We are pleased to share with you some of our favourite moments and achievements from our eventful 2025! This was a year of milestones, recognition, and connections with our partners and with brilliant people from the Education Abroad sphere.
#10 - 10,000 Students Trained ✈️
This year, we hit a milestone that once felt impossible: 10,000 students trained through WorldKind Academy.
But here's what really matters—93% of our alumni would recommend us to first-time international travelers. ⭐
That number tells us we're doing something right. When nearly every student who completes our program says "yes, this is worth it for others," that's validation we don't take lightly.
To every partner institution that trusted us to help prepare their students before studying abroad: THANK YOU!. 🙏
#9 - Showing up for the Field 🤝
2025 took us to several international education conferences—not just to present, but to listen, learn, and give back.
✈️ 9 international education conferences
🎤 5 co-facilitated sessions
📊 1 poster presentation
⏰ 100s of volunteer hours
International education is built on collaboration, and we know the best ideas don't happen in isolation. They happen in hallway conversations, collaborative sessions, and, yes, at all those late-night receptions (thank you to all the program providers that host them!).
And we want to say a special thank you and shoutout to all our fellow co-presenters from last year– You make us better!
#8 - New Partners 🎓
This year, we welcomed 8 incredible institutions to the WorldKind family:
🌟 Dickinson College
🌟 Fund for Education Abroad
🌟 Hampden-Sydney College
🌟 Ohio University
🌟 Pittsburg State University
🌟 St. Edward's University
🌟 University of South Dakota
🌟 Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership at the University of Pittsburgh
That means 2,000 more students each year getting prepared before they go abroad and staff at 8 more institutions having loads that are a bit lighter.
We’re working together to help prepare students not only to be safe and healthy abroad but also to reflect on ways that they can be more “WorldKind”–good global guests when they’re in their host countries and more engaged global citizens, no matter where they are in the world.
To our new partners: thank you for trusting us to help with preparing your students to thrive abroad. 🤝
#7 - Health Training 🏥
Travel Health preparation can feel overwhelming. So we broke it down with a clear roadmap:
✅ 7 Health Prep Steps for students (clear, actionable, comprehensive)
But we didn't stop there because when students face health challenges abroad, the institutions supporting them do too. So, we developed companion Tabletop Drill Exercises for faculty and staff, which we were able to use at the Forum's Health & Safety Institute and at the University of Florida.
When students know what to do and staff know how to respond, everyone travels with more confidence.
That's preparation that matters in the real world. 🌏
#6 - When Preparation Pays Off (Literally) 💰
What if completing pre-departure training actually saved students money?
That's exactly what happens now. In 2025, we partnered with 6 incredible organizations so students can earn $100+ in travel-related rewards and discounts as they complete our training modules.
Meet our Module Reward Partners:
🗣️ Baselang - Unlimited one-on-one live Spanish tutoring
💳 Wise - International money transfers & multi-currency accounts
✈️ ScholarTrip - Discounted student flights & flight deposit programs
⚕️ CFHI - Global health education programs & online learning
🛏️ HI USA - Hostel accommodations & educational scholarship programs
📲 eSIMcard.com - Digital SIM cards with international phone and data plans
💳 Wise - International money transfers & multi-currency accounts
✈️ ScholarTrip - Discounted student flights & flight deposit programs
⚕️ CFHI - Global health education programs & online learning
🛏️ HI USA - Hostel accommodations & educational scholarship programs
📲 eSIMcard.com - Digital SIM cards with international phone and data plans
The triple win:
- Students save money on education and travel costs
- Completion rates increase with incentives
- Better-prepared, culturally competent global citizens
- Real ROI isn't just about numbers (although those matter). It's also about transformative student experiences. 🎯
#5 - Five Times a Finalist 🏅
We became GoAbroad Innovation Awards finalists for the 5th time in 2025.
Categories: Technology and Diversity.
These two areas aren't separate priorities for us—they're interconnected. Technology should make international education more accessible. Diversity should be embedded in every tool we build.
Being recognized for both? That tells us we're on the right path. 🌟
Having four of our WorldKind Advisors–Tonya Veltrop, Todd Lee Goen, Martin Rosales, and Duke Adams–there to celebrate with us? Priceless.
Special thanks to Tonya Veltrop for the Technology nomination too.
Special thanks to Tonya Veltrop for the Technology nomination too.
#4 - “Hairy Coo” Help 🐄
Hamish, the Hairy Coo, does two things exceptionally well:
Hamish delivers health & safety advice in 2-3 words that students can remember. Simple. Clear. Sticky.
Turning simple swag into treasure. (Just ask the 2-legged and 4-legged friends who've met him—or the NAFSA Bi-regional attendees who gave him the "Treasure Chest" award.)
Learning can be effective AND fun. Hamish gets it. 🏴✨
#3 - Building Access Together 🌉
Expanding access to international education requires a community effort. In 2025, we were proud to support three organizations leading the charge:
🌟 Pennsylvania Council on International Education (PACIE)
🌟 Fund for Education Abroad (FEA)
🌟 Compear's Global Respectful Disruption Summits (GRDS)
Beyond financial sponsorship, we contribute through leadership (serving on PACIE's Board) and practical resources (free WorldKind accounts for all FEA scholars). Access requires showing up in multiple ways. ✨
#2 - Virtual Community - Everyone's Invited 🎙️
No registration fees. No barriers. Just meaningful conversation.
In 2025, we held space to connect with:
🗓️ 5 WorldKind Wednesdays - Exploring topics
like "Accessibility Abroad" and "Faculty Engagement"
like "Accessibility Abroad" and "Faculty Engagement"
👂 4 Listening Sessions - Discussing how to support student belonging and wellbeing abroad
Accessible. Online. Free.
#1 - Inaugural InnovateEA Winner🏅
We became the Forum on Education Abroad's inaugural InnovateEA winner at their annual conference in Toronto this March.
This award represents years of work, countless iterations, and an unwavering belief that we can prepare students better together. Our colleagues at the Forum’s conference agreed. 💯
Thank you to the Forum and to everyone who's championed our work. Here's to 2026. ✨
Special thanks to the 2025 Forum InnovateEA mentors–Emily , Kelly Holland, Martha , Kyle Rausch, Christina Thompson–and to Elizabeth Frolich for her tireless work in coordinating the event.
And thanks to Lauren Mock, Tonya Veltrop, and David Puente for being there to cheer us on and to celebrate the win together.
Thank you to all our partners, supporters, and advisors for your support and hard work this year. We are thankful for you all, and we look forward to all we will share in 2026!
