Perspectives and Experience in International Education: Insights from a Veteran Educator

Sora H. Friedman, Ph.D., is a Professor of International and Global Education at SIT Graduate Institute. Her major research and practice interests include supporting rising professionals and women’s leadership in International Education. She has worked in the field of International Education (IE) for 40 years, focusing on exchange program administration, public diplomacy, international training programs, and international policy advocacy. She joined the SIT Graduate Institute faculty full-time in 2005. At SIT, Sora supports new and career-transitioning IE professionals as they develop their skills and find their way into new professional opportunities. She teaches IE policy, theory, program design, research, and advocacy, and serves as Chair of SIT's Masters in IE degree programs. In addition to her work at SIT, Sora is a columnist with GlobalEd and sought-after speaker and trainer in the field. She is author of "How High the Ceiling: Gender and Leadership in International Higher Education" (in The Wiley Handbook of Gender Equity in Higher Education, 2021), co-author of Careers in International Education: A Guide for New Professionals (with A. Reza, 2019), and currently is researching women's leadership in International Education. Previously, Sora served in the Chair-streams of NAFSA's Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship Knowledge Community and Region XI, as well as national leadership positions including Chair of the Training Coordination Subcommittee and Trainer Corps. Sora holds a doctorate in cultural studies, an MA in international administration, a certificate in distance education, and a BA in politics and Spanish. She lived in England and Latin America, and is fluent in Spanish. Email: sora.friedman@sit.edu