Peer Advisors

The Peer Advisor program is designed to meet the needs of the Grand Valley State University community.  The Peer Advisors are able to answer initial questions on Study Abroad Programs (both GVSU faculty-led and partnerships, as well as non-GVSU programs), and can help with credit transfers, theme proposals, etc. They have had international experience by either living, studying, or working abroad.  Below is the current Peer Advisor Staff in no particular order and their specific area of expertise. You may contact individual Peer Advisors by sending an e-mail to: studyabroad@gvsu.edu

If emailing with specific questions, please include the Peer Advisor's name on the subject line.

Julian Fietzek

Home Country: The United Kingdom and Germany
Studied in: Edinburgh, Scotland and Angers, France (ESSCA)
Wednesday 8-3
Thursday 8-2

 

Willy Bigirimana

Home country: Rwanda/Burundi
Mon. 9:30-2:30
Wed. 4-5
Thurs. 3:15-4:15
Fri. 1-3, 4-5

                        

Meghan Thatcher

Home country: U.S.
Studied in: Kingston, England
Traveled  to: Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany
Monday-Friday 8-10 or 11

 

Claudia Carrera

Home country: U.S.
Studied in: Mexico and Turkey
Tuesday and Thursday 10-5

 

Andres Ortiz

Home country: Colombia
Traveled: Throughout South America

Mon. 3-5
Tues. 1-5
Wed. 1-4
Thurs. 12-5
Fri. 2-5

 

David Ossim

Home country: U.S. and lived in Norway
Traveled  to: Holland, Mexico, Belize, Sweden, Denmark
Tues. 8-1
Wed. 5-7
Thurs. 8-12

 

 
Jessica Smith

Home country: U.S. and lived in Mexico
Interested in studying in Hungary and Poland STAIR
Mon. 1-3
Tues. & Thurs. 8-9:30 and 1-3
Wed. 1-3
Fri.10-5

 

Ashley Shembargar

Home country: U.S.
Studied in: Angers, France (ESSCA)
Mon. 1-5
Fri. 1-5

 

Sidi Diakite

Home country: Mali also lived in Paris and Morocco
Interested in the GVSU study abroad internship in France
Traveled to: Ghana, Senegal, and Burkina Faso
Mon. 8-12
Wed. 8-12
Fri. 8-12

 

Devin Streur

Home country: U.S.
Studied in: Australia
Traveled to: New Zealand, Costa Rica, and Mexico
Mon. 11-4
Tues. 10-1
Wed. 9-1
Thurs. 10-1

 

Luis Colaferro

Home country: Brazil
Studied in: Brazil
Traveled to: Argentina, France, England, Thailand
Mon. 1-5
Wed. 2-5