Laker students, alumni, faculty & staff share their Global GVSU Story.
I can say with certainty that my global GVSU experience changed my life. I had always dreamed of studying abroad and the opportunity to spend a semester in Barcelona was an incredible experience. My language abilities improved, I had access to amazing art, history and food just beyond my front door, as well as the opportunities to travel. When my experience was nearing its end, I emailed the Padnos International Center and told them I was passionate about helping other students make study abroad a reality. I was fortunate to land a position as a peer-advisor when I returned to campus. As if studying abroad wasn't life changing enough, my job as a PIC peer advisor changed the course of my actual career. I realized I had a passion for working with other college students, I loved the process of advising and I was lucky enough to work with a fantastic team to help lead the summer orientation program for incoming international students. That year, I made friends from all corners of the world and solidified one of my core beliefs that in order to truly change the world, one must be consistently and constantly exposed to new perspectives. My greatest a-ha moment was the realization that I could pursue a full time career in international education and help bridge gaps between cultures and enrich the educational experiences of both domestic and international students. I graduated from GVSU with a degree in Liberal Studies and a minor in Spanish. A few years later, I pursued my Master's degree in Higher Education from the University of Michigan. As a graduate assistant, I had the opportunity to spend a summer in China where I conducted research and was employed by the University's International Programs in Engineering office. Over the next five years, I worked as an international programs advisor where I got to help make study abroad a reality for engineering students, a population typically under-served. I now work as the Student Affairs and Alumni Manager for the Erb Institute. The Erb Institute is a dual-degree program centered on the nexus of business and sustainability. Students in my program are doing incredible projects around the world and even though I work primarily with graduate students and business executives, I've been fortunate to lead a group of undergraduates to India and Iceland as they explore sustainability through a global lens. Thank you to GVSU and especially to Meaghann, Kate and Mark who were all influential in my exposure to international education and the field of higher ed. My time studying abroad and working as a peer advisor has truly shaped my life and I could not be more grateful for these experiences.
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