by AFS, Gen Z students listed “safety and security” as the number one concern about studying abroad. On top of these challenges, recent state “anti-DEI” laws have complicated further the type of pre-departure information that state universities can give to support diverse travelers.

We’re proposing a new interactive and scenario-based "Belonging and Wellbeing" training program that focuses on the intersection of cultural adaptation, identity, and mental health. By using gamified instructional design methods, which have proven effective with Gen Z students in our previous training, we aim to create an engaging and supportive learning program that also incorporates returning students through our Student Ambassador program, which has shown promising results in previous trials.

Dr. Meg Ramey, WorldKind Founder and Executive Director, pitching her InnovateEA idea at Annual Conference 2025 in Toronto.

See all of last year's finalists