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Kelso Promoted to Head Global Education Office

Amanda Kelso, at Duke since 1997, will lead the office promoting undergraduate study abroad opportunities

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Amanda Kelso

Amanda Kelso, who has worked in international higher education for more than two decades, has been named assistant vice provost and executive director of Duke's Global Education Office for Undergraduates (GEO-U).

Kelso currently serves as associate director of GEO-U and has been with the office since 1997.

''It is an important time for the office, as Duke continues to expands its global aspirations," said Steve Nowicki, dean and vice provost for undergraduate education.  ''I am delighted to have Amanda lead us. She brings extensive experience and understanding of both Duke and this unique set of opportunities for international education.''

Nearly half of all Duke undergraduates study abroad before they graduate. The office operatesmore than 40 programs abroad and provides administrative oversight for student participation in more than 125 non-Duke administered programs. The office also manages all undergraduate exchanges with foreign universities. In 2009, the office began managing Duke's domestic programs as well, including Duke in D.C., Duke in New York Arts and Media, Duke in New York Financial Markets and Management, Duke in L.A., and Duke in Silicon Valley. They also oversee a combination course and summer internship program in New York. 

Kelso, who was selected following a national search, succeeds Margaret Riley, who will retire this summer after serving as director since 2000.  Kelso holds a doctorate in higher education administration from N.C. State University, as well as bachelor and master’s degrees in Spanish and a graduate certificate in Technology and Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). 

Kelso said she is excited to lead the office at a time of numerous global initiatives.

''Not only are we launching a new campus in China, but across Duke there’s interest in exploring new approaches to how our undergraduates experience and engage the world in a meaningful way,''Kelso said. ''In the GEO-U we will explore new program models that reflect the way students connect to today’s world. We also want to be certain that existing programs sufficiently challenge and stretch our Duke students''.

As an undergraduate student at UNC-CH, Kelso spent her junior year studying at the Universidad de Sevilla, and later returned to live and work in Spain as resident director of a U.S.-based university program. Prior to coming to Duke, she taught university-level Spanish for two years and served as director of an international residence hall. Kelso also has held leadership positions in international education professional organizations at the state, regional and national levels.

Some of the programs she has directly supervised include Duke in the Andes, Duke in Barcelona/CASB, Duke in Madrid, Duke in France/EDUCO, Duke in Istanbul, South Africa Direct, Global Semester Abroad China-India,  Duke in Brazil (summer), Duke in Costa Rica , Duke in Montreal, Duke in Paris,  Duke in Spain  and Duke in Turkey.

Kelso also helped create new programs, including one starting in spring 2014 in India. The Duke Semester in India will feature four courses in development and poverty, conservation, rural health care and health systems, and will be based in Udaipur and Bangalore.