World Learning Inc.

The organization was founded in 1932, first known as the Experiment in International Living, launched by Donald Watt, a former personnel director at Syracuse University. ³

World Learning has received millions of dollars in federal funding from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency of International Development. ⁴

Background

World Learning  describes itself as a global development and exchange organization that delivers educational and professional training programs around the world. ⁴ It is based in Brattleboro, Vermont, with offices in Washington, D.C. ⁴

It was founded in 1932 and first known as the “Experiment in International Living.” After more than 90 years, there are more than 130,000 program alumni. ²

World Learning oversees 92 different programs with participants from 162 countries. It brings 2,000 people into the United States every year on international professional, academic, and youth exchanges. ⁵

As of 2025, World Learning Inc. says it sends more than 600 American teenagers abroad each summer for life-changing experiences in its exchange student program. ⁵

World Learning has received millions of dollars in federal funding from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency of International Development. ⁴

The State Department gave $2 million to World Learning Inc. to support resilience to disinformation in Armenia that began in September 2023 and lasted through February 2025. ^{6 7} World Larning sub-granted $275,219 to the left-of-center Poynter Institute, which runs the controversial fact-checking website PolitiFact. ⁷

The group offers what it calls “people-to-people exchanges.” This includes professional exchanges, academic exchanges, and youth programs involving more than 150 countries. ⁸

World Learning Inc. is the umbrella global organization made up of World Learning, a global development and exchange nonprofit organization; the Experiment in International Living, the nation’s oldest provider of intercultural student exchange programs for high school students; and School for International Training (SIT), which offers accredited undergraduate study abroad programs through SIT Study Abroad. The SIT programs include the International Honors Program, an internationally focused master’s degrees, certificate programs, and a doctorate through SIT Graduate Institute. ⁹

The organization says it has five key elements to promote change: experiential learning, leadership development, inclusive practices, innovation, and grants management. ⁸

History

World Learning was founded in 1932 and was first known as the “Experiment in International Living.” It was launched when Donald Watt, a former personnel director at Syracuse University, and 23 young men sailed for Europe to attend a summer camp with Swiss and German teenagers. ^{10 5}

The Experiment in International Living became the first program to offer “homestays,” where American students were paired with host families. ³

In the mid-1970s, the Experiment in International Travel established a grants unit that managed grant-funded assistance programs in developing countries. The group also began expanding its portfolio of international exchange programs. ⁵

The Experiment in International Living changed its name to World Learning in 1992 when the two units merged. ^{5 3} The Experiment in International Living continues to be a key program within World Learning. ³

World Learning works in developing countries with AIDS orphans, trafficked children, women’s groups, and others. ³ World Learning and School for International Training partnered with a national refugee resettlement organization to house and teach Afghan refugees who fled the Taliban regime. ²

In January 2022, World Learning Inc. announced the hiring of its new chief diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officer Wagaye Johannes, who previously had a DEI role at the group Diversity Abroad. ¹¹ The organization’s 2023 Impact Report said, “The principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA+) are reflected in our core values and are embedded across our organization’s global programs and operations.” ¹²

Programs

School for International Training

Sargent Shriver said he drew on his experience as a student in the Experiment in International Living program. After President John F. Kennedy appointed Shriver in 1961 to run the newly established Peace Corps, Shriver invited the Experiment in International Living to help train Peace Corps volunteers before their placements. These Peace Corps training activities led to the establishment in 1964 of an academic institution known as the School for International Training or SIT. ^{3 5}

Today, the SIT Graduate Institute offers graduate and continuing education programs to train professionals with the skills to address global issues. ³ It offers internationally focused master’s degrees in eight areas of study as well as certificate and professional development programs. ⁵

The SIT Study Abroad program offers semester and summer programs for undergraduate students in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. It also offers as well as comparative programs in multiple locations. ³ The SIT Study Abroad offers 82 undergraduate study abroad programs in all seven continents; this includes a multi-country comparative program through the International Honors Program. ⁵

Controversy

Financial Scandal

In 2023, federal prosecutors charged former World Learning executive Carleena Graham with stealing about $419,000 from the organization from 2014 through 2022. ⁴

According to Graham’s defense lawyers, she gave the money to other nonprofit organizations rather than using it for personal monetary gain. ⁴

World Learning first hired Graham as the director of human resources in 2014 and later promoted her to vice president of human resources. Graham worked in World Learning’s Washington office. ⁴

The Brattleboro Reformer reported that while Graham was still employed at World Learning, she also worked for or had relationships with other nonprofit organizations in the Washington, D.C. area. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples argued in the sentencing that “the fraud was a sophisticated one.” ⁴

World Learning uncovered in July 2022 that Graham tried to use World Learning funds to pay a delinquent account for Jack and Jill of America, a nonprofit with a Greater Suburban Maryland chapter of which Graham had become president in 2016. World Learning fired her, and Graham claimed discrimination. The organization paid her $32,000 in severance. However, World Learning later found the fraud was larger than the one incident and sought to get the severance payment back, the Brattleboro Reformer reported. ⁴

The Reformer reported that World Learning’s “internal investigation showed false receipts, commingling of funds between World Learning and non-World Learning accounts maintained by vendors, buying gift cards for personal use, promising work visas for foreigners to encourage free labor, offering fraudulent employment to relatives, presenting her [Graham’s] own company as a third party, and traveling on World Learning’s accounts for non-business reasons.” ⁴

Leadership

As of 2025, Carol Jenkins was the CEO of World Learning. ¹³ Allen Cutler was the chairman of the board of trustees for World Learning. Jenny Backus was the vice chair of the board. Jack M. Benson was the vice chair and finance and budget committee chair for the board. Lawrence Cooley was also vice chair of the board. Sophia Howlett was the president of the School for International Training. Anne Bringer was the vice president for human resources. ¹⁴

Joel Colony was the vice president for external engagement and advocacy. Nara de sa’ Guimaraes was the vice president for marketing and communications. Sravani Ghosh-Robinson was the vice president of business development. Wagaye Johannes was the chief diversity equity and inclusion officer. Kote Lomidze was the chief financial and administrative officers and the senior vice president of finance. Melissa Oppenheimer was the vice president of global programs. L. Rae was the senior vice president of legal affairs and general counsel. Jane Yates was the associate vice president of philanthropy. Andrew Dick was the executive director for global operations at the School for International Training. Mory Pagel was the vice president for innovation, strategy, and partnerships for the School for International Training. ¹⁴