Advisor Ambassador Program

Ashley Neyer is the Director for Academic Programs Abroad at Louisiana State University, where she collaborates with faculty to develop education abroad programming, develops and refines education abroad processes and policies to align with the best practices, and serves as the Academic Programs Abroad risk mitigation and management key contact. She has participated in previous Gilman panels and has helped her previous institution, University of Alabama, achieve the #2 Top Producing Midsize Institution in 2020-21. 

Ashley has been in the field for over a decade, previously serving as an Education Abroad Advisor and various other capacities in International Education at a 4-year public institution in the Midwest. Ashley graduated from Missouri State University with her Bachelor in Science in Administrative Management, minor in Accounting, and her Master’s in Business Administration. Ashley is recognized by the Forum on Education Abroad with a Professional Certification in the Standards of Good Practice and serves as a Forum Trained Facilitator. 

Dafne Johnson grew up in the Arizona borderlands, an area which she still proudly calls home, as a first-generation US citizen and college graduate. She holds Bachelor’s in History and a Master’s in Secondary Education, both from the University of Arizona, where she now works as a Program Manager at the Study Abroad Office. 

Dafne had an impactful experience living and working in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for two years. This opportunity significantly heightened her awareness of the pressing societal need to encourage, cultivate and recognize the talents, skills, and contributions of individuals with diverse worldviews. With nearly six years of experience within the field of International Education, Dafne is committed to breaking down barriers for students and expanding access to international experiences. 

In her present role, Dafne advises over four hundred study abroad students annually, collaborates with key stakeholders to plan study abroad programs, organize logistics and prepare financial program budgets. Dafne has also co-led study abroad programs in Italy and Spain and served as an instructor in an introductory college success course. These experiences have allowed her to design inclusive curriculum utilizing learner-centered teaching methods, both in-person and online. Dafne also develops new and innovative study abroad scholarship opportunities especially for first-generation, first-time international travelers, and high financial need students. Recently, she was awarded the IIE Passport Project Grant and is eager to launch another scholarship that will cover the passport costs for first-time passport holders. 

Dafne serves as a Gilman Certifying Advisor and as a selection panelist for the Benjamin A. Gilman Critical Needs Language Award. Dafne spearheads Gilman outreach events and workshops at the University of Arizona, which is recognized as a Gilman Top-Producer. This recognition exemplifies the university’s institutional efforts to enhance study abroad accessibility and promote diversity among participating students, aligning closely with the mission and values of the Gilman Scholarship Program. Dafne’s goal is to connect with other professionals in the field to learn about best practices related to Gilman outreach and student support to further her and her team’s efforts to empower students with tools, resources, and skills necessary to prepare for their own transformational international experiences. 

Samuel (Sam) Stevens is the Program Director of the American Indian Institute (Aii) at Mesa Community College (MCC) which serves approximately one thousand Native American students every year by supporting their transition from high school to college and moving from university directly into employment. has a wealth of experience and knowledge in student service and engagement that he brings to this role. Originally from Crystal, New Mexico, he is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. He graduated from Navajo Pine High School in 1992 and came to MCC as a student in 1999. He transferred to Arizona State University in 2002, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor’s in Anthropology in 2004. In 2007, he earned a Master’s in Education from the University of California, Berkeley. While there, he studied academic leadership and student support pedagogy in higher education, as well as critical theory about student support services, complete with an internship advising student-athletes. He gained a strong background in the development and maintenance of student academic skills related to relevant social issues including race, gender, identity, cultural relevancy and representation, equity, and inclusion. 

Scott Palmer has served as the Prestigious Scholarships Advisor at University of California, Davis (UC Davis) since August 2013. His work involves recruiting, advising, and preparing students and alumni for competitive fellowships including The Benjamin A Gilman International Scholarship Program, Critical Language Scholarship (CLS), and Fulbright, in addition to others. He previously served as the Financial Aid Director at Bushnell University (Eugene, OR). 

Scott is a first-generation college student who benefitted from the federal Pell grant while earning a BA in History from the University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA) in 2001. He earned a Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership from George Fox Seminary (Portland, OR) in 2010.  

