International Services and Engagement Office Staff

Dulce Dorado
Senior Director of International Services & Engagement Office
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

As the Senior Director of the International Services & Engagement Office, Dulce Dorado enjoys helping students achieve their academic and personal goals. She received her Bachelor's degree in Political Science and minor in Japanese Studies from UC San Diego and Master's degree in Business Administration from California State University San Marcos. Dulce's career in international education has included advising international students both in university and English language program settings, developing innovative programs to engage international students in campus life, advising undergraduate students pursuing programs abroad, and teaching English at a public high school in Japan on the Japanese Exchange Teaching (JET) Program. She encourages students to share their culture and language with fellow classmates so everyone can benefit from the intercultural exchange and dialog. When away from the office, Dulce enjoys photography and hiking in the local mountains.

Roark Miller, Ph.D.
Interim Special Projects and Innovation Consultant
Pronouns: He/Him/His

Roark Miller has been working in international education for two decades, advising international scholars and students on the full gamut of academic visa classifications. Prior to coming to UC San Diego he worked in International Offices at Emory University and the Morehouse School of Medicine. Roark received his Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of Michigan, and his B.Mus. in Piano Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory. He received a Fulbright Hayes Fellowship for dissertation research in Venice, Italy, and a Fulbright International Education Administration award for India. He has served as Regbud for NAFSA Region 12, presented at numerous NAFSA regional conferences, and served as a NAFSA trainer.  Roark has also published articles in refereed journals, and has taught at Southern Methodist University and Emory University.

Pauline DeGuzman 
Assistant Director, International Student Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Pauline’s interest in International Education began with her summer abroad in Rome, Italy. Apart from learning about different cultures, she also enjoys navigating the ins and outs of immigration policy and how it affects our society at large. After earning her B.A. in Social Ecology & Criminology from the UC Irvine, she quickly found herself working for various institutions or higher education creating and implementing university policies that govern international students. On her spare time, she enjoys crafting with her Silhouette Cameo, visiting the SD Zoo with her family, and exploring new places to EAT!

Gabriela Hoffmann 

A Southern California native, Gabi received her bachelor's degree in history from UC Riverside and her master's degree in European studies from the University College London. She very much enjoys the interactive element of her job and helping students navigate through the ins and outs of life here as an international student. She recommends that international students get involved in the local community and UC San Diego campus as much as they can, as it will hugely benefit their time abroad and will lead to life-long friendships. Gabi's international experiences are many. She has lived and worked in South Korea, Japan, England, and Austria. In her free time, Gabi enjoys hiking and walking, especially around Torrey Pines.

Sandra Vargas Tinoco, J.D
Assistant Director, International Faculty & Scholar Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

As an Immigration Advisor, Sandra advises scholars and departments on employment based immigration categories. Sandra's favorite part of her job is meeting scholars from different parts of the world. Sandra has over 14 years of experience working in the immigration field. Sandra encourages scholars to ask questions when in doubt about their immigration status. Her experience in immigration helps her understand the complex regulations associated with visas. She graduated from UC San Diego with a B.A. in Political Science and earned a J.D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Sandra loves being back at UC San Diego and exploring all the new additions to the campus. In her free time, Sandra enjoys exploring San Diego with her family and running after her toddlers

Grace Fuller 

Grace received her bachelor's degree in International Studies from Pepperdine University with an emphasis in Intercultural Communication and a minor in Religion. Originally from Chicago, she spent a year studying abroad in Florence, Italy, as well as a year teaching abroad at JiangHan University in Wuhan, China post college. Throughout her career in higher education, she has focused on how we all operate out of our own culture as well as how other cultures enrich our communities and provide opportunities to learn outside of our lived experiences. She has experience working with American students abroad as well as international students abroad and domestically. Grace is excited to be at UC San Diego to foster and facilitate community and learning opportunities for international students. When away from the office, you can find Grace outside - she is pretty content as long as she is outdoors and loves to snorkel, paddleboard, hike, backpack and travel.

Victoria Gerginis-Mellos 
Office Manager
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Victoria manages office operations and procedures, oversees correspondence, and supports the International Faculty and Scholars Office. She is also the contact for logistics and inquiries from our various business offices, affiliates, and outside organizations. Prior to UC San Diego, Victoria provided outreach in the nonprofit sector and promoted farmers’ stories, the importance of a local food supply, as well as a collaborative educational program that taught urban children about nutrition. She has a Master’s degree in Education, and an undergraduate degree in Studio Arts. She was also a professional folk dancer and had performed in various cultural festivals throughout California. In her free time, Victoria enjoys reading, leisurely walks, and learning about various cultures through folk dance.

