SMCCCD Study Abroad

Alice comes to SMCCCD Study Abroad from Notre Dame, Indiana where she served as Director for International Education for Saint Mary’s College. She also served as Interim Director of the College’s Center for Women’s Intercultural Leadership and Assistant/Associate Director for Global Education since 2006. A leader in the field of International Education, Alice served as the Co-Chair of NAFSA Women’s College & University Institutional Interest Group (IIG), where she initiated the Global Intercultural Dialogue (GID) with women’s college students around the world in October 2020 during the Pandemic. At Skyline College, Alice oversees the District-wide Study Abroad Program, Global/Virtual Internships, Community Travel, Transfer Abroad, Summer Faculty-Led Study Abroad, and manages the operations of the U.S. Passport Office. Alice holds a Ph.D. in Comparative & International Development Education from the University of Minnesota, a M.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of Northern Iowa, and a B.A. in English and American Literature from Wuhan University. She likes singing, dancing, hiking, and playing Ping Pong. Her passion is to empower students to dream big and explore the world.
yanga@smccd.edu
(650) 738-7088

Sonya earned her B.A. in English (Creative Writing) from San Francisco State University (Cum Laude); and earned two A.A. degrees in English (Magna Cum Laude) and Communications Studies (Magna Cum Laude) from Skyline College. Sonya began her educational journey at Skyline College and she is also the author of From the Walls Inside: Recorded Conversations with Myself.
popes@smccd.edu
(650) 738-7114

Zaid comes to SMCCCD Study Abroad with a background in international higher education having worked at the University of California Office of the President, University of California, Riverside and Long Island University C.W. Post. He has led admissions delegations internationally and recruited international students in over 25 countries. Born in New York, and studied abroad for most of his life - 15 years in Nigeria and four years in India - his goals for SMCCCD Study Abroad are ambitious and at the heart of it is to make the programs more affordable with merit and need-based scholarships. Zaid believes SMCCCD Study Abroad offers a unique study abroad opportunity for students and while dramatically increasing a student’s cultural competency skills, studying abroad also prepares them to be competitive in their job and career prospects. Zaid earned his Bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta with a major in Business Economics and his Master’s degree from California Baptist University in Public Administration. He enjoys traveling, baking and spending time with his family.
ghoriz@smccd.edu
(650) 738-7099

Kelly holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a Certificate in Conflict Resolution from San Francisco State University. Kelly is also a Passport Acceptance Agent certified by the U.S. State Department. Originally from China, Kelly immigrated to the U.S. and worked in the legal field for over 7 years. She then transitioned to Community College and worked at Skyline College in the past six years. Kelly most recently worked as the Program Services Coordinator - Degree Auditor in the Enrollment Services Division. She is passionate and dedicated to supporting the success of San Mateo Community College’s diverse students and local communities. Kelly is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. In her spare time, Kelly enjoys traveling, eating good food, and spending time with her family and pets.
lik@smccd.edu
(650) 738-7159

Manasi manages the International Education Program and oversees the programs and services provided by the Center for Global Engagement at CSM, including the F‑1 international student program, Global Online Learning (GOL), Study Abroad, and Global Internship programs. She came to the U.S. as an international student and has dedicated her career in supporting the success of international students in the past two decades. Prior to leading the international education team at CSM, she worked at Golden Gate University, Menlo College, and most recently at our sister school Cañada College. In her spare time, Manasi loves to travel and experience different cultures and cuisines from all over the world. She also loves spending time with her husband, two beautiful daughters and fur baby Mocha!

Education: B.A. in Economics and Political Science, Bombay University, India; M.A. in Public Administration, Bombay University, India; M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA

Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi, French (basic), Spanish (basic);
devdharmanem@smccd.edu
(650) 574-6501

Kathryn has worked in international education for over 15 years and with students from more than 30 countries. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Russian from the University of the Pacific, and her Master’s in Education from Drexel University. She studied abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia and understands how rewarding and challenging it can be to study in a different country. Besides Russia, she lived and worked in Chiba City, Japan for two years on the JET Program as an English language teacher. She loves travelling, learning foreign languages, playing the piano, and enjoying the beaches of Pacifica with her two daughters and terrier dog. She is also a foodie and enjoys trying new restaurants in the Bay Area.
kohutk@smccd.edu
(650) 306-3487

Aidan comes to SMCCCD Study Abroad after having just studied in Florence in the Spring of 2023. He graduated from Hillsdale High School in 2021 and is expected to graduate in May 2024. As a Study Abroad Ambassador, Aidan is tasked with creating flyers, running the social media, offering advice and joining upcoming events to share his experiences. Aidan is currently a business major. He works as a camp counselor as well. He enjoys baking, cooking, the gym, concerts and being super social.
takeuchia@smccd.edu

Although Alexa is working for the Study Abroad Program to assist her in improving her communication abilities, she has been pursuing a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Her primary campus is the College of San Mateo. She has spent her whole life in California, primarily in Half Moon Bay and San Francisco. She also attended the Study Abroad Program in London, England, during the Fall semester of 2022. She is really passionate about her future plans and profession. She also enjoys traveling, which gives her a deeper view of the many cultures in the countries that she visits. She wants to reach her future ambitions and assist others in need.
nielsena@smccd.edu

Snow is a student assistant of SMCCD Study Abroad and the U.S. Passport Office at Skyline College. She helps with study abroad services and passport services. Snow was born in China and used to live in Shijiazhuang which is close to Beijing. She is a 2nd year college student studying statistics at Skyline College. She enjoys watching TV, like dramas and variety shows.
guolinxue@smccd.edu

Zwe is an international student studying at Skyline College. He arrived in the U.S. in the Fall of 2022 and is majoring in Computer Science, with hopes of pursuing a career in Video Game Development. As a Student Assistant, Zwe helps with the passport services, study abroad programs, social media and other projects around the office. He also works as a Study Abroad Ambassador at the International Student Program and is the President of the International Student Club, which gives him the experience in working with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. When he's free, Zwe likes to spend his time playing different video games and learning more about the world through the Internet.
kyawzm@smccd.edu