Facebook and Instagram Live Student Sessions: August–September

To support and inform international students and educational systems navigating the current challenging and evolving climate, Study in the USA established Student Sessions on Facebook and Instagram Live this past spring. The weekly program connects current and prospective international students with universities and peers. All sessions take place at Pacific Standard Time, and all will be recorded for viewing after the live broadcast.

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August–September Presenters & Topics

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Dawn Wood, Dean, International Programs, Kirkwood Community College
Community College Overview — Understanding Pathways
Dawn Wood serves as the dean of international programs for Kirkwood Community College. With more than 20 years of experience in international education, Ms. Wood is responsible for forwarding the international vision and global commitment of Kirkwood Community College. The international programs area at Kirkwood requires her direction in the area of international partnerships, international student services, international admission and recruitment, study abroad programming, intercultural exchange, international grant management, and international curriculum and faculty development.
Ms. Wood graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international business and psychology from the University of Northern Iowa. She also holds a master’s degree in international management with an emphasis in international education and training from the School for International Training.

​Ms. Wood has experience living and working abroad in both Denmark and the Czech Republic and has travelled extensively throughout the world in her work. She has served as a leader and presented at many international conferences including involvement in several international education organizations including NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Phi Beta Delta, Professional International Educators Roundtable, StudyIowa, and Community Colleges for International Development and Global Education Network.

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William E. Wegert, D.Min., Dean, International Student Programs, Resident Enrollment, Liberty University
Christian Smith, International Recruitment Coordinator 
Surprising Reasons Students Thrive at a Faith-Based Institution…Even If They Are Not Religious
Dr. William Wegert has served at Liberty University for the past 36 years, most recently as the dean of international student programs, overseeing international student recruitment, admissions, orientation, advising, retention, and compliance with US Homeland Security regulations governing the student visa. He has travelled to scores of countries to present this unique university to students, parents, schools, agencies, and government officials.  He has presented the benefits of a faith-based education to audiences on radio and television in various countries. Because of his experience with international students, he understands what it takes for international students to be successful both during college and after graduation as they pursue their occupational and professional goals. Over the past three decades, he has developed programs to help thousands of international students gain the most value from their college experience and to become world-changers after graduation. He firmly believes that students should build an impressive resume while in college so they are given top consideration for high-paying jobs after graduation, and he explains how students can do that while completing their degrees.

Christian Smith has worked at Liberty University for the past six years. During this time, he has worked with online and residential students at all degree levels and previously oversaw the intensive department responsible for bringing graduate students to campus for week-long intensive courses. He has most recently moved to international recruiting where he works alongside Dr. Bill Wegert in not only growing the international student population, but in making sure every international student is able to feel at home at Liberty University while succeeding in their college goals.

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Dr. Philip Hull, Director, International Involvement Center, Northwest Missouri State University
Wissem Abid, Assistant Director of Global Engagement, Snow College
Benefits of a Community College and Transferring to a University
Dr. Philip Hull has been in higher education for over 30 years, as a professor and international educator.  He received his Ph.D. in American Literature from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1996 and has worked for private colleges and public universities. He currently serves as the director of the International Involvement Center at Northwest Missouri State University, where he has worked since 2014, overseeing international recruitment and study abroad programs.  Dr. Phil has traveled to more than 60 countries, with the most special being recent trips to the Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland with his older son and wife, and Vietnam and Sri Lanka with his younger son.

​Wissem Abid holds an M.A. in international relations from The University of Akron, OH. Wissem was a Fulbright Scholar at Hiram College, OH, where he taught Arabic language classes. He has been working in the field of international education for 10 years through different positions at various colleges and universities. He is currently the assistant director of the Center for Global Engagement at Snow College, UT. At Snow College, Wissem advises international students on admissions and helps with retention and recruiting.

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Andrew Hull, Associate Director of International, Shoreline Community College
Joseph Chin, UT Austin Grad, Shoreline CC alumni
From Shoreline Community College to Tech Career
Andrew Hull has been working in higher education for 5 years, all in admissions. He has had the opportunity to work with both domestic and international students from across the U.S and the world. He has bachelor’s degrees in media communication and philosophy and a master’s degree in digital media. He currently lives in Seattle, Washington, where in his spare time he enjoys staying active by riding his bike, going for runs, and on the weekends hiking and camping in the many national forests and state parks that surround Seattle.

​Joseph Chin, who is from Taiwan, graduated from Shoreline Community College in 2016, after which he attended the University of Texas at Austin as a finance major. He then pursued an MS in business analytics degree at UT Austin and completed the 10-month program in May 2020. Joseph is now a data scientist at PayPal in the consumer analytics team, which allows him to combine his skillset in both finance and analytics.

