Staff Spotlight: Jamie Shannon

One of my favorite travel experiences was being invited to a Thai wedding celebration while I was living in Chiang Mai. Completely out of the blue, I was invited by a local friend to join in festivities (which of course included karaoke) at the house of a very friendly couple I had never met. We spent the whole night eating, dancing, and laughing. The best part was how authentic and unexpected the whole experience was!

Adaptability - the ability to recognize when change is needed, and adjust your model and methods to meet those changing needs. CISabroad embodies this mentality and is always looking for ways that we can grow and better serve the needs of our growing student population.

I have learned to be more patient. As a very results-driven person, I am always wanting to charge full steam ahead with a new idea or project. I have learned to slow down and recognize the need to work with others; boldly moving forward alone is not always as productive as taking the time to collaborate and move ahead with the support and cooperation of others.

Every time I spend time onsite with a faculty-led group. It's an amazing feeling to see students learning how to navigate the public transit in a foreign city where they don't speak the language, or having discussions with each other both about how similar and different this new place is to the U.S. It is wonderful to see students thinking critically about the world we live in. In these moments, I am so proud to be part of a team that works to make these opportunities possible!

I love when I hear that this program was the first time a student has been out of the country, or even on a plane. It encourages me that these short-term programs are making a difference, and will hopefully be only the first of many experiences these students have around the globe!