This list of study abroad leaders and their teaching and research interests offers an impression of the diverse opportunities to learn about international themes that are available to IU South Bend students.
Durban, South Africa prior to 2012
Dé Bryant is a community psychologist who explores the role of the arts in social change and community-building. She partners groups in Michiana with sister sites in Durban, South Africa. She is Director of the Social Action Project (SOCACT) and professor at IU South Bend.
Montreal & Ottawa, 2019
Louis Collins teaches introductory ethics and critical thinking to students beginning their college careers, and she also enjoys teaching upper level classes in ethics, social philosophy, and feminist philosophy.
Costa Rica 2019, 2021
Tammy Fong-Morgan teaches all levels of Spanish language, writing, literature, and culture. Her research interests include Latinx Young Adult fiction, second language acquisition, language learning for professions.
Japan – Yearly since 2016
Yoshiko Green teaches Japanese language and culture courses. She combines her interest in Second-Language Acquisition, Japanese art and culture, and K-12 education through volunteer activities and cultural presentations.
Berlin, Germany, 2022
Amy Gretencord teaches Radiographic Procedures and Clinical Experience courses. In April 2018, she received the College of Health Science Alumni of the Year Award for her dedication to students and the community.
Montreal & Ottawa Canada, 2019
Christina Gerken teaches and researches on contemporary immigration, immigrant communities, race and ethnicity, reproductive rights, and social movements.
Berlin, Germany, 2018
Jeff Luppes teaches all levels of German language, literature, and culture. His research focuses on topics at the intersection of history, culture, and politics, especially memory culture. His favorite courses to teach are beginning language classes.
European Union 2004, 2006
Neovi Karakatsanis, Professor of Political Science, studies Southern European politics, with an emphasis on Greece. She serves as the director of the Honors Program on campus.
Oaxaca, Mexico 2013
Jake Mattox is a student and scholar of U.S. literature, pretty much all periods. He is especially interested in the cultural and political interactions in the nineteenth century between the United States and the nations of the Americas, including Mexico.
Mohammad Mehri, Greece 2019
Mohammad Mehri teaches and researches on information security and data analytics. In 2018 he won the award for Educator of the Year at IU South Bend.
Florence, Italy 2012, 2014
Ron Monsma is a figurative artist who brings contemporary themes to the Baroque tradition of painting. He is Associate Professor of Drawing and Painting.
Florence, Italy every other year since 2009
Susan Moore teaches all levels of photography. In her own creative work, she creates a unique depiction of place in her photographs the landscape
Oviedo, Spain (program geared to music majors)
Jorge A. Muñiz teaches composition and music theory at the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts. His compositions have been performed by soloists and orchestras in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Florence, Italy 2012 & 2014
Dora Natella studied sculpture in the classical tradition at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples. In her work, she maintains and allegiance to a legacy of the figurative tradition from the Renaissance but with an openness to contemporary modes of expression. Natella teaches sculpture at Indiana University South Bend.
Ireland 2016, 2017
Shawn Nichols-Boyle teaches Irish literature, professional writing, and ESL, and is passionate about international education. She focuses on storytelling and identity in minority cultures.
Berlin, Germany, anticipated 2022
Maryann Oake teaches physics in the Radiography Program and physics, procedures, cross-sectional anatomy, and sectional pathology in the Medical Imaging Program. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of the field, educating students, and serving the community.
Berlin, Germany & Prague, Czech Republic 2011 & 2014
Kelcey Ervick is an English professor and fiction writer, which means she makes things up for a living.
Oaxaca, Mexico, 2012
Gabriel Popescu is a political geographer with interests in the ongoing influence of space on the relationships between states and societies. His recent scholarship is located at the intersection of power, borders, and digital technology.
China 2019
Yilei Qian teaches biology courses and is interested in a variety of bacterial species and various aspects of microbiological research, including microbial physiology, genetics, host-microbe interactions, and biotechnology.
Belize, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2021
Kristyn Quimby is a dental hygienist and Program Director of the Dental Hygiene program. She is interested in the intersection of culture and health care and has a particular fondness for Belize and the people there.
Oaxaca, Mexico, 2012, 2013, 2018
Elaine Roth teaches English and Film Studies. In the classroom and in her writing, she works to identify the quiet politics of the dominant form of cultural expression of our time: the movies.
Costa Rica, most years since 2004
Scott Sernau teaches courses on inequality, international development, and sustainability. He has taken student groups to Costa Rica for study and exploration ten times since 2004.
Ireland 2017, 2018
Jamie Smith teaches classes on urban politics, development, planning, and American political institutions. His research focuses on large-scale urban development projects and urban governance.
China 2019
Cydni Sofhauser is a professor of nursing and teaches a variety of courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs. She is a certified advanced holistic nurse and believes that healthcare should be delivered from an integrative, holistic focus, incorporating complementary therapies from various cultures with western medicine.
London, England & Edinburgh, Scotland 2013, 2015
Kyoko Takanashi teaches English literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. She is a specialist in the history of the novel, and is interested in how fiction makes us think about history, communication, and community.
Oaxaca, Mexico, 2014
Jay VanderVeen teaches a variety of Anthropology courses from Ancient Civilizations to Zombies. He has conducted archaeological research both across the Caribbean and around the state of Indiana, focusing on the interactions of cultures at contact.
Berlin, Germany & Prague, Czech Republic 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018
Lisa Fetheringill Zwicker teaches German history and gender studies. She is currently writing about fin-de-siècle German Catholic women activists who pushed against gender and religious restrictions and for greater opportunities for women.
International Programs 