Director of Study Abroad and International Partnerships
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Ehren has come full circle in life, having been born and raised in West Michigan, studying abroad in Australia as an undergraduate, and serving in the Peace Corps in Kazakhstan, where she learned to speak Russian. Ehren previously worked in Western Illinois University’s Office of Study Abroad and Outreach, and came to us in the summer of 2017.

Ehren likes the color green, the color of nature. She finds it relaxing, and recharges herself through weight training, running, meditation and yoga. An outdoor person, she also enjoys swimming in Lake Michigan or the ocean.

Ehren wants us to know that “to have another language is to possess another soul,” a quote attributed to Charlemagne. Learning to speak Russian opened her up to another people, another culture, an entirely different way to live. 

Study Abroad Advisor
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While in high school Meaghann Myers-Smith may have been voted least likely to study abroad, but in the Padnos International Center, she absolutely wins as Best Study Abroad Adviser ever. As a GVSU student, she studied in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, China and El Salvador, which turned out to be life-changing experiences. Meaghann is now the Study Abroad Adviser for the Padnos International Center; as such, she is responsible for hiring and training all of PIC’s student peer advisors, counseling all students in their choice of location, academic program and class line-up, serves as liaison to all other academic advisors across campus, coordinates the Study Abroad Fairs and other related events, organizes all program materials and information, digital and hard copy, and all advising sessions.

Meaghann says “I like that (my position) keeps me connected to young people. I also love that it’s meaningful work. Assisting students with their first journey into this big, beautiful world is incredibly rewarding! Although all experiences are unique, I like to think that study abroad is really the enemy of prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness. This is especially important when shaping the world views of people (students) who will one day likely be in positions of power.”

When not being The Best Study Abroad Adviser Ever and mentor to hundreds, she is the mother of three, fluent in Spanish as a second language, a pop culture maven (Beyonce rules) and can often be heard to ask “where are my (keys, phone, purse)?”

Meet the Peer Adviser Staff!

Peer advisers are an essential part of the PIC Team! They help guide students through the study abroad process. 

Read More About the Peer Adviser Staff

Coordinator of Faculty-Led Programs
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Elena Selezneva, PIC’s Coordinator of Faculty-led Programs and Internships, is a native of the Don steppes of Russia, where, compared to Michigan, winters are milder and less extreme. Elena brings a wealth of cultural knowledge, experience and perspective to the staff of the Padnos International Center. A passionate proponent of Russian art, music and literature, a native Russian speaker, master of English, and frequent world traveler, Elena is uniquely positioned to advise students and provide support to faculty who lead groups of students overseas on study abroad trips.

Elena loves cooking, good food, good company, dancing, travel, and being outdoors. She is an avid and experienced traveler, and revels in the discovery of new places. Elena particularly enjoys the opportunity her position provides in working with students, faculty, and co-workers who are goal-oriented towards developing internationally.

International Programs Coordinator
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Alissa Lane’s diminutive size barely contains her ginormous personality and seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm; indeed, some suspect she has an identical twin. As PIC’s Coordinator of Marketing and Outreach, Alissa is responsible for getting our message out to the GVSU community; by effectively using social media platforms, by designing the look and feel of our publications (Global Connections), advertising, and through classroom presentations. She creates and coordinates various events, information seminars, tabling, and video production.

When she’s not busy being a dynamo here, she likes to play soccer two or three nights a week, loves writing, photography, and of course, travel and exploration. Alissa says what she likes most about her job is the chance to “help students start an adventure. Going abroad was the best thing I ever did for myself.”

Padnos International Center Assistant
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Vicki Wenger, AKA Victorious VIP (Vicki in Padnos) is responsible for everything that makes PIC run!  Vicki is one of those detail-oriented people without whom an office would collapse in on itself in a matter of weeks.  Vicki enjoys working with students and the fact that every day in the office is different and unpredictable.

Vicki is passionate about physical exercise; she enjoys running, HIIT class, bike riding, hiking, anything really that gets her outdoors. She’s a frequent participant in various races; 10K, 25K and ½ Marathon. Above all, she enjoys spending time with her family and grandkids and long trips with her husband on their Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Vicki loves the color purple, avocados, and sunny beaches. She’s never met a vegetable she didn’t like. She is not a fan of shoes or those who fail to say please and thank you. So please say hi to Vicki on your next visit to PIC. Thank you!

Executive Director
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With more than 20 years of International Education experience, Kate Stoetzner has recently been named the Interim Executive Director of the Padnos International Center. Her passion serves the students well as they cross borders to new experiences. She’s excited to be helping the GVSU community increase cultural competency and understanding, as well as meet professional and personal goals.

Outside of PIC, Kate enjoys traveling the globe, and spending time with her family and friends. She enjoys the Great Lakes and inland lakes of Michigan.  Her favorite Michigan activities include cheering on the mushers in the UP 200 and swimming in the summer sunshine. Outside of the US, some memorable moments have been swimming in the Red Sea, dining in the Prague Castle, and bartering at markets around the globe. 

Director of International Student and Scholar Services
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If you can catch the blur of red hair and energy blowing through the Padnos International Center, say hello to Elizabeth (Libby) Jawish, our Director of International Student and Scholar Services. This bilingual dynamo of British and Lebanese heritage speaks fluid Arabic, and loves cooking, baking, sewing, gardening, reading, writing, travel, and adventure in general. She’s never met a vegetable she didn’t like. She is not a fan of laziness, whining, or shoes.

As regards her role at PIC, she says “my favorite part of my work is the students. International students are so strong, interesting, impressive and brave. I love learning from them and trying to help them within my capacity as an advisor-come-mentor-come-resource connector.”

Faculty-Led Program Coordinator

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Dr. Kirsten Bartels joins PIC as a Faculty-Led Program Coordinator having experienced all sides of studying abroad (as a student, as a faculty member, as a program coordinator).  Taking the path less traveled by, she has wondered throughout Europe with her family while earning her PhD from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth as an international and non-traditional student.  Her research explored the depth and breadth of Contemporary Holocaust Fiction for Young Adults before transitioning to examine narratives of the Holocaust in popular video games.   

She has journeyed with students throughout the UK, Singapore, and Malaysia, and has planned faculty-led trips to various parts of the globe. While she has been to 5 of the 7 continents, she jokes that her husband will never take her back to Australia because she admits that the next time she sets foot on Australian soil she will never leave.