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Studying Duke’s Study Abroad Programs

Amanda Kelso monitors Duke’s undergraduate study abroad programs across the globe

Amanda Kelso, at center, executive director of the Duke Global Education Office for Undergraduates, made a site visit to India in November 2014. She stands with Laura Bey of the Duke Global Health Institute and Paul Paparella of the Global Education Offi
Amanda Kelso, at center, executive director of the Duke Global Education Office for Undergraduates, made a site visit to India in November 2014. She stands with Laura Bey of the Duke Global Health Institute and Paul Paparella of the Global Education Office in front of Kumbhalgarh Fort. Photo courtesy of Amanda Kelso

Name: Amanda Kelso Position: assistant vice provost for undergraduate education; executive director of the Duke Global Education Office for UndergraduatesYears at Duke: 18What I do at Duke: I direct the study abroad/study away office, which enrolls 1,300 students a year in a variety of semester and summer programs around the world and in the U.S. as well. We have a staff of about 15, and there’s a great deal of management and operational work that goes on. We’re the home of about 50 Duke-administered programs, managed by Global Education Office staff and Duke faculty, and we also have staff and offices abroad. We have hundreds of Duke students who are in study away programs that are administered by other institutions, so we’re monitoring those students as well. If I had $5 million, I would: Set up a program or scholarship that provides a special educational opportunity. There are lots of educational programs being set up and lots of scholarships, but the world is an expensive place, and being able to help everyone have access to some of the wonderful things that Duke students have access to would be grand. My first ever job: I worked in a shirt factory in my hometown, Washington, N.C. I was in the cutting department, where I pulled wrinkles out of long plies of material as they were stacked for cutting. I also matched striped sleeves in pairs so that striped shirts would look symmetrical.The best advice I ever received: I remember at a Duke graduation ceremony, fairly early in my Duke career, the student speaker was the one who made an impact. The student speaker talked about how her grandfather would always tell her in Spanish, ‘La vida da muchas vueltas… Life takes many turns, but it’s how you deal with it that really shows your character and makes you stronger.’ What I love about Duke: Duke has never disappointed me with the quality of students and faculty with whom I work. That, over the years, has absolutely been a pleasure. We have bright students, and they’re on the move and involved in so many different things, and being a part of that, and offering them opportunities that some students will say was the highlight of their Duke career, that’s very satisfying. If I could have one superpower, it would be: Super-duper vision where I could see far away. I’d love to have sharp, 20/20 vision. I’m a photographer, so I love precision focus. Something most people don’t know about me: When I was a study abroad student, I was attacked by a wild Barbary ape on the Rock of Gibraltar. It wasn’t all that serious; he bit my finger. But it broke the skin, and I had to go to the fire brigade and the hospital. An interesting/memorable day at work for me: We made the decision to evacuate a student group from Bolivia, and it possibly meant the end of their study abroad semester. It eventually worked out fine and the students returned and completed the semester, but knowing what a huge decision it is to study abroad, and how vested students are in the day to day experience in their communities of choice, I felt horrible having to pull them out of country, not knowing how it would end. I recognize the weight of administrative decisions in the student experience and really try to get it right. A pet peeve: Nonuse of the Oxford comma. I’m a strong advocate of the Oxford comma.