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Full-Time Staff
Sarah E. Spencer
Director of Study Abroad
(651) 962-6452sespencer@stthomas.edu
Sarah joined the University of St. Thomas in 1993. As Director, she oversees all Study Abroad activities, including strategic and operational planning and goal setting, policy and procedure development, program management and assessment and staff management. She collaborates with faculty, administrators and professional and overseas colleagues to further UST’s efforts to integrate off-campus study with the curriculum and in support of the university’s internationalization goals. Sarah has served on various university and professional committees, and was elected to the Forum on Education Abroad Council in 2011. She is co-editor of NAFSA's "The Guide to Successful Short-term Programs Abroad," the only publication that supports both faculty and international offices in the development and management of short-term programs.
Timothy Dohmen
Associate Director of Study Abroad
(651) 962-6444dohm0636@stthomas.edu
Tim’s responsibilities include the management of study abroad operations, oversight of outbound student exchange and student advising. He also manages the London Business Semester, a portfolio of short-term summer programs and serves as the Boren scholarship and fellowship advisor. Tim earned his master’s degree in Student Affairs from the University of St. Thomas and has worked for the university since 2008. Before coming to St. Thomas, Tim lived and worked in the UK for several years serving as onsite staff and leadership for study abroad programs in both England and Scotland.
Sarah Huesing
Assistant Director, Advising & Co-Sponsored Programs
(651) 962-6484sehuesing@stthomas.edu
Sarah directs the Advising process and manages St. Thomas’ wide range of co-sponsored study abroad programs. She also oversees the Catholic Studies in Rome program, manages the “Off-Campus Policies” risk management protocol, and serves as advisor for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Sarah has worked at St. Thomas since 2004 and holds a Leadership in Student Affairs Master’s Degree from the University of St. Thomas. Prior to completing her graduate work, she worked in both England and New Zealand.
Agnieszka Michalak
Assistant Director, Short-Term Programs
Aga manages the St. Thomas Short-term Off-Campus program, including the development and operations of January Term courses, and all faculty and staff program directors’ training and support. She serves as the lead St. Thomas liaison in the UMAIE consortium and also partners with the Office of Service Learning to develop and bridge experiential opportunities. Aga worked for DePaul University’s Study Abroad Program for over ten years before joining St. Thomas in May 2013. She holds a B.S in Biology and an M.A. in Social and Cultural Foundations in Education.
Sommer Leonard
Interim Program Manager
(651) 962-6457leon0024@stthomas.edu
Sommer is responsible for managing the St. Thomas Short-term Off-campus program, including the development and operations of January and Summer programs. She manages the budgets for UST-sponsored programs and works closely with the Business Office and Purchasing. Before returning to St. Thomas in late 2012, Sommer served on the Study Abroad staff for seven years until 2005.
Emerald Tribuno
Program Coordinator
(651) 962-6453trib9585@stthomas.edu
Emerald coordinates all marketing and outreach efforts as well as event planning, including oversight of the Study Abroad Fair, J-Term Open House and pre-departure orientations. In addition, Emerald provides support to both the semester and short-term programs working with airfare management, budgets, course approvals and with Purchasing Services on provider contracts. Emerald came to St. Thomas in 2012 from the Center for Global Education at Augsburg College where she spent over five years working with short-term program management. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies from the University of Minnesota and is working towards her Masters in Leadership at Augsburg College.
Lauren Viner
Program Coordinator
(651) 962-6448lauren.viner@stthomas.edu
Lauren oversees registration and enrollment, including the application, interview and admission decision process, for all students studying off campus. Supporting risk management, Lauren also works with international insurance and emergency procedure documents. After spending semesters abroad in Spain and England Lauren worked in case management in the insurance industry before coming to St Thomas in 2011. Lauren has a B.A. in Communication Studies and Spanish and Latin American Studies from Texas Christian University and a M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from Middlebury College.
Suzanne Lentz
Office Coordinator, International Education Center
651-962-6450studyabroad@stthomas.edu
Suzanne provides assistance to the Director of the International Education Center as well as administrative and clerical support to Study Abroad and International Admissions staff. She coordinates the Global Citizenship Award and acts as secretary to ARCIE and UST’s International Programs Matrix. Suzanne holds a double major from UST, in Irish Studies and English, and spent an academic year in Limerick and a summer in Galway. She completed an MA in Irish Studies in 2010 from Queen’s University, Belfast, on Irish Medium Education in Northern Ireland. Before working at UST, she lived in Belfast for 3 years.