Chanelle Chestnutt
Compliance Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Chanelle recently relocated back to San Diego, her hometown, after living in Guam for the past 3 years. While in Guam, Chanelle worked for the University of Maryland University College, and prior to that, worked at California State University Northridge, where she completed her undergraduate education. Having spent time in Africa, Costa Rica, and Guam, Chanelle understands the difficulties of living in a foreign country and she is glad to be part of a team who can help out!

Peter Jombik
Compliance Coordinator
Pronouns: He/Him/His

Peter is a proud Triton, having graduated from UC San Diego with the Bachelor's degree in International Studies. Growing up in Europe, traveling extensively in Asia, and living the American Dream in California have all contributed to his affinity for anything international, and made him the true world citizen he is today. Being a student of Eleanor Roosevelt College (ERC), he followed ERC's main theme of "developing world citizens through scholarship, leadership, and service." During his senior year, Peter participated in the UC Education Abroad Program at the University of Hong Kong, tutored international students with the English-In-Action Program, and volunteered at the International Rescue Committee to help refugees in San Diego apply for college. Through all these experiences, he has developed a strong understanding of the needs of the international student community, as well as a strong passion for helping the members of this community to succeed in their studies and lives overall. For the past six years, Peter has been fortunate enough to make this passion his career in the field of international student services

Jullianna Laxmi Kadel
Compliance and Systems Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Jullianna Kadel is a Compliance and Systems Coordinator with ISEO's Scholar Services team. She originally grew up in the South Bay of Los Angeles and attended Oregon State University prior to moving to San Diego. She comes to UCSD with nearly nine years of customer service experience within the Food and Beverage industry, and since 2017 was a part of the Verant Restaurant Group operations management team for the Smoking Gun and Spill the Beans. She speaks Nepali and has traveled frequently to Nepal to spend time with her family. In her free time, she loves supporting local restaurants, visiting queer POC events or art spaces, crocheting, and exploring local beaches/trails/and parks with her friends and dog Chloe.

Alex Chen 
Student Assistant

Alex is a first-year student at Warren College, double majoring in Political Science: International Relations and Global Health. He grew up in Los Angeles, around a large majority of Asians. His background has brought him to become interested in Asian languages, ultimately deciding to minor in Japanese studies and wanting to study abroad in Taiwan. Alex’s ultimate goal is to serve his country in the U.S. Army and the United States government as a Foreign Service Officer.  In his free time, he enjoys exploring new places, watching movies, and just socializing. He hopes that being a IFSO student assistant will allow him to create connections and meet scholars who are part of unique research studies!

Sandra Vargas Tinoco, J.D
Assistant Director, International Faculty & Scholar Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

As an Immigration Advisor, Sandra advises scholars and departments on employment based immigration categories. Sandra's favorite part of her job is meeting scholars from different parts of the world. Sandra has over 14 years of experience working in the immigration field. Sandra encourages scholars to ask questions when in doubt about their immigration status. Her experience in immigration helps her understand the complex regulations associated with visas. She graduated from UC San Diego with a B.A. in Political Science and earned a J.D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Sandra loves being back at UC San Diego and exploring all the new additions to the campus. In her free time, Sandra enjoys exploring San Diego with her family and running after her toddlers

Olivia Cetin
Immigration Assistant 
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Olivia grew up in a bicultural household. She was part of an international community in Ankara, Turkiye and visited her family in San Diego every summer. Her diverse background has allowed her to understand the unique joys as well as challenges of navigating different cultures. She recognizes the challenges as well as the excitement of the adjustment process of moving to a new city and living in a new community. Her position also makes it easy to find commonalities with everyone. She graduated from UC San Diego with a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Psychology. During her time as an undergraduate student, she enjoyed doing research in educational psychology as well as learning about the complexity of micro and macro economies. She is currently volunteering in the English in Action (EIA) program. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the beach, learning new dances and exploring San Diego. Olivia has enjoyed travelling to new cities all around the world and looks forward to visiting more places on her bucket list in the future. As an IFSO immigration assistant, Olivia is excited to welcome the international community at UC San Diego and help make San Diego their new home.

