Executive Director

[email protected]

• Create and execute a strategic plan for the Padnos International Center that aligns with the university's overall goals.
• Provide leadership to enhance the PIC's mission, reputation, and effectiveness.
• Initiate and support programs that promote international education and cross-cultural understanding.
• Establish and maintain partnerships with foreign universities, organizations, and governments.
• Oversee the center's budget, ensuring effective use of resources.
• Develop and implement policies related to international programs and activities.

Director of Study Abroad and International Partnerships

[email protected]

• Monitor and respond to crisis and risk management related to education abroad
• Manage GVSU's institutional international partnerships and represent GVSU to international partners
• Review study abroad applications
• Set policies for study abroad and evaluate international activities
• Manage study abroad credit transfer process
• Provide overall management of daily study abroad operations
• Advise faculty, staff and students on study abroad issues and concerns

Assistant Director of Study Abroad and International Partnerships

[email protected]

• Develop and maintain academic and global partnerships
• Strengthen relationships with campus partners to support course equivalencies and degree planning alignment.
• Oversee international health insurance, student travel risk management, and crisis response. Primary contact for low-level student emergencies, triage incidents
• Advise and assist students with visa guidance, documentation, and submission processes
• Coordination of students in GVSU sponsored programs
• Manage study abroad systems and reporting
• Supervise assigned staff/student employees, support institutional committees and appeal processes, and collaborate with campus partners

Coordinator of Study Abroad and International Partnerships

[email protected]

• Assists students post GVSU Study Abroad Acceptance - Long Term Study Abroad Exchange and Provider Programs
• Pre-Departure Orientations - Policies, Expectations, Cultural Adjustment, Insurance
• Forms - Pre-Departure, Financial Aid Agreement, Study Abroad Budget, Visa Forms, external provider forms
• Course Approvals - GVSU Course Codes, Issues, Gen Eds, Study Abroad Transcript Verification
• Returned Student - Welcome Back Event, Work Abroad Event

Study Abroad Advisor[email protected]

• Advise GVSU students interested in academic international experiences including financial, academic, cultural, health and safety issues
• Counsel students with unique issues (disabilities, dependents, chronic health issues, identity concerns) to enable them to successfully participate in study abroad.
• Assist with compiling student trends/statistics
• Coordinate study abroad fairs
• Supervise and train peer adviser staff

International Programs Coordinator

[email protected]

• Manages marketing, promotion, website design, social media and events for Padnos International Center/Study Abroad Team.
• Manage study abroad outreach
• Manage Study Abroad Outreach Assistant
• Advisor and coordinator for Internships, Independent Study experiences abroad and COST.

Study Abroad Coordinator[email protected]

• Manages study abroad publications
• Assists with study abroad outreach
• Manages study abroad website
• Oversees social media

Get to know an essential part of our team and work - our amazing student workers!

Peer Advisers

Outreach Assistant

Front Desk Assistants

Graduate Assistants

Study Abroad Peer Adviser

Studies: Computer Science & Economics
Hometown: Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Studied abroad in: USA
Has traveled to:Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, U.A.E., India, Belarus, & Switzerland

Study Abroad Peer Adviser

Studies: Computer Science
Hometown: Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 

Studied Abroad in: USA

Has traveled to:

United States, Lebanon, United KIngdom, Grenada, Barbados

Study Abroad Peer Adviser

Studies: Biomedical Sciences
Hometown: Midland, MI 

Studied Abroad in: N/A

Has traveled to:

France, England, The Netherlands, Barbados, Jamaica, The Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua, Trinidad, Saint Martin, The Bahamas, Canada.

Study Abroad Peer Adviser

Studies: Masters in Applied Computer Science
Hometown: Nigeria 

Studied Abroad in: USA

Has traveled to:

Nigeria, Benin Republic, USA

Study Abroad Peer Adviser

Studies: Art Education - Minor in Spanish Teaching
Hometown: Newaygo, Michigan 

Studied Abroad in: Sevilla, Spain

Has traveled to:

Spain, Morocco

Studies: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Rome, Italy 

Studied Abroad in: USA

Has traveled to:

France, Spain, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, USA, Mexico, Canada

Front Desk Assistant

Studies: Nursing

Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Studied abroad in: USA

Has traveled to:

Thailand & Cambodia

Front Desk Assistant

Studies: Applied Food and Nutrition with a Masters in Clinical Dietetics

Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Rico

Studied Abroad in: Nowhere yet!

Has Traveled to:

Mexico and Ecuador

Front Desk Assistant

Studies: Medical Laboratory Science

Hometown: Vietnam

Studied abroad in: USA

Has traveled to:

Thailand

Front Desk Assistant

Studies: Masters in Applied Computer Science
Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal

Studied abroad in: USA
Has traveled to:

USA, India

International Student Service Graduate Assistant

Studies: Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Hometown: Kumasi, Ghana

Studied abroad in: USA

Has traveled to:

South Africa, Senegal and Guinea.

International Student Service Graduate Assistant

Studies: Master of Science in Applied Computer Science

Hometown: Ubicherla, India

Studied abroad in: USA

Has traveled to:

Japan