The lone regret from Scott’s collegiate experience is not studying abroad, consequently, he now strives to make study abroad opportunities accessible to all, particularly as UC Davis has a high proportion of first-generation, minority, and low-income students. 

UC Davis has been recognized multiple times as a Fulbright and Gilman Top Producer, and as a Top Producer of Gilman Scholars for the first 20 years of the program during Scott’s tenure.  

Malin Hilmersson is a Program Manager for the Office of International Education at the University of Denver, where she works with incoming and outgoing exchange students. She has almost 15 years of experience in higher education, having worked for institutions in Sweden, Australia, California, Texas, and Colorado. She entered the field of international education in 2017, when she also began serving as a Gilman Advisor, helping students through the application process. Malin has served on multiple selection committees for national scholarships, including the Gilman Program. 

During her undergraduate studies, Malin studied abroad for one semester in Rennes, France, and one semester in Darwin, Australia. As a first-generation student with limited exposure to other cultures, these transformative experiences profoundly shaped her career and personal life. 

Malin earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Jönköping International Business School, Sweden, and her masters in Higher Education Administration with a graduate certificate in Academic Advising from Sam Houston State University, Texas. She recently completed a graduate certificate in Web Design and Development from the University of Denver. She is a strong believer in lifelong learning. 

Lauren Roberts is the Assistant Director of the Office of National Scholars at the University of South Florida (USF). She has been a Gilman Scholarship Program advisor for six years and has participated in Gilman selection panels, webinars, and social media outreach. During her time as an undergraduate student at Denison University, Lauren studied abroad in Kenya and Tanzania with the School for Field Studies, where she experienced the impact of international education. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Biology and went on to complete her Master’s degree in College Student Affairs at the University of South Florida.  

Lauren primarily focuses on undergraduate study abroad scholarships and works with students interested in research and internships in environmental sciences. She seeks to help students find the opportunities that best suit their goals and support them in the pursuit of those goals as best she can.  

The Gilman Program not only provides means for international education, but also a launching pad, giving students confidence to take on applications for other competitive opportunities – a topic Lauren presented on at the 2019 National Association of Fellowships Advisors Conference. She invests most of her time in her Gilman Scholarship Program applicants because she knows the transformative power of not only becoming a Gilman Scholar, but also the application process itself.  

Joshua Hudson is the Associate Director of Study Abroad Programs at Georgia State University. Previously, he worked at Clemson University as a Study Abroad Coordinator where he supported students throughout their study abroad experience while working towards university initiatives. Prior to Clemson University, he worked at CIS Abroad as a University Relations Representative in the southeast. Joshua holds a Bachelor’s degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, and a Master of Business Administration from Clemson University. He is enthusiastic about connecting students to a variety of international experiences and has lived and worked in Thailand, Chile, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Ron Leonhardt is an Assistant Professor of History and the Assistant Director of International Education at Albany State University. He also maintains a non-resident scholar position with the George Washington University’s Sigur Center for Asian Studies. He is currently working on his first book project, entitled, The Maitreya’s Revolution: Buddhist-Socialism and Cold War Anti-Imperialism in Sangkum Cambodia, 1955-1970. His most recent work, “Cultivating Cotton in the Red Earth of Kampong Cham: Self-Sufficiency, Alternative Modernities, and Wartime Refugees in Cold War Cambodia, 1955-1970” was published in Asian Studies Review in 2022. He first traveled to Cambodia as a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipient in 2012-13 and now is Albany State University’s certifying advisor for the Gilman Scholarship Program and has served on numerous Gilman selection panels. 

Leonhardt received his Associate degree from Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois and then received his Bachelor’s in Political Science and History from Northern Illinois University, with a focus on mainland Southeast Asia and Cold War politics. Thereafter, Ron completed his Master’s (2016) and PhD (2020) in History at George Washington University. He has worked at Albany State University in Albany, Georgia since Fall 2020. 

