What initially inspired your passion for international education and global engagement? Given your extensive experience leading student groups to various locations like Costa Rica, Ghana, South Africa, Thailand- what key lessons have you learned about effectively preparing students to manage safety risks abroad?
I think most importantly, it’s about setting expectations early. That includes what’s expected, what’s allowable, and what the purpose of the program is—and what it’s not. I’ve always been upfront that this isn’t a time for drinking, partying, or goofing off. The focus is academic, cultural engagement, and community service.
Building rapport and empathy with students is also key. Once expectations are clear, you can build trust and confidence. Then it’s about sharing resources—what to pack, how to carry yourself, places to avoid. It sets them up to engage responsibly and confidently.
Is there a specific example of a safety or risk-related situation you’ve navigated, and how did that shape your approach?
So many over the years. I’ve taken students to the ER in Ghana at 3am, helped them find medical care, and once saw a leg amputation and two births during an ER visit while a student had a GI issue. That moment was formative for her—she later worked with NGOs on rural healthcare.
More seriously, last year I experienced my first student death abroad. Having support services on the ground and a trusted security provider helped us immensely. They coordinated counseling, helped the faculty and students, worked with the family. That experience really reinforced the importance of reliable partnerships and on-site support—especially with the volume of students we now send.
How do you balance encouraging students’ sense of adventure with adherence to safety protocols?
Our advisors do a great job during pre-departure and ongoing student engagement. We provide resources and expectations but also encourage exploration. Honestly, I think today’s students are different—more driven, many are first-gen, and take things seriously. We work hard to reinforce they’re still UNC students abroad, ambassadors for our institution. That pride seems to help keep them grounded.
What trends or challenges do you see ahead for study abroad safety?
One big one is growing anti-Americanism and the broader political climate. Students are increasingly likely to face negative perceptions abroad. It’s not just protests—they might be confronted about where they’re from. We’ve had to prepare them better, not by telling them to pretend they’re Canadian, but by helping them reflect on their identity and responses. That awareness is key.
Another is the elimination of identity-specific travel guidance on government sites. We’ve worked with groups like Diversity Abroad (now DA Global) to ensure students—especially from marginalized groups—still have access to relevant safety info.
How are you addressing the matter of access to relevant safety info at your institution?
We’re doing a lot more engagement with identity-based student groups. My partner is actually leading a program in Puerto Rico right now for Latinx, first-gen students—some had never even flown before. We also brought in a theater troupe to act out real-world scenarios during faculty training. It was hugely impactful and better than passive trainings. Next year, we want to show things going wrong and have faculty reflect, then see the “corrected” version. It’s about keeping training fresh and real, especially for faculty who’ve led trips for years.