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Lia Brenneman, University of Florida English Language Institute
The Benefits of Participating in Cultural Immersion Activities
While Studying at an Intensive English Program
Lia Brenneman coordinates marketing and recruitment and provides new teacher and graduate teaching assistant supervision at the English Language Institute at UF. She is a doctoral candidate at UF in curriculum and instruction, with an emphasis on educational technology. Her experiences in teaching and international recruiting provide a connection with students and their families. Having studied and worked abroad,  Lia understands the dedication international families have to seeking out academic programs for their students at U.S. universities. She encourages international students to take advantage of all the opportunities a university community can provide in order to reach their academic and personal goals. ​

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Yaruby Petit-Frere, Director, Felician University
Studying at a Faith-Based University
Yaruby Petit-Frere is the director for the Office of International Programs at Felician and has been in the international higher education industry for nearly 20 years. As a chief immigration officer and enrollment manager, Yaruby has focused on sharing her own international student experience as the best tool to help international students achieve success during their studies in the U.S.

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Tracy Koslowski, Associate Director, The University of Mississippi
Navigating the Many Program Options at a Large U.S. University
Tracy Koslowski is the associate director of recruitment and development of the Intensive English Program at The University of Mississippi, where she has been on the faculty since 2008. She has extensive experience as an educator and administrator and has served in leadership positions in various professional organizations pertaining to language and pedagogy. She has presented at various regional, national, and international TESOL conferences throughout her career and has conducted seminars and workshops at institutions in Germany, Vietnam, Cuba, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. Tracy is the past president of Alabama Mississippi TESOL (AMTESOL).

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Karen Eden, Director, St. Ambrose University
The International Admissions Process
Karen Eden is the director of graduate and international admission. She has worked in higher education for more than 20 years with experience in both undergraduate and graduate admissions. This experience is with domestic, international, and online students. She holds a double major bachelor’s degree from Loras College, a master’s of organizational leadership from St. Ambrose University and will be completing her MBA from SAU in December 2020. Karen is a proud mother of 4 children who all attend St. Ambrose University.

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Mandy Zhang Feuerbacher, Argo
Expert Visa Preparation
Mandy Zhang Feuerbacher has more than 7 years of experience working as a U.S. diplomat and consular (visa) officer for the U.S. Department of State at U.S. embassies and consulates in China, Mexico, and Hong Kong. Mandy is also a U.S. immigration attorney who started her own law practice after leaving government service. She has interviewed more than 100,000 business executives, students, tourists, and immigrants all wishing to travel to or live in the United States. Mandy has managed and trained teams of visa officials on different parts of the immigration process and interview techniques. She has collaborated with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on investigating visa fraud. She is the executive vice president of consular affairs at Argo, the world’s first company consisting of former U.S. consular officers who will provide one-on-one guidance to clients to ace their visa interview. She wants to ensure that each Argo client has the most accurate information about the visa application process and the best chance for success in attaining their goals in the United States.

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Rochelle L. Wallace, Director of International Relations, Otero Junior College
The 2+2 Pathway:  How to Transfer Successfully
Rochelle Wallace (Chellie) has worked in the field of international education for more 25 years at public, private, two-year, and four-year institutions. She currently serves as the director of international relations at Otero Junior College in La Junta, CO.  She has a B.A. in international studies from the University of Evansville and an M.A. of liberal studies from the University of Southern Indiana. Her international experience includes serving for two years as a JET Programme Assistant Language Teacher in Ogawa, Japan,  participating in the Fulbright Seminar for U.S. Administrators in International Education in Germany, and work-related travel to study abroad destinations in Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

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Mabel Perez, Carola Smith, Mirjam Maier, Santa Barbara City College
Why a Community College Is a Smart Choice for International Students and How SBCC Stands Out from Other Community Colleges for International Students
Mabel Perez is the international outreach and admissions coordinator at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) and joined the international team four years ago. She loves to share the benefits SBCC has to offer to prospective international students and enjoys meeting with them and their parents. During her lunch time, she takes advantage of SBCC’s close proximity to the beach to exercise on the sand.

Carola Smith currently serves as dean of the business division and international programs at SBBC. In this role, she provides oversight for SBCC’s study abroad program as well as for the college’s international student support program and is responsible for recruitment, enrollment management, international engagement, international admissions, program development, and risk management. For the past five years, she held various leadership roles within the NAFSA Academy and served two terms as chair of the NAFSA Academy. Carola came to the U.S. as an international student and earned a bachelor degree, masters degree and teaching certificate in English as a Second Language from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has lived and traveled abroad extensively and considers herself a product of international education. 