Vivian Shannon-Ramsey is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Global Learning Visit Program (GLVP) within the Department of Social Work at Bowie State University. She also serves as a member of the Study Abroad Advisor Committee to advocate for efficient administrative practices and support student and faculty scholarship opportunities. She has worked in higher education for 15 years. For nearly 10 years, she has served as a Gilman advisor and has been involved in international and faculty-led study abroad programs. Vivian has organized and implemented international programs in South Africa, Japan, Panama, Columbia, Ghana, Germany, and Portugal. Vivian previously served as the Director of the TRiO Student Support Services Program for seven years, helping first-generation, low-income, and individuals with disabilities apply for and win the Gilman International Scholarship Program to study abroad. She also serves as a selection panelist for the Gilman, Critical Language, and Boren Scholarship programs. 

Vivian Shannon-Ramsey holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Winthrop University and a Certificate of Community Health from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. She also has an English to Speakers to Other Language (TESOL) certificate from the Training Institute at Montgomery College and a Bachelor of Science from South Carolina State University. 

Cathy Schuster is the Study Abroad Coordinator in the Office of Student Finance (OSF) at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMTC.), where she graduated with a Bachelor’s in Sociology. She manages off-campus study financial aid coordination and serves as the primary liaison to the Learning Abroad Center, Carlson Global Institute and National Student Exchange (NSE) programs. Cathy and her advising team counsel Twin Cities and Rochester students for “Financial Aid Preview Meetings,” crucially helping them understand how their aid package would work with potential off-campus study costs, thereby ensuring the program is a good fit financially prior to confirming their participation. She has presented nationally and internationally on a variety of topics to further promote financial aid literacy for students, faculty, and staff. She has presented as a panelist in a Gilman-sponsored Financial Aid webinar, is a two-time Gilman selection panelist and has been a financial aid certifying advisor for many years. She has also presented at the 2018 National Student Exchange Annual Placement Conference and in several NSE webinars. Cathy’s work on the UMTC Education Abroad Network, in which she serves as a board member in addition to the UMTC Financial Barriers Advisory Group, has been integral in supporting the work of providing meaningful education abroad opportunities for students. Cathy also helped create the UMTC Bridging Loan program which received a 2015 Andrew Heiskell Award Honorable Mention. 

Erica Nikolaisen is the Program Manager of Education Abroad at New Mexico State University where she leads a team of Education Abroad Advisors in developing and administering education abroad programs, including faculty-led international programs, student advising and support, health, safety, and risk management, and all related services. Previously, Erica was an Education Abroad Advisor at Penn State and the Assistant Director for the Center for Global Engagement at the Texas Tech University Rawls College of Business.  

Erica is a 2023-2024 U.S.-Germany International Education Administrators Fulbright Scholar and was a 2022-2023 U.S. Department of State U.S.- Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) University Connections Initiative Fellow. Erica has served as a selection panelist for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the Fund for Education Abroad Scholarship, and the U.S. Department of State, Increase & Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) grant. Other leadership experiences include participating in the Forum on Education Abroad Learning from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions and Community Colleges About Education Abroad Working Group. She also contributed to the Forum on Education Abroad Guidelines for Education Abroad Advising.  

Erica is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration at New Mexico State University with a concentration in higher education. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree and a bachelor’s degree in government and history from New Mexico State University. She has also completed the Forum on Education Abroad Professional Certification in the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad programs. Erica studied abroad in England as an undergraduate student through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP).  

Kimberly Longfellow is the Assistant Director of Off-Campus Programs at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. She has been a Gilman Advisor for six years and served on a selection panel in the fall 2022 application cycle. Kim and her colleagues have worked to dramatically increase awareness of the Gilman Scholarship Program on St. Lawrence’s campus. This has included utilizing the Gilman Advisor resources to build and train a diverse coalition of Gilman advocates and advisors, leading outreach sessions and writing workshops for Pell recipients, supporting mentorship opportunities by Gilman alumni, and meeting one-on-one with students to discuss the nuances of their essays. To Kim, the value of the Gilman Scholarship Program is not only the critical financial support it provides to students but also the application process itself, encouraging deep and holistic reflection on the study abroad experience—including what motivates each student to study abroad, how they will meaningfully engage with their host community, and how their study abroad experience can impact future academic and professional goals. 

