Celebrating 75 Years
To conclude a year marked by memorable milestone celebrations, including our summer Spirit Week and other 75th Anniversary get-togethers, we ended the year with one final week of festivities! We welcomed all of our colleagues from around the US and Puerto Rico to DC in early December to participate in the celebration. We were also honored to have Emiliana Caldarelli, our Italy and Spain Director of over two decades, join us from Florence!
The bonding and fun between teams continued with group dinners and coffee outings with colleagues across teams and divisions, as well a competitive Sarah Saleh-themed trivia game (in advance of her retirement at the end of January). We wrapped up the week with a lively holiday party—complete with a White Elephant gift exchange, cookie decorating, sundae bar, and more. The vibrancy, kinetic energy, and palpable love for Academic Travel Abroad that pervaded the week’s activities make it clear that this 75-year-old company is going to be around for many more centuries!.
Cork+Compass Inaugural Trips
This past fall we launched the inaugural, fully enrolled Cork + Compass Travel (by Wine Enthusiast) trips—one to Tuscany led by Danielle Callegari and one to Burgundy led by Anna-Christina Cabrales, both esteemed writers and reviewers on the Wine Enthusiast Tasting Panel for their respective regions. Travelers praised the experiences, highlighting the exclusive access to wineries and the expertise of our guides. Here’s what some participants shared:
- “The tour was well worth the investment due to the access to wineries and experiences that would be impossible on your own.”
- “Anna Christina and Andrea were fantastic—informative and easy to learn from. Seeing the historic cellars and other areas and art were a wonderful addition to the wine tastings.”
- “Expensive but worth it. Good wine, and excellent access to private tastings and vineyard tours.”
FEA Gala: A Celebration of Education Abroad
Set against the elegant backdrop of the New Zealand Embassy in Washington DC, the Fund for Education Abroad annual Gala celebrated the power of international education and cultural exchange. The sold-out event highlighted the mission of FEA to increase access to study abroad and awarded Marriott International with the 2025 Fritz Kaufman Champion Award for its commitment to global engagement and cultural exchange.
Event attendees included past and present scholarship recipients, board members, donors, and professionals from the international education field. At the event, FEA raised an additional $2,000 when its first ever 50/50 raffle winner donated back his winnings! Since its founding, FEA has awarded over $4.9 million in scholarships, furthering its mission to expand access to study abroad opportunities.
2025 Year in Review
As 2025 came to a close, Chase Poffenberger took a moment to reflect on a year marked by remarkable journeys, strong partnerships, and continued growth. This year we expanded program offering to new destinations including Ghana and Thailand and welcomed new partners. We made meaningful progress with our sustainability initiatives, furthering our commitment to responsible travel, and our study abroad division, CET Academic Programs, received the International Education Employer of the Year award.
Read more about these memorable moments and other highlights from the past year on our blog.
