Biography: Mohamed (Said) Said is a program coordinator for the American Semester Program and Exchanges unit of the Office for Education Abroad. Said brings over a decade of experience from the American University in Cairo (AUC) and Zewail City of Science and Technology in Egypt. At AUC, Said developed his passion for promoting global engagement, leading student groups on international trips, and developing student leaders. Outside of work, he enjoys scuba diving, exploring Michigan with his family, and hunting.
Biography: Jean-Paul Sewavi is a Program Coordinator responsible for managing education abroad programs offered through the Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Engineering, and Natural Science. Jean-Paul also serves as liaison with African Studies Center and the Center for Community-Engaged Learning. With over 25 years of experience in education abroad program management, he brings invaluable experience and expertise in managing faculty-directed study abroad and global community-engaged learning programs. He holds a master’s degree in Multicultural and International Management from the School for International Training (SIT) and has led countless global education initiatives to Africa and continues to champion international development initiatives. Prior to MSU, Jean-Paul managed education abroad programs at the University of Dayton and the State University of New York at New Paltz (SUNY –New Paltz).
Biography: As associate director, Inge provides leadership for all functions related to program development and management, including supervision of a team of program coordinators. She works with the colleges on developing and maintaining a well-balanced overall program portfolio. In addition, she directs faculty engagement and development, including academic outreach, faculty seminars, site visits and an annual workshop series. Inge has written scholarly articles on a variety of international education topics and has co-edited two books, including NAFSA’s Learning Across Cultures. A member of and regular conference contributor to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Inge has held national leadership positions, including as chair of the 2016 national NAFSA conference. A native of Heidelberg, Germany, Inge first came to the U.S. on a Fulbright. She earned her PhD in intercultural communication from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, where she also worked in the Office of International Education and taught in the department of communication. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exercising, and cooking.
Biography: Haley Thompson is the Senior Coordinator for the American Semester Program and Exchanges unit of the Office for Education Abroad. She’s responsible for the strategic direction and daily operation of the inbound visiting student programs (American Semester Program) and also manages the oversight of all exchange partnerships, including working with outgoing students. Haley oversees the ASP Ambassador program and liaises closely with many colleges and units across campus. She has more than 10 years of experience in international higher education and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Saginaw Valley State University and a Master of Arts in Intercultural Communication from Illinois State University. When not on campus, Haley can be found hitting the trails with her family or in a lake somewhere.
Biography: Sandy Tupper is a Senior Programs Coordinator in the Office for Education Abroad and is responsible for administering education abroad programs offered through the Colleges of Social Science and Nursing. Sandy works closely with program directors on budgets, logistical matters and academic issues as well as collaborates with international partner institutions. She also assists students and staff with matters related to her programs. Sandy began her work in the field of international education at Lansing Community College working with the Japan Adventure and Japan Horizon Programs. She later worked on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program as a coordinator for international relations in a Japanese government office in Kagawa Prefecture. Sandy holds a BA in Interdisciplinary studies and MA in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University and brings 30 years of experience in working in education abroad. In her free time Sandy likes to work in her garden, travel and spend time with her family.
Biography: Elizabeth Wandschneider is the Senior Assistant Director and oversees all financial activity for the office as well as its daily operational strategy. Elizabeth has taught in five different universities and published on data collection issues around post-program student evaluations. She has presented at numerous regional and national/international conferences on topics ranging from group dynamics in education abroad programs to exchange agreements. In addition, Elizabeth is certified to administer both the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and the Beliefs, Events and Values Inventory (BEVI). Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, Elizabeth's international experiences began as a high-school student in 1982, when she was awarded a month-long trip to Germany through a competitive worldwide competition organized by the PAD (Pädagogischer Austauschdienst). She received her PhD in German Language and Literature from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario in 1995 and moved to East Lansing in 2000.