Christine Sampankanpanich 
Senior International Scholar Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

As a Senior International Scholar Advisor, Christine works with departments, faculty, and scholars on various immigration matters, including J-1 and H-1B. She also serves as the university’s point contact for outside immigration attorneys who assist with permanent residency cases. Christine grew up in Los Angeles, CA and moved to San Diego, CA to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Literature-Writing from UC San Diego.  Upon completion of her studies, Christine worked as a certified paralegal at a global immigration law firm, where she handled employer-based immigration matters for a Fortune 500 tech company. While working full-time, Christine earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California. After 5 years in the private sector, Christine went on to work for the International Faculty & Scholars Office (now ISEO) and then spent 7 years as the sole faculty and scholar immigration advisor at San Diego State University. Christine returned to UC San Diego to continue to grow in her career and to be able to help a larger popular of faculty and scholars through the immigration process.  During her free time, Christine enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 young children. She also enjoys crafting, planning birthday parties for her family, and watching lots of TV.

Nallely Garcia 
Senior International Scholar Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Ella

Nallely provides immigration and administrative support to departments, scholars, and the International Faculty & Scholars Office. She is a first generation college graduate and is proud to have earned her degree in Sociology with a minor in Law and Society from UC San Diego. After completing her degree, her passion for helping others led her to work as a Sr. Paralegal in an immigration law firm. She returned to UC San Diego, where she gained student affairs and course management experience before returning to work in the immigration field by joining the IFSO team. Nallely has over ten years of direct experience in the immigration field and looks forward to continuing to help members of the Triton community through their immigration process. In her free time she enjoys exploring San Diego with her family, trying new food, and volunteering at the San Diego Food Bank. 

Ashley LeBourveau
International Scholar Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Ashley grew up in rural New York, and has always loved to travel after spending a short period of her childhood living in Germany. She completed her first degree in Burnaby, Canada, then moved on to Kentucky to earn a Masters in Library and Information Science. She has worked for over seven years as a departmental liaison for international staff, students, and faculty in Kentucky before moving to San Diego. While at Kentucky, she began studying Japanese and now also is studying Spanish. Having been an international student herself, Ashley loves to encourage others to go to new places and support them in their journeys. In her personal time, she writes video game reviews, takes road trips to new places, and can often be found carrying far too many books out of the library.

Jenna Canicosa
Student Assistant

Jenna is a third-year at Sixth College majoring in Data Science and minoring in Cognitive Science. After growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, she decided to move to San Diego for college to explore a new city and stay close to the ocean. With a passion for traveling, she became interested in learning more about other cultures and history. She grew interested in becoming a student assistant through her previous programming experience and enthusiasm for community building. In her free time, Jenna loves to play with her pet corgi, cook & eat, watch the sunset, and explore new places.

Tony Hu 
Student Assistant

Tony is a fourth-year student at Warren College, majoring in Economics and minoring in Accounting. He grew up in China and came to the U.S. when he was 15 for high school. He traveled a lot and has been to a lot of different countries in his early ages so he loves immersing himself in people with different cultural backgrounds. He is now taking Japanese classes on campus and ultimately wants to try living in Japan sometime in the future. As an international student, he understands the culture shocks and challenges that every international scholar might face when they first arrive in this country so he is eager to help out those who are in the same situation as he was. He is excited and looking forward to facilitating and developing in the IFSO to support everybody who needs his help. In his free time, he likes watching anime, plastic modeling, and hanging out with friends. 

Angie Yogaratnam 
Student Assistant

Angie is a fourth-year student at Marshall College, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Literature/Writing. She grew up in California with her immigrant family, and her diverse background made her eager to support the faculty and scholars seeking out community and support at UC San Diego. She loves traveling and wants to explore as many places around the world as she can. In her free time, Angie enjoys writing, reading, knitting, spending time with friends, and going to the gym. She is so excited to meet all the new scholars joining the UCSD family!

Pauline DeGuzman 
Assistant Director, International Student Services
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Pauline’s interest in International Education began with her summer abroad in Rome, Italy. Apart from learning about different cultures, she also enjoys navigating the ins and outs of immigration policy and how it affects our society at large. After earning her B.A. in Social Ecology & Criminology from the UC Irvine, she quickly found herself working for various institutions or higher education creating and implementing university policies that govern international students. On her spare time, she enjoys crafting with her Silhouette Cameo, visiting the SD Zoo with her family, and exploring new places to EAT!

