Advising for SFS Programs

Quality Standards

SFS maintains the highest academic and institutional standards by relying on a peer-review process. Our assurance of quality is backed by our School of Record, program reviews, a diverse Advisory Committee, and publicly available student evaluations.

Our SChool of Record

Our courses are accredited through our School of Record (SOR), the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (U of M). U of M utilizes the following criteria in determining the appropriateness of acting as SOR for a select number of educational partners:

  • The program must be one the University of Minnesota actively uses and supports for University of Minnesota students.
  • The program must be one the University has confidence in and experience with, as well as a stake in the academic content and quality of the programs.
  • The program must have appropriate oversight mechanisms in place, such as advisory boards or councils and review processes.

All SFS courses—while often non-traditional in delivery –are developed and reviewed in accordance with our SOR and the Forum on Education Abroad’s Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad.

Institutional Partners Council

The SFS Institutional Partners Council helps uphold our consistent record of academic quality in the changing field of environmental study abroad. The Council advises SFS on program development, environmental and scientific issues, and trends in academia.

Current members:

  • Dan Ardia | Franklin & Marshall College | Associate Dean of Faculty, Professor of Biology
  • Ty Armitano | Brown University | Study Abroad Advisor
  • Jim Bolender | University of San Diego | Associate Provost for International Affairs, Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
  • Nicole Garcia | Harvard University | Associate Director, Office of International Education
  • Michal Greenburg | University of Colorado Boulder | Assistant Director, Education Abroad
  • Megan Hernandez-Greene | Elon University | Program Coordinator, Isabella Cannon Global Education Center
  • Irina Krymova | University of Illinois at Chicago | Senior Associate Director, Office of Global Engagement
  • Ebony Majeed | Newport News Public Schools | Teacher, World Languages Department
  • Marcia Morgan | Muhlenberg College | Dean of Global Education, Professor of Philosophy
  • Noelwah Netusil | Reed College | Chair of Environmental Studies and Stanley H. Cohn Professor of Economics
  • Jill Reister | University of Minnesota – Twin Cities | Assistant Director of Programming, Learning Abroad Center
  • Elizabeth Shuman | Ohio State University | Global Education Manager, College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences
  • Lauren Stikeleather | Davidson College | Director of Education Abroad
  • Natalie Word | Florida A&M University | Education Abroad Coordinator, International Education and Development Department

Student Evaluations

We encourage our alumni to submit program evaluations to popular websites such as Go Overseas or GoAbroad.com. The reviews are not curated or edited by SFS.

SFS students also complete anonymous program evaluations before returning home.  These evaluations are closely reviewed by the SFS Office of Academic Affairs and the Center staff.