Bon Jour! Guten Tag! Habari Gani! Buenos Días! Greetings!
Welcome to the Office of International Programs and Services and Western Carolina University! I am the director of the office and have the responsibility of coordinating international activities for the university. My interest in new cultures began as a small child. My grandparents emigrated from Croatia in the early part of the 20th century, and although I did not learn the language, I heard Croatian spoken at family gatherings and enjoyed Croatian music played on the radio.
After I graduated from college, I travelled to Germany where I learned German and taught art in the German public schools for five years in north and south Germany. It was an experience that completely altered my life and changed my perspective on the world and its many cultures. My teaching experience influenced me to study art education, so I returned to the states to earn my master and Ph.D. degrees, writing my thesis and dissertation on topics related to German art education. My husband is a Kenyan anthropologist here at WCU and we have one son. My travels have taken me to Scandinavia, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, UK, Ireland, Kenya, South Africa, China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
Since its inception in 1996, IPS has sought to internationalize the campus at Western Carolina University in a number of ways. I have been involved with the office since 1998 and have watched the office grow. Currently, we are divided into Study Abroad Programs, International Student Services, International Outreach to the campus and community, and administration.
In addition to assisting incoming international students with visas and student services
once they arrive on campus, our office is responsible for establishing and maintaining
over 100 study abroad exchanges for our students and faculty. We also manage international
outreach programs, initiate new exchanges, recruit international students, assist
departments with hiring international faculty, and sponsor international events and
visiting international faculty.
We look forward to visiting with you! Come by the office to check us out!