Kyle Argonza
International Student Advisor
Pronouns: He/Him/His | They/Them/Theirs

Kyle is a first generation Filipino-American who has grown up in California for most of his life. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in Biopsychology. While growing up, he often heard his parents speak about their own immigration process and the cultural differences between the U.S. and the Philippines. As a result, Kyle became very interested in the international experience, eventually leading him to work with international students in the university setting. Kyle is passionate about aiding international students in their journey of personal growth at UC San Diego, which, aside from advising, can involve helping students discover their sense of self and achieve self-actualization. In his free time, Kyle likes to play piano, walk outside in nature, curate music playlists, play video games, watch TV shows and movies, read fiction, play with his dogs, and discuss the human mind, brain, experience, and condition.

Jessica Boyle
International Student Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Jessica received her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Wheaton College and her Master of Business Administration from the University of San Diego. As an undergraduate student, Jessica got involved as a volunteer leader with a local international student club, where she developed friendships with students from all around the world. During her college years, she also studied abroad in Japan. Having many friends who were international students, and being an international student herself, profoundly shaped Jessica’s appreciation for both the opportunities and challenges that students face when living and studying in another country. Jessica is a San Diego native, and when she is not working, she enjoys exploring San Diego’s diverse food scene, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.

Vanessa Cisneros
International Student Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Vanessa is originally from Saginaw, Michigan, and is a first generation descendant of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. Her position at UCSD blends her two professional passions: student services and international education. Since she was little, she has learned about the vast world around her at every opportunity. This led her to living and working in South Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Japan after completing her Bachelor’s degree in International relations at UC, Berkeley, a Master’s degree in American Indian Studies from UC, Los Angeles, and a CELTA with distinction from Cambridge English. As the first in her family to graduate high school, college, and graduate school, Vanessa does not take access to education for granted. Further, she understands from personal experience how higher education can change the trajectory of someone’s life. She looks forward to continued growth on Kumeyaay Territory and being of service to international students at UCSD as they cultivate their futures. In her free time, Vanessa can be found paddle boarding, hiking, camping, backpacking, biking, being a local foodie, or planning her next adventure.

Argiria Heyward 
International Student Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Argiria was born in Melbourne Australia and was raised between Australia and San Diego. A UC San Diego Alumni with a BA in International Studies-Sociology and a minor in Global Health, she has worked in International Education as well as Academic Affairs. She has worked closely with students and faculty, and loves helping people reach their goals and see their full potential. She has always had a passion for all things international and all things Anthony Bourdain- produced. She comes from a big multicultural Greek family and knows the struggles of adjusting in a different country. She encourages all students to take advantage of the amazing opportunities and allow themselves the ability to grow while here in San Diego. In her spare time she enjoys trying out different places to eat, traveling, and attending music and poetry events.

Laura Page
International Student Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Laura is a UCSD alumna with a BA in Sociology who spent one year studying abroad at McGill University in Montreal. She knows what it’s like to attend a university outside of her home country and return with a new perspective. The best part about being an Advisor, according to Laura, is interacting with students who come from different cultural backgrounds. Laura encourages students to reach out and get involved during their time at UC San Diego. Laura would like students to know there are a multitude of resources on campus which exist to help students succeed. Before returning to UCSD as an Advisor, she worked at a start-up semiconductor company as a Sales Manager handling international accounts She also holds an M.B.A. from San Diego State University. Laura enjoys walking and hiking, reading, volunteering as a leader for Girl Scouts, and spending time with her family.

Jeung Ho (Jo) Peters 
International Student Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Jo was born and raised in Germany as a daughter of Korean immigrants. She graduated from Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum with a masters degree in Film and Television and minors in Economics and Sociology. Having relocated to the U.S. in 2004, Jo knows what it feels like to be a newcomer to a foreign country and wants to help international students who are experiencing the same thing. Jo has been working as a student adviser focusing on international education for the past 10 years. She is passionate about meeting new international students and getting to know their culture. In her free time Jo enjoys taking pictures, meeting friends, taking long bike rides along the coast, sports in general, traveling to foreign countries and experiencing different cultures, and volunteering for the German American Film Festival.

