SIT President Dr. Sophia Howlett to step down in December at end of second term
Publication Date: July 31, 2025
Publication Location: Brattleboro, VT
Contact: Abby Henson | [email protected]
School for International Training (SIT) announces that Dr. Sophia Howlett has decided to step down from her role as SIT president effective December 31, 2025. This will mark the end of her second term and nine years of service with SIT.
The announcement was shared with the World Learning Board of Trustees earlier this summer. World Learning CEO Carol Jenkins will assume the role of acting SIT president while continuing to lead World Learning, an international nongovernmental organization. Jenkins has served as CEO since 2017, a role that oversees both World Learning and SIT.
“I speak on behalf of the entire board to express our sincere gratitude for Sophie’s contributions to SIT and World Learning. We will miss her, but we know her future endeavors will be characterized by the energy and innovation she has given SIT during her years here,” said World Learning Board Chair Allen Cutler. “In the remaining months, the board and I plan to work closely with Carol, Sophie, SIT faculty, and staff to ensure we remain steadfast in SIT’s mission to address the most critical global issues through international education. Carol has our full support during this transition.”
Howlett noted that the conclusion of two terms of service was an ideal and natural time for her to step down. She intends to take some time off to work on her research before taking on her next challenge.
“It has been my honor to serve as president of SIT. I am deeply proud of what we have accomplished,” said Howlett. “Together, we have built a new SIT that embraces all its modalities and communities worldwide: expanding our extraordinary study abroad programs to meet the needs of this generation of students and transforming our graduate portfolio with the introduction of global experiences, and of course, our new doctoral programs.
As ever, SIT offers exceptional, high-quality opportunities to learn experientially through cultural immersion and face-to-face interaction with peers, faculty, experts in the field, and community partners worldwide. I am proud to have served as its president for nearly a decade, and so very proud to have led an exceptional group of faculty and staff. Together, we have moved mountains. I look forward to seeing what comes next.”
Howlett’s tenure at SIT notably included the launch of SIT Graduate Institute’s new global master’s degree format in 2018. The new structure utilizes the institution’s education centers worldwide as the primary locations for programs, positioning SIT to become a leader in international graduate education. She has also spearheaded the development of multiple new master’s degrees and the launch of three new doctoral degrees in global education, sustainability, and international relations. The online doctorates incorporate both domestic and international residencies and have exceeded initial enrollment goals since their inception.
Howlett and the SIT team have also evolved the undergraduate portfolio to meet the needs of SIT’s university partners and their students, including the addition of new programs and country locations and the expansion of multi-country and internship opportunities. In addition, SIT First Year, a program where undergraduate students study abroad in their first year, and the Custom and Faculty-led Programs unit were started.
Howlett’s time with SIT has not been without challenges, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic. In collaboration with Jenkins and the World Learning leadership team, SIT safely returned more than 900 students studying abroad, extended online learning opportunities, pivoted staff to remote learning, and expanded student mental health and wellbeing resources.
“Our response to the pandemic highlighted SIT’s agility, adaptability, and innovative approach to international education. The professional expertise of SIT’s faculty and staff was unparalleled during this time,” Howlett said. SIT’s full team will remain in place after Howlett’s departure, including Dr. Said Graiouid, SIT’s provost and vice president of academic affairs.
“I look forward to working with Sophie and the SIT team to ensure a seamless, positive, and collaborative transition. Together, we will build upon the foundation they have established, advancing SIT’s mission in global experiential education,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins has an extensive career in international education, business development, and nonprofit leadership. Her early career included serving in program and leadership roles at World Vision, including time in South Africa, and International Medical Corps. She first joined World Learning in 2007 as senior director of international programs. Following a brief departure, she returned to World Learning in 2014 as executive vice president before becoming CEO three years later. Over her career, Jenkins has served on the boards of InterAction and the Alliance for International Exchange, where she also served as the board chair.
School for International Training was established in 1964 as a training center for the first Peace Corps volunteers. Today, SIT is a U.S.-accredited global university offering undergraduate study abroad programs, including the International Honors Program, and globally focused graduate and doctoral degrees and certificates. SIT prepares students to be effective changemakers and global citizens through experiential education focused on the world's most critical global issues. For more information, visit sit.edu.