​Mirjam Maier is an international student from Germany who came to SBCC about two years ago. She majors in film production and marketing and is planning to work within these fields after she graduates next semester. Mirjam also works at the international office on campus, where she creates marketing content for international students and the study abroad department.

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Samantha Talavera, Manager, Arizona State University
How to Choose the Right Online English Program
My name is Samantha, or Sam, Talavera, and I’m the marketing and communications manager with Global Launch at Arizona State University. Prior to my time with Global Launch, I enjoyed a career at the sport media company Bleacher Report, did brand management for professional boxers in Las Vegas with Al Haymon, and spent time doing product marketing with a tech startup in Silicon Valley. I’m currently social distancing in Phoenix, Arizona, with my spaniel Senator Gracie Marie Biscuits.

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Teresa Tope, Santa Rosa Junior College
Why Do Nearly Half of American Students Start Their Bachelor’s Degree at a Community College?
Teresa Tope coordinates the international student program at Santa Rosa Junior College. She has worked in the field of international education for more than 25 years and holds a master’s degree in international economic and political assessment. Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) was established in 1918, making it one of the oldest community colleges in California. Many SRJC students transfer to top ranked universities across the U.S. and more than 80% of SRJC students who apply to a University of California campus are accepted.

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Lory Coffey, Assistant Director, College of Central Florida
Finding Your Path to a Florida University
Lory Coffey is an assistant director of admissions & international student services at the College of Central Florida. She earned her masters in public administration and has a passion for international education. Lory is experienced and knowledgeable about international admissions and the F-1 visa process; she has guided many students in achieving their goals of studying in the U.S.

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Rachel Stokes, University of Texas at Austin
3 Tips to Sound More Like a Native Speaker Right Now: Excerpts from Online Pronunciation at UT Austin
Teacher Rachel Stokes has been with the English Language Center at The University of Texas at Austin since 2013. Since 2005 she has taught ESL in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Jordan. Her undergraduate degree is in music, and her master’s is in applied linguistics and ESL. In the last three years, she has taught the English Language Center’s online pronunciation class to hundreds of students from all of the world. She loves helping non-native English speakers gain more clarity, be understood more easily, and communicate with greater confidence.

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Matthew DeSoi, Associate Director of International Marketing & Outreach, Seattle Colleges
Jung Ha Yoo, Seattle Colleges alumnus
Seattle Colleges: Understanding the Benefits of a Community College District
Matthew DeSoi is the associate director of international marketing & outreach at Seattle Colleges, including Seattle Central College, North Seattle College, and South Seattle College.
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Jung Ha Yoo, of Seoul, South Korea, is a 2020 graduate of Seattle Central College’s “University Transfer” program—earning an associate of arts degree in liberal arts. During his time at Seattle Central, Mr. Yoo was an active member of Phi Theta Kappa and the Associated Student Council. In fall 2020, Mr. Yoo continues his education at Columbia University in New York. He plans to complete his bachelor’s degree in 2022.

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Victoria Kassie, IALC Senior Executive Secretary, Fordham University
Jesús Aceves-Loza, Administrator
Student Life in New York City: Experiencing, Sharing, and Learning in the Big Apple
Victoria has been senior executive secretary of the Institute of American Language and Culture since 2005. She earned an MA in human resource education from Fordham’s Graduate School of Education in 2012. In addition to her role as office manager, Victoria oversees the Language Exchange Program and the Culture Club — extracurricular activities that provide students with opportunities for language development outside the classroom.

​Jesús has more than 16 years of experience as an educator and administrator in both Mexico and the United States. He holds a BS in psychology, an MS in organizational development, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in administration and supervision at Fordham University. His cross-cultural leadership passion was born of his experience as an exchange student at Uppsala Universitet in Sweden. Jesús is a member of the New York State Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Association. At the IALC, he assists and provides support to the students so that they achieve their personal and educational goals.

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Mary Pickett, Executive Director, Columbia University
The American Language P​rogram at Columbia University: So Much More Than English
Mary Pickett is the director of the American Language Program (ALP) at Columbia University. She has worked in the ESL profession since 1993 as a teacher, teacher-trainer, and administrator. She has taught in Italy, Germany, Ecuador, and the United Kingdom, as well as in the U.S. Mary has been a teacher-trainer and assessor for the University of Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching for Adults and has trained more than 400 teachers in North America and in South Africa. From 2006 to 2010 she was the academic director for a small group of private language schools in New York, and in 2010 she joined the ALP as the associate director for intensive and part-time programs. She took over as director in 2015.