Shelly Taskin
International Student Advisor
English-in-Action Conversation Program Coordinator 
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Shelly received a BA in Business Administration at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado and subsequently attended UC San Diego Extension and earned her Professional Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). After receiving her TEFL certificate, she taught English in Turkey for a year, where she met her husband and enjoyed experiencing Turkish culture and rich Turkish cuisine, especially Icli Kofte! She enjoys meeting and helping international students to make the best of their international university experience while learning more about their cultures. In her spare time. Shelly enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and taking her dog, Rosie on outings around San Diego.

Felicia Young
International Student Advisor &
Sponsored Students and Special Programs Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Felicia has been a proud member of the UC family since she graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science with an emphasis in Physiology and minor in Psychology. She earned her master's degree in Education with an emphasis in Multicultural Counseling from San Diego State University. She has worked in UC admissions at Merced, San Diego, Santa Cruz, and Berkeley - Haas, and as an academic advisor at San Diego. Before joining the ISPO team, she worked as a high school counselor in San Diego. Felicia's passion for helping students achieve their educational, career, and personal goals drives her enthusiasm and dedication. When Felicia is not working, she enjoys exercising, crafting, baking, and spending time at the beach with her family, including her therapy dog, Bailey.

Stella Birungi Beaupre
Intake Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Stella was born in Uganda, grew up in Sweden, and moved to Hawai’i as an exchange student at Hawai’i Pacific University (HPU), where she ultimately ended up getting her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Her last year as an undergraduate student she studied abroad in Costa Rica. While getting her Master’s degree she worked in the International Admissions Office at HPU and developed her passion for working with international students. She has a particular understanding of the difficulties students can face when learning in a new environment and therefore loves helping students who are taking the same steps she once did. She has traveled the world and made connections on almost every continent and recently settled down in San Diego with her husband and their two children. In her free time, she loves going to the beach, hiking, and of course traveling.

Melissa Pante
Intake Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Melissa Pante is an alumni of UC San Diego with a BS in Aerospace Engineering. Current world events and growing up in an underserved community of mostly immigrants shaped her desire to help people that take risks and work hard to be where they are. She firmly believes that only international collaboration has the power to move us forward into a new world and encourages students and scholars to broaden their outlook by making connections with those that have different lived experiences than our own. Melissa is excited to work with the international community at UC San Diego and to witness how they will use their knowledge to make meaningful contributions to the world. Outside of work she enjoys keeping up with global events, reading fiction or historical anlysis, playing video games, taking long walks, and spending time with her partner and cat.

Summer Bennett 
Intake Advisor 
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Summer is a UCSD alumni with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies-Economics and International Relations, where she competed on the UCSD Swim Team for four years. Her passion for international education began after studying abroad in Cádiz, Spain. Since then, she has lived and worked in South Korea, Croatia, Portugal, Panama, Costa Rica, Australia, and lastly, Sweden, where she earned her master’s degree in International and Comparative Education from Stockholm University. As a former international student, she is excited to both learn from and support the international student community at UCSD. In her free time, she enjoys reading, walking in nature, and traveling to sunny places.

Karina Ivanyan 
Intake Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Karina is a recent University of San Diego graduate with a degree in International Relations and Spanish (minor). Working as the Student Experience and Engagement Programs Assistant at ISPO has allowed her to develop a passion for international higher education. Now, as an Intake Advisor, Karina continues to work on projects related to student engagement for new and continuing international students at UC San Diego and is excited to meet more international students in her new role. She enjoys learning about different cultures as well as photography, cooking, and going on road trips with her family and friends in her spare time

Eva Ascher 
Intake Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers 

Eva is a San Diego native growing up in Coronado and coming from a military family. She wanted to move to a city with a few more seasons so she spent her undergraduate time at Seattle Pacific University. During her time studying for her English Literature degree, she found a love for baking and worked in Pike Place Market at Le Panier Bakery. She moved back to San Diego 8 years ago and after working at a few restaurants including Herb and Wood in Little Italy she decided to start her own wedding cake business. She enjoyed delivering wedding cakes to every part of San Diego county and working with so many different wedding vendors. She enjoys baking on the side now and being able to work with different scholars and learning about their studies that bring them to UCSD.