Kim earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and German Studies from Gettysburg College, and her master’s degree in human behavior from Hood College. She studied abroad in Heidelberg, Germany as an undergraduate, and later worked in Leverkusen, Germany as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant.  

Meghan Mason is the Assistant Director of the Center for Global Programs at Denison University where she advises students on selection of off-campus study programs, prepares students for program and scholarship applications, facilitates pre-departure planning, and coordinates assessments. She focuses on building inclusion into the off-campus study process at all phases, particularly for traditionally underserved students in study abroad. As a Gilman advisor for the past six years, she enjoys helping students translate their personality and passion to the application. 

Meghan has traveled with education abroad programs to Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Turkey, Serbia, Italy, and Hungary, and studied abroad for one semester in Luxembourg. Meghan earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies at Miami University, and her Master’s in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. She has 15 years of experience in supporting international education. 

Stephanie Tignor is the Director of Global Learning at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) where she leads education abroad, campus and virtual global learning programs, and supports international students. Stephanie is enthusiastic about increasing access to global learning opportunities for underrepresented students. Under her leadership, VCU consistently ranks as top producer for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program in the state of Virginia and has received the CIEE Passport Caravan and IIE American Passport Project grants which funded over 150 first time passport recipients.  

Stephanie has served as a selection panelist for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS), the Fund for Education Abroad, USAC’s STEM Scholarship Program, the U.S. Department of State Capacity Building Grants for U.S. Undergraduate Study Abroad, and the Hosteling International USA Explore the World Scholarship Program; she regularly serves as a campus reviewer for Boren Awards, Fulbright, and other nationally-competitive international scholarship programs.            

Stephanie is a two-time alumna of VCU and first discovered a passion for cultural exchange as an undergraduate music major on a semester program in Scotland. As a graduate student in English, she studied in Peru and volunteered in Ecuador as an English teacher. She has led short-term programs to Mexico, Malaysia, and France, and in the U.S. for international students.  

Katie Sabo is the Senior Study Abroad Coordinator for the Office of Study Abroad & International Exchange at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in French Language and Literature from the University of Arkansas and studied abroad in France. She served as a lecturer of French at the university level before moving into international education in 2016. In her role as the Senior Study Abroad Coordinator, she serves as the study abroad advisor for students in the College of Arts & Sciences, manages College of Arts & Sciences and Honors College faculty-led programs, and leads the Office of Study Abroad’ s strategic plan for access, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Katie also manages the office’s application software and serves on university committees related to study abroad and high impact practices. 

Katie has been a campus certifying advisor for the Gilman Scholarship Program for over five years and has served as a selection panelist for the Gilman Scholarship Program and Critical Language Scholarship Program. She coordinates outreach efforts across campus, information sessions and conducts application workshops, including review of application materials one-on-one with students. Her professional interests center on developing her own education and advocacy efforts for increasing access and belonging for underserved student populations in education abroad. She has presented regionally and nationally on these topics, is a member of NAFSA and Diversity Abroad, and serves on the AIFS Abroad Board of Advisors. 

Josh Cannon’s first international travel experience was to Kuwait in February 2003 when he was in the Marine Corps as an Arabic linguist. Iraq was the second country he visited when the U.S. invaded the following March. After his time in the military, Josh went to the University of Pittsburgh with a Pell Grant and discovered international travel in a much more positive way, visiting Cyprus and then Turkey for archaeological excavations. He continued going to Turkey as a student at the University of Chicago, where he received his PhD in Near Eastern languages and civilizations. When he started fellowship advising at Pitt in 2018 as a scholar mentor, he requested responsibility for the CLS, Boren, and Gilman programs because he wanted to help students find the excitement and value in international travel. He has been advising students on these scholarships and others for over three years now.  

Josh’s work with Gilman applicants has predominantly focused on helping them with their essays. He is interested in promoting this scholarship more ambitiously and building a campus culture around this opportunity, with winners encouraging and helping potential applicants. Josh also served as a selection panelist for the Gilman Program in 2019.