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Summer alumni gatherings celebrate a global community

July 29th, 2026   |   Alumni, SIT Graduate Institute, SIT Study Abroad

Thirteen SIT alumni pose for a photo in two rows in the lobby of a restaurant.
Alumni gather in Portland, Oregon

This June, nearly 400 members of the School for International Training (SIT) and World Learning community came together to celebrate lifelong connections, shared experiences, and the lasting impact of global education at dozens of summer alumni gatherings around the United States and abroad.

Hosted in 18 cities across 13 U.S. states—as well as in Shanghai and Amsterdam—the gatherings welcomed alumni and group leaders from SIT Study Abroad, SIT Graduate Institute, The Experiment in International Living, and the World Issues Program. The events, which also included current and former SIT faculty and staff, created opportunities for alumni spanning generations and programs to share old stories and build new relationships.

Eight SIT and World Learning alumni stand at the railing of a house porch. An American flag is flying from a post.
Alumni in Round Rock, Texas

“Our goal was simple: to bring together alumni in their own communities—to strengthen bonds, share stories, and foster ongoing engagement,” said Courtney Bauman, assistant director of University Relations and Alumni at SIT. “Volunteer alumni hosts have made these events grow across the country and beyond, allowing us to reach more alumni from an array of programs and years. The gatherings demonstrate the strength of the broader SIT and World Learning network. It was powerful to watch people reconnect and celebrate the shared belief in the value of international education.”

"It was interesting that different programs were represented: SIT Graduate Institute, SIT Study Abroad, The Experiment, and others," said Laura Leslie, an SIT Graduate Institute alumna who hosted a gathering in Dallas. "It was neat to hear how people's experience with their program influenced them, and we learned about local resources from each other."

A male SIT alumni poses with a female one, smiling. He is wearing a sun hat and has glasses. She has long hair and has her arm around his shoulder.
Los Angeles gathering

The gatherings demonstrate the strength of the broader SIT and World Learning network. It was powerful to watch people reconnect and celebrate the shared belief in the value of international education.

For many attendees, the gatherings highlighted just how deeply these experiences continue to shape their lives and careers decades later.

Patti Clements Jordan hosted a gathering in Round Rock, Texas. She participated in The Experiment in the Netherlands in 1965 and remains close with her Dutch host family. She, along with her children and grandchildren, has visited them many times over the years and hosted them in the United States. But Jordan also liked hearing how studying abroad shaped others’ lives professionally, not just personally.

Eleven alumni sit at a long wooden table. At the far end is a window with a rainbow on it. SIT brochures and flyers are on the table at the other end.
Gathering in Seattle

"Those attending were SIT graduates and have had remarkable careers helping students to see the world. Some attendees represented student services at universities or had been contractors with the United Nations for many years. I was impressed!" Jordan said.

At the gathering in Cleveland, Ohio, Nan Eisenberg brought along a treasured photo album from her 1968 Experiment trip to Yugoslavia. The album, a gift from the program's country partners to every participant, sparked great conversations about the transformative experiences that studying abroad can provide.

"Many of The Experiment alumni were from programs several decades ago. I was really impressed by their commitment to engaging with SIT and other World Learning alumni. The program must have made a significant impression,” said Anna Kelly, SIT EdD alumna and co-host of a Berkeley gathering.

For others, the events provided an opportunity to establish new connections.

A page of a scrapbook with three photos with a sepia finish from the 1960s.
Nan Eisenberg's photo album

"We had several new transplants and boomerangs to the Twin Cities area who were very happy to be connecting with the SIT community in their new home," said Kirstin French-Kray, an SIT Graduate Institute alumna who currently works for World Learning. She co-hosted a Minneapolis gathering.

As SIT’s alumni gatherings continue to grow each year, they stand as a powerful testament to the strength of a global community united by a shared belief: that international education transforms lives—not only for those who experience it, but also for the communities they touch.

Seven SIT and World Learning alumni pose in a row in front of green bushes. One in the center is holding an SIT tote bag.
Alumni in Minneapolis

Interested in connecting with other SIT and World Learning alumni? Here’s how: