By Autumn Walden, Editor, AACRAO Connect, Content Strategy Manager, AACRAO
Since 1959, AACRAO Awards have recognized members and non-members whose service, leadership, and innovation have advanced higher education and strengthened the association. The Award for Excellence in International Education honors a member whose work has made a lasting impact on the field through leadership, publications, conference and program contributions, and special projects. This year’s recipient, Dale Gough, reflects that legacy through more than 40 years of work in foreign credential evaluation, international admissions, and professional training for colleagues across the profession. From his early start connected to a USAID scholarship and AACRAO membership to his role in building training opportunities for others, Gough's career offers a window into the dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit that continue to shape international education today.
Dr. Bill Paver, founder of the AACRAO Electronic Database for Global Education who worked alongside Gough as part of a core team of professionals central to advancing international education, told me: "Dale's been … in the field … he predated me by just a couple of years ... He worked with me … I did a publication for NAFSA, the Grad Handbook, which was widely used in the 90s. And then … we had an EDGE team of about five people who were really central to getting all of this done. He was one of them.”
I asked Gough about the path that brought him into international education, the mentors and milestones that influenced his career, and the importance of building knowledge and training that can serve the field for generations.
What/Who influenced your decision to get involved with AACRAO?
The Registrar at the University of Maryland, William Spann, was a member of the AACRAO-AID committee. At the time, USAID had a scholarship program for international graduate students to attend U.S. graduate schools. Experienced foreign credential evaluators were brought to D.C. for two-week periods to evaluate the education of those scholarship nominees. Mr. Spann recommended me for that evaluation program, but it required AACRAO membership. The international office did not have sufficient funding to cover AACRAO membership, so the Registrar’s Office provided the funding for my AACRAO membership.
What do you enjoy most about your work and/or involvement with AACRAO?
When I was hired by AACRAO to create its International Education Services, my first charge was to create a training program. What I enjoyed most was teaching and mentoring those new to the profession in the evaluation of foreign education of their applicants. Many who participated in that training went on to be leaders in the field.
Have you encountered any unexpected or notable experiences along your professional path?
Foremost has been the international travel representing AACRAO and U.S. education. It was the first time an AACRAO staff person with evaluation experience met with ministries of education and other entities overseas to speak to how international students were evaluated and admitted to U.S. schools. Such travel took me to over 50 different countries.
Who are your role models?
I fear I will not remember all of them, but here are those who impacted my professional life:
Jo Leo, Sandy Jamison, Jim Hass, Jim Frey, Cliff Sjogren, Gene Oliver, Liz Reisberg, Caroline Aldrich-Langen, Ann Fletcher, Kathleen Sellew, Bob Brashear, Eva Adan, Jasmin Saidi, Rebecca Dixon, Doris Ohlsen, Karlene Dickey, Hattie Jarmon, Russ Webster, Jeannette Lamb, Dean Lomis, Lou Arena, Gary Hopkins, Kitty Villa, Leo Sweeney, Steve Fisher, Bill Paver, Robert Watkins ... and more, whose names escape me in my dotage.
What do you aspire to accomplish in the future?
To watch those I’ve trained and worked with to achieve their goals in this profession.
What advice would you give to help others find their community at AACRAO?
Reach out to those in the field! We are a sharing community of our knowledge and experience. We can help you avoid the pitfalls, errors, and mistakes of our careers so you don’t have to experience the downside of our experiences.