Gretchen Dobson, Global Strategist, Gretchen Dobson Go Global
Gretchen travels the world to help educational institutions and non-profit member organizations facilitate alumni engagement and advance international programs. Additionally, she works with officers at U.S. embassies to engage alumni of government sponsored exchange programs. Gretchen also provides professional coaching for international advancement and academic officers.
Alongside consulting, Gretchen manages international special events and meetings for clients with particular needs outside their home country.
For the last decade, Gretchen served as Tufts University’s Senior Associate Director for Domestic and International Programs. In her role Gretchen was recognized by the Chronicle in Higher Education in 2009 as one of the US’s leading ‘Innovators in Internationalization’. In 2007, Gretchen and her staff were recognized with the CASE Gold Award for ‘Tufts World Day,’ involving over 1,000 alumni worldwide. In 2008, Gretchen received the “Rising Star” Award from CASE and in 2010, a grant to establish the Tufts Entertainment, Art and Media (TEAM) Network, helping alumni and Tufts build stronger brands.
Gretchen is the author of a new book Being Global: Making the Case for International Alumni Relations (CASE Books, 2011). Gretchen received her B.A. and M.A. from Boston College and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania.
Benefits of working with Gretchen
Spend a couple days being informed by Gretchen, and you and your staff will be able to:
- Think holistically about how international alumni and your institution share a lifelong relationship
- Recruit and retain more international alumni
- Create budgets and infrastructure to support both short and long-term planning
- Plan new and improved international events
- Identify, develop and/or expand international volunteer management opportunities and practices
- Incorporate international alumni relations into overall outreach strategy
- Stimulate more international donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations
- Build efficiencies across departments and institution with respect to international and domestic outreach and engagement
