Looking Back on 10 Years of EdOdyssey: 5 Lessons From the Field to Empower Faculty Leaders

As we reflect on the insights we’ve gained from a decade of building human-centered, impactful travel experiences across the globe for EdOdyssey students, a few important lessons come to mind that we hope will empower you—our faculty leaders—before setting out on your next adventure. 

There are many complexities within the world of student travel, but with our constant support and these lessons in mind, you’ll navigate them with confidence:  

1. STRUCTURE MATTERS, BUT SO DO THE SPACES IN BETWEEN.

As a team, we’re proud of the programs we create. We invest a lot of time, energy, and experience collaborating with our partners to build each intentional, thoughtful itinerary that both aligns with learning objectives and leans into community and a strong sense of place. This is the backbone of a successful program. However, we know that some of the most profound learning happens in the in-between moments that can’t be planned—when students can embrace spontaneity, approach each experience with curiosity, and lean in with an open mind. Sparks of personal and professional growth might ignite during an unexpected conversation at a small cafe, when a student has the chance for a quick informal chat with a local museum employee after they guide our visit, or in quiet moments of eye-opening wonder on a group hike. While our itinerary builds purposeful opportunities, it’s important that students also have downtime to explore on their own—to build their confidence by navigating a market, to strike up a conversation in a language they are learning, and to spend time on their own to let it all sink in. 

2. LEADING A PROGRAM IS AS MUCH ABOUT PEOPLE AS IT IS ABOUT PLACE.

Faculty leaders aren’t just there to take students from one location to the next. While gaining a strong sense of a place is crucial for a successful trip, students rely on their leaders for much more. You also guide them as a mentor, cultural interpreter, and facilitator of personal and academic growth. The best faculty leaders take time to understand the dynamics of a group, carve out space for open communication, and create a culture of support and respect. This starts at home with pre-departure meetings, setting expectations, and helping students feel prepared—and we help with this too! Your valuable contribution continues on the trip while stepping in to help students unpack confusing or surprising experiences, to bridge gaps in knowledge so they can better understand the culture they are engaging with, and encourage them as they step into and navigate the unfamiliar—which is often where the magic happens.

3. REAL CULTURAL COMPETENCY COMES FROM ACTIVE PARTICIPATION.

It’s not just exposure to another culture that leads to cultural competency—essentially, to knowledge, empathy, understanding, and a recognition of our own biases that block us from engaging openly and collaboratively with people from other cultures. Importantly, it’s actively engaging with people from different backgrounds and lifestyles that will build the skills and cultural awareness that are so desired by employers hiring our graduates in today's globalized world. When we create study away programs—both domestic and international—we always incorporate opportunities for students to interact firsthand with members of the local community. This level of depth, immersion, and authenticity is among our core values because it allows students to move from passive observation of life in their new location to a place where they are having meaningful discussions and a richer experience that will help them become more culturally competent than they were pre-travel. 

4. ADAPTABILITY IS THE SUPERPOWER OF A GREAT PROGRAM LEADER.

Anyone who has traveled before appreciates that even the most meticulous trip planning will require adjustments here and there. Simply, life is unpredictable, and during travel, it can be even more so. Trains can be delayed for leaves on the tracks, unexpected closures happen, people get sick, and so much more. Quick thinking and pivots are often necessary. And the more positive twists are often true too. You might stumble on a jazz band practicing on a street corner, or meet a local who invites you to tour their family-run olive mill, or a pop-up experience that looks enticing catches your eye. For these reasons, adaptability is also important, so that students can embrace these opportunities. Of course, while adaptability will take you far, this is not all on your shoulders; we also support our faculty leaders with an EdOdyssey Program Leader who is always there with on-the-ground expertise, confidence, and resources to ensure the program’s goals and essence are kept intact while re-adjusting as necessary.

5. FOR LASTING IMPACT, TIME FOR REFLECTION IS KEY.

Study away programs tend to fly by so fast in the flurry of excitement and new experiences that it’s easy to forget to stop for a minute and breathe while it all sinks in. But processing those daily activities, the sensory details, moments, thoughts, questions, and observations is just as important as having them in the first place. Take time to support your students in their reflection by offering journal prompts, group discussions, or personal projects that take their travel adventures to the next level—to give these novel experiences the power to really shape students’ lives in a meaningful way and to allow them to connect what they are seeing and learning to broader themes like their career aspirations, key global issues, or their identity and values. Reflection will transform little moments into insights and these insights will give them the power and clarity to think a little differently than they did before they left home—which can ultimately have a real impact on their own lives and those around them. 

LOOKING AHEAD

As we head into our second decade as EdOdyssey, we truly value our faculty leaders—your vision, your guidance, and your collaboration. We remain committed to working alongside partners who inspire and challenge their students to think globally, engage with the wider world, and embrace different perspectives and ways of living. Guiding students through such a transformative time takes flexibility, confidence, and the ability to encourage. Whether you’re leading a program with us for the first time, or have been traveling with students for years, we’re here to ensure you have the support, resources, and local expertise to make each trip you take a truly impactful one.