Sora Friedman, PhD
Dr. Sora Friedman has worked in the field of international education (IE) for more than 35 years, focusing on the preparation of new professionals in the field, IE management training, exchange program management, public diplomacy, and international policy advocacy. She joined the SIT Graduate Institute faculty in 2005, having served as an adjunct faculty member for three years before that.
In addition to her work at SIT, Dr. Friedman is often sought out as a consultant and peer reviewer to various professional training programs and journals. She is the recipient of the 2015 NAFSA Region XI James Leck Award for Distinguished Service. Previously, she served on NAFSA’s chair-streams of the Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship Knowledge Community (2018-2020) and the New England region (Region XI, 2013–2015), was a member of CIS Abroad’s board of advisers (2008–2015), and was chair of NAFSA’s Trainer Corps (2011–2012) and Training Coordination Subcommittee (2008–2010). Before joining SIT, Dr. Friedman taught at George Mason University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Lauder Institute in Mexico and Chile. She has lived in Bolivia, Colombia, and England and is fluent in Spanish.
See Dr. Friedman’s full list of publications
Courses Taught
International Education Design, Delivery & Evaluation
International Education Program Planning & Design
Advanced Concepts in International Education 1 and 2
Foundations in Intercultural Service, Leadership, & Management
Training Design
Practitioner Inquiry
Reflective Practice
Reflective Practice Doctoral Seminar
Select Publications
Friedman, S. (forthcoming). September 11 in the West Bank. In From Bangkok to Boston: Inspiring stories of travel and adventure from international educators.
Friedman, S. (2021). How high the ceiling?: Gender and leadership in international higher education. In The Wiley Handbook of Gender Equity in Higher Education, N. Niemi and Weaver-Hightower, M., eds. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Friedman, S. and Reza, A. (2019). Careers in International Education: A Guide for New Professionals. NAFSA Association of International Educators.
Friedman, S. (2017). Reflections from 30 Years as a Teacher of Short-Term Off-Campus Programs: The One Partnership Necessary to Maximize Student Learning. In NAFSA’s Guide to Successful Short-Term Programs Abroad, 3rd ed. NAFSA Association of International Educators, pp. 357-360.
Using NAFSA’s International Education Professional Competencies for Team Development and Hiring Purposes, Parts 1 and 2.(May and July, 2016). NAFSA Career Center blog.
Mapping Your Future as an International Education Professional. (May, 2015). NAFSA Career Center blog.
Planned Communities of the New Deal. Communal Societies (Vol. 26/2, 2006) 99-120.
A Salute to Citizen Diplomacy: A History of the National Council for International Visitors (research assistant). National Council for International Visitors, 2000.
No Place Like Home: The Founding of Jersey Homesteads, New Jersey. Communal Societies (Vol. 19, 1999) 23-48.
Select Presentations
Friedman, S., Machira, M., Miller, A. and Wang, I. Women and Leadership: Transforming One’s Career in International Education [Conference presentation, forthcoming]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2022 Annual Conference; Denver, Colorado
Friedman, S. and Reza, A. Careers in International Education: Guidance for New Professionals [Half-day workshop lead trainer]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2021 Annual Conference; Virtual
Friedman, S. and Campbell, P. Breaking into the Field of International Education [Half-day workshop]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2019 Regional Conference; Baltimore, Maryland
International Education as an Academic Discipline: Advocating Within Our Institutions. [Conference presentation co-presenter]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2019 Annual Conference; Washington, DC
Leadership Pathways in IE. [Conference presentation co-presenter]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2018 Regional Conference; Portland, Maine
Women’s Leadership in IE: Past, Present, and Creating Your Future. [Conference presentation chair]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2018 Annual Conference; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Preparing for a Career in International Education [Invited co-speaker in Career Center]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators. 2018 Annual Conference; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Informational Interviewing: Best Practices Before, During, and After [Conference presentation co-presenter]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2017 Regional Conference; Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Entering the Field of International Education? Let’s Talk! [Conference presentation co-presenter]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2017 Regional Conference, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Effective Informational Interview. [Invited speaker in Career Center]. NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2017 Annual Conference; Los Angeles, California
Research Interests
Women’s leadership in international education
Professional and career development
Education
- PhD, Cultural Studies, George Mason University
- Certificate, Distance Education, University of West Georgia
- MIA, International Administration, School for International Training
- BA, Government and Politics, University of Maryland
