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Faculty, Staff and Alumni Profiles

Susan Popko - IEW Profile Spotlight
Susan Popko
Associate Provost for International Programs
How would you define your international education experience? 
  • Study Abroad Student

What was your international education experience like?

I studied abroad as an undergraduate student on a January term program in Guadalajara, Mexico and for a semester in Vienna, Austria. I also completed my graduate degree abroad in England. Living abroad has impacted my life in every way and has led directly to my career in international education. The opportunity to experience living in diverse ways in cultures that value community and time differently than the U.S. has been a gift and has forever changed my perspective on how we are interconnected across the world.

What message do you have to share with students and community members about the importance of international education?

International education is the vehicle for encountering cultures outside your own direct experience and learning that there are multiple ways to do things in the world. Through international education we are connected with people from all over the world and have the opportunity to encounter new perspectives and world views that, in turn, shape our own.