Kathleen McLaren
Intake Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Kathleen received her B.A. in psychology from the University of Virginia. She traveled to both Canada and Mexico as a teenager, but it was not until she worked abroad in Scotland that the travel bug truly took its grip. While earning her M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Ohio State University, she had the opportunity to go abroad again and completed a summer internship program at Lancaster University in England. Post Scotland and Ohio, she was feeling a bit chilly and took a job as a Residence Hall Coordinator in San Diego. She was able to strengthen her connections in the field of International Education by volunteering at the International Student Center, and co-creating and managing the International House on that campus. In spring 2004, Kathleen had the amazing good fortune to sail as a staff member with Semester at Sea! She then finally and officially cracked into the field of International Education, working at UC San Diego and then the University in Virginia for a combined 14 ½ years as a Study Abroad Advisor. Kathleen is excited and thankful to have returned to UC San Diego and happy to have the opportunity to now work with all of you!

Rachel Berge 
Intake Advisor
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Rachel Berge graduated from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Cognitive Science. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she fell in love with the UCSD campus and hasn't been able to leave since! She has several years of experience working in front desk administration, and she is looking forward to continuing her work in higher education as a student advisor. Always happy to help and listen, her goal is to be a good-spirited and approachable resource for others, wherever she goes. Outside of work, she enjoys learning new skills, reading sci-fi/fantasy novels, playing video games, drawing, traveling, hiking, and volunteering in animal welfare and nature conservation!

Gabriela Hoffmann 
Assistant Director, International Experience & Engagement
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

A Southern California native, Gabi received her bachelor's degree in history from UC Riverside and her master's degree in European studies from the University College London. She very much enjoys the interactive element of her job and helping students navigate through the ins and outs of life here as an international student. She recommends that international students get involved in the local community and UC San Diego campus as much as they can, as it will hugely benefit their time abroad and will lead to life-long friendships. Gabi's international experiences are many. She has lived and worked in South Korea, Japan, England, and Austria. In her free time, Gabi enjoys hiking and walking, especially around Torrey Pines.

Grace Fuller 
Manager, International Experience & Engagement
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Grace received her bachelor's degree in International Studies from Pepperdine University with an emphasis in Intercultural Communication and a minor in Religion. Originally from Chicago, she spent a year studying abroad in Florence, Italy, as well as a year teaching abroad at JiangHan University in Wuhan, China post college. Throughout her career in higher education, she has focused on how we all operate out of our own culture as well as how other cultures enrich our communities and provide opportunities to learn outside of our lived experiences. She has experience working with American students abroad as well as international students abroad and domestically. Grace is excited to be at UC San Diego to foster and facilitate community and learning opportunities for international students. When away from the office, you can find Grace outside - she is pretty content as long as she is outdoors and loves to snorkel, paddleboard, hike, backpack and travel.

Jasleen Sahota
Marketing & Communications Student Assistant

Jasleen is a fourth-year student at UCSD, majoring in International Business and minoring in Marketing. With over three years of experience creating social media content, her passion for the field has led her to take on roles such as the Co-lead of Marketing at Trend Magazine and the MarComm intern at ISEO. Through her role at ISEO, she hopes to connect international students with resources and memorable events both on and off-campus. When she's not doing all things marketing, you can catch her hiking, reading, baking, or watching a classic rom-com!

Michelle Huynh 

What is a piece of advice you have for first-year international students? You may be far away from home but find small ways to make yourself feel at home. This may be cooking and sharing your favorite meals with your roommates or joining a social organization close to your own cultural background. Home is always where you are.

During your first year as an international Triton, what were you most excited about? Being a part of the Theatre District at UC San Diego, especially since La Jolla Playhouse is right on campus. I was also excited to meet everyone in my program and further develop my teaching career at UC San Diego.

When you're not on campus, people can find you doing what or being where? At the beach and enjoying my weekends at the mall. I am slowly building my indoor jungle as a newly minted "plant mom," so you can catch me at the local plant nurseries as well. I also love trying new drink spots around San Diego for a good cup of coffee or delicious boba.

What is an interesting fact you want your mentees to know about you? I grew up in Hawaii where the sociocultural dynamics are vastly different from the continental US. I, too, had to adjust to the different culture here in "the mainland." I also grew up with multilingual first-generation immigrant parents, so I truly empathize with the difficulties that come with transitioning to live in a new country and/or culture.

What are your top goals for the upcoming academic year? Begin writing my dissertation, prepare for my research in Southeast Asia next year, collaborate with other theatre artists, and better serve the UC San Diego community.