Pamela Roy, Ph.D
With over 12 years of experience in international higher education and constituent relations, Dr. Pamela Roy is the founder and lead consultant of Consultancy for Global Higher Education, which offers personalized project management and strategic leadership to universities, non-profit philanthropic and non-governmental organizations. Dr. Roy has committed her scholarly background and creative leadership abilities to foster youth education and community-building at local, national and international levels.
To learn more about Dr. Roy, visit her website at http://www.pamelaroy.net/
When I found out I’d be going to the 6th Annual Diversity Abroad Conference, I was excited for many reasons, however, a primary one was the opportunity to connect with my Design and Assessment (D&A) learning partner mentor, Dr. Pamela Roy. Last semester, I along with two others, worked with Diversity Abroad to design a national climate survey to assess the experiences of underserved students who participated in study abroad programs at colleges and universities in Diversity Abroad’s network. Dr. Roy was an incredible learning partner mentor who upheld a steadfast commitment to my team’s learning throughout the D&A project. In addition to providing thought leadership and countless recommendations to improve the survey instrument and our other deliverables, Dr. Roy offered sage advice to us individually and as a team in support of our professional endeavors.
I met with Dr. Roy on the last day of the conference and was relieved when she invited me to her room to enjoy a gorgeous view of Miami in a space where I could “kick off my shoes and relax my feet” (shout out to my Xscape fans!). I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Roy for creating an environment that was both warm and welcoming during our interview. To learn about Dr. Roy’s experience as a leader in the movement to advance diversity and inclusion in global education, check out our interview below! (Interview responses have been paraphrased).
Could you describe your current role in Diversity Abroad?
When we collaborated last semester, I was serving as the Manager for Learning & Assessment to coordinate assessment, learning, and evaluation projects for Diversity Abroad. This included developing the curriculum for and leading the inaugural Global Institute for Inclusive Leadership, held in Cape Town South Africa,an 8-day interactive workshop designed for senior leadership in higher education interested in gaining skills to better support their global education and diversity-related work. I also launched the Diversity Abroad On-Demand Short Course Series, working collaboratively with 25+ instructors to create 30-minute e-learning courses to support and advance inclusive excellence in global education. I also spearheaded several initiatives such as the organization's first Annual Report, and Innovation Competition, and led the 2nd annual Minority Serving Institution Global Education Summit. Within my current role as a consultant, I am leading several projects: the organization's first Faculty Development Task Force, the 2nd annual Innovation Competition, 3rd annual Minority-Serving Institution Global Education Summit, and 2nd Global Institute for Inclusive Leadership held in Auckland, New Zealand. I also co-developed a series of six e-learning courses, ranging from 40 to 75 minutes respectfully, including co-developing the curriculum for two of the topics, one related to program director roles and the other on self-care/wellness abroad.
Given your 10+ years working in global education, in what areas of diversity and inclusion work in education abroad do you see having the greatest potential or opportunity for growth?
The biggest potential is in the realm of research and assessment. Much anecdotal research exists but international educators are not maximizing on assessment. We need new ways to assess student learning outcomes for diverse students. One possibility to do this is by offering more support to Minority-Serving Institutions. These colleges and universities play a huge role in their capacity to send diverse and underserved student populations abroad, and through partnerships with other institutions and organizations, we could help supplement the financial costs of sending students from MSIs abroad. We also need to think about the preparation of program leaders in terms of their curriculum, pedagogy, teaching, learning, research, and assessment.
What advice would you give to MIIS students looking to advance equity and inclusion in education abroad?
Start with self-reflection. Do identity work on yourself first to ensure you are coming from a place of respect and honor. Enter into a clear visioning exercise to understand the goals and motivations you have for advancing this work (it’s incredibly valuable to know your own narrative and values). Then, GO FOR IT! Conduct research that advances the conversation and suggest innovative ideas.
If you could think back to the last conference you attended, how would you describe some of the most memorable people you met? What characteristics made them memorable?
When you meet someone at a conference, come up with an intriguing question and then listen deeply to the respondent’s answer. Then offer your own reflections on their response. Think about what you can contribute that could provide value to the person’s answer . For example, you could ask, “Was there a point in your career path you felt there was a shift in what you wanted to do? What was that defining moment?” Respond with, “I appreciate that because I’m in a moment of shift…” and then explain. And remember, always show GRATITUDE!