Global Engagement and Education Abroad (GEEA)

Vania Tally

Vania returns to the International Center after serving as the Peace Corps Prep Advisor during AY 2021-2022. Before completing her Masters (MBA/MS) at U-M this past Winter, Vania worked in International Development for over 8 years. She served as both a Community Health Volunteer and a Regional Volunteer Coordinator with the Peace Corps in Paraguay and then worked for an international medical non-profit. She is thrilled to be working with U-M students who are interested in serving with the Peace Corps!

Job Title: 
U-M Peace Corps Campus Recruiter

Nina Nguyen

School: 
College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA)
Major: 
Economics
Class Level: 
Undergraduate
Email: 
ninangn@umich.edu

Nina is a first-year undergraduate student at the University of Michigan studying Economics. Russian, Vietnamese, and English are the three languages she speaks as an international student who was born in Vietnam and raised in Russia. Her interests include dancing, playing volleyball and badminton, spending time with the people she loves, and travelling. Nina is looking forward to working at IC and meeting new people from all over the world!

Valerija Malashevich

School: 
College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA)
Major: 
Cognitive Science and Anthropology
Class Level: 
Undergraduate
Email: 
ic-abroad@umich.edu

Valerija Malashevich moved from Las Vegas, NV to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Cognitive Science and Anthropology with a minor in Philosophy at the University of Michigan. Originally from Belarus, she has spent time studying in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Germany, and Bhutan since the start of her academic career. Val is passionate about all things related to communication, international education and awareness, and the human condition. She has also been dedicating her time to journalism since January of 2022 at The Michigan Daily, where she is now the Associate Editor of The Statement section. In her free time, Val dedicates her time to learning languages — she is currently mastering her fourth one — biking or hiking in nature, and sharpening her art skills through graphic design and painting. 

Jamauri Bryan

School: 
School of Information
Major: 
Human-Computer Interaction
Class Level: 
Masters
Email: 
ic-abroad@umich.edu

Jamauri Bryan is a first-year graduate student pursuing a MS in Information (Human-Computer Interaction) at the University of Michigan. He was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He received his BS in Family, Youth, & Community Sciences from the University of Florida. During the summer of 2019, he studied in India and Nepal and completed field work in nonprofit development. After graduation, he spent a year in Germany with the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals. In his free time, Jamauri loves rock climbing, hiking, watching anime, and cooking new meals with friends.

Hope Kennedy

School: 
School of Social Work
Major: 
Global Social Work Practice
Class Level: 
Masters
Email: 
PeaceCorpsPrep@umich.edu

Hope Kennedy is a Masters of Social Work student with a global focus at the University of Michigan. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in History and Spanish, Hope moved to Spain to teach English through a program with the Spanish government. During her two years in Spain, Hope furthered her intercultural skills by leading English classes for intercity youth and tried her hand at soccer. Hope’s passion is in higher international education. She believes in creating meaningful partnerships between study abroad programs and local community organizations to better serve both groups. In her free time, you can find Hope playing sports, spending time with friends and planning future travels.

Naomi Zheng

School: 
College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA)
Major: 
Organizational Studies & Communication and Media, Minor in Digital Studies
Class Level: 
Undergraduate
Email: 
naomizz@umich.edu

Naomi Zheng is an undergraduate student pursuing Organizational Studies & Communication and Media at the University of Michigan. One of her interests is creating media art and she’s actively involved with the campus community. She is the club founder for Roam Bistro, a media cultural club, bringing unique opinions about cultural topics to the audience. Besides, she is involved in the Michigan Daily, worked as a peer facilitator at Ross Business School, and served as the Vice President of Marketing at a cross-college consulting club at USC.

When she’s not studying or starting projects with club members, she always enjoys hanging out with friends, traveling, and experimenting with new media formats. She loves being open-minded about all the uncertainties in life and she is a creator of all kinds!

Samantha Antoine

Samantha Antoine joins the International Center’s Global Engagement and Education Abroad team from Northwood Graduate and Family Housing at U-M where she worked for three years implementing community programs and supporting the largely international population.

Job Title: 
Program Manager

Hannah Collins

School: 
School of Social Work
Major: 
Social Work
Class Level: 
Masters
Email: 
peace.corps@umich.edu

Hannah Collins (she/her) served as a Secondary Education English Teacher Trainer in Colombia. She taught English with Colombian Co-Teachers from grades 6-11 while working on secondary projects with Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) Colombia, a girls empowerment organization, and on the Gender Equity Committee for Peace Corps Colombia. For the past 2 years she has been serving as a College Adviser at Kearsley High School in Flint, Michigan through MSUCAC and AmeriCorps. Currently, she is a Master of Social Work student at the University of Michigan. In her free time, she loves reading, reading over 50 books a year, and hiking, mostly day hikes.

Shaylyn MacKinnon

School: 
Gerald R. Ford School, The School of Social Work
Major: 
Social Policy, Global Social Work Practice
Class Level: 
Masters
Email: 
ic-abroad@umich.edu

Shaylyn MacKinnon is a dual Master of Public Policy and Master of Social Work student at the University of Michigan. After graduating with a B.A. in International Relations, English Literature, and Spanish Language & Culture, Shaylyn joined the U.S. Peace Corps as an Education Volunteer in Rwanda. When COVID-19 resulted in a global pause on Peace Corps operations, Shaylyn continued developing her intercultural skills as an AmeriCorps volunteer working with ELL students in her home city of Portland, ME. Shaylyn hopes to combine her passion for direct service with her interest in macro-level policy research in order to help ease the legal, cultural, and social integration process of refugee resettlement within Maine. In her free time, Shaylyn enjoys keeping up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and finding the best ice cream spots in Ann Arbor.

Kelly Nelson

Kelly re-joined the International Center staff in August 2017 after having previously worked as the Education Abroad Coordinator in the International Center from 2008 to 2014. After leaving Ann Arbor in 2014, Kelly worked for the Institute of International Education (IIE) through which she worked closely with international students from Saudi Arabia studying in the United States. Kelly is thrilled to be returning to the University of Michigan in a role that will allow her to combine her interests in education abroad with supporting international students.

Job Title: 
Assistant Director for Global Engagement and Education Abroad

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