International Advisory Committee Members
The following individuals are the members of the International Advisory Committee.
V. Aravind, Ph.D.
V. Aravind, Ph.D., is a professor of physics and is originally from Chennai, India,
which is also is home to Marina Beach, one of his favorite places in the world. He
grew up near Marina Beach and has fond memories of playing cricket there with his
friends when he was in middle school. Another favorite for him is Valencia, Spain,
because it’s where he first traveled in a high-speed train. He fondly remembers the
gorgeous landscapes he came across traveling from Madrid to Valencia. Kanyakumari,
India, also is on his list of favorites because it is one of the few places in the
world where you can see the sunrise in the mornings and sunset in the evenings. It
is a place where three seas (Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Bay of Bengal) meet. It’s
a serene place which shows all water is one and all people are one and he has fond
memories of traveling to this place when he was young. The places he still hopes to
see are Sydney, Australia; Cairo, Egypt; and Banff, Canada. He enjoys playing chess,
fiddling around with a musical keyboard, and singing classical Indian music. “International
Programs interest me because I came to the United States as an international student.
This experience was my very first visit abroad, after living about 26 years in my
home country. I was amazed to see how diverse the world is. I got a chance to interact
with people from many different nationalities, taste various cuisines, participate
in many cultural events, and this changed my world view and has made me a better person
overall.”
D.J. Bevevino
D.J. Bevevino is the associate director of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Athletics
Compliance coordinator originally from Cherry Point, North Carolina. His favorite
places in the world are any place where his children and grandchildren are. He still
hopes to see are Serratretta, Italy (home of his great-grandfather, an orphan who
emigrated to the United States), and Machu Picchu, Peru. His interests and hobbies
include golfing, reading and crossword and jigsaw puzzles. "International Programs
interest me because we are seeing an influx of international student-athletes. I am
curious as to how and why they chose Clarion University to continue their athletic
careers. The cultural diversity is a benefit to all members of any team that has an
international teammate."
Diana Brush
Diana Brush is the career professional for health sciences, life and environmental
sciences, physical sciences and math, library science, nursing and the pre-professional
programs. She spent her first year as international student at the Universite Catholique
de L'Ouest de France and then earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Indiana
University of Pennsylvania. She is a former advisor of the Clarion International Association
(CINTA). She enjoys spending time with her Springer Spaniel, gardening, cooking, traveling
with her husband, and searching for bargains at antique and consignment shops. "I
enjoy coaching students on resume development, job search strategies, graduate school
application, professionalism, etiquette and more!"
Natasha Dias, ph.d.
Natasha Dias, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of biology and is originally from Pune,
India. Her favorite places are in nature and she lists seeing the glaciers of Alaska
as her best life-time experience. She also loved spending time at the beaches of Goa,
India, and at the beaches of the Outer Banks, South Padre, San Francisco, San Diego
and Myrtle Beach in the United States. Historical landmarks such as Niagara Falls,
the Grand Canyon and Montmorency Falls in Canada are among her other favorite places
to visit. She still hopes to visit Hawaiian volcano sites and Europe. Her interests
include swimming, baking and spending time with her family and dog. "International
Programs interest me because I came to the U.S. in 2009 as an international graduate
student. While pursuing my degree, I had the opportunity to interact with many other
international students. While we each had a different cultural diversity to share,
our struggles of trying to fit in the American way of life was similar. Through the
International Programs Office, I hope to make the college experience for an international
student more welcoming."
YooJin Ha, Ph.D.
YooJin Ha, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Information and Library Science.
She is originally from Masan, South Korea, and her favorite places in the world are
Yellowstone in the United States and Cebu, Philippines. She still hopes to visit Italy
and Thailand. Her interests and hobbies include visiting libraries and museums and
watching Korean dramas. "International programs interest me because as being an international
student and faculty for a long time, I want to help students who are or will be overseas
for their studies and experiences."
Young-Gyoung Kim, Ed.D.
Young-Gyoung Kim, Ed.D., is a professor in special education and disability policy
studies. Originally from South Korea, her favorite places in the world are South Korea,
France and the Netherlands. She still hopes to see Australia, Greece and Israel. Her
interests and hobbies include hiking, camping and reading. "International programs
interest me because I came to the states as an exchange student, and International
Programs was a crucial part of my life when I was a doctoral student. I would like
to help other international students and the international program of Clarion University
based upon my experience and expertise."
Andy Lingwall, Ph.D.
Andy Lingwall, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Communication. Originally
from Northfield, Minnesota, his favorite places include Benijo Beach in Tenerife,
Canary Islands and the Shilthorn in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland. He still hopes
to visit New Zealand, Estonia, and Italy. His interests include international travel,
boating, bicycling, and jamming on his electric guitar with friends. As a Professor
in the Department of Communication at Clarion, he specializes in public relations
and strategic communications. His research agenda focuses on public relations education
and student writing skills in programs of journalism and mass communication. Recently,
he was selected by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication
to be a Scripps Howard Foundation Visiting Professor in Social Media. He worked at
ABC-15 in Phoenix to learn new social media techniques practiced by today's journalists.
In 2017, he co-authored "The Basics of Media Writing: A Strategic Approach," a textbook
for SAGE Publications. International study and travel are among his passions. In 2019,
he taught a series of graduate seminars in Strategic Communication at Catholic University
in Lille, France. He also spent a month near Madrid, Spain, teaching an international
PR course at Universidad de Alcala. During his sabbatical in 2017, he conducted PR
research in Denmark and taught in Warsaw, Poland. He has visited around a dozen countries
and counting. "I love seeing how international study and travel can transform the
lives of our students at Clarion University. International programs are especially
important at a small university located in a remote area of our state."
Miguel Olivas-Lujan, Ph.D.
Management and Marketing Professor Miguel Olivas-Lujan, Ph.D., is from Parral, México,
a small city in a state with a famous name: Chihuahua. His favorite place is where
he can see himself or a family member experiencing new food, drink or music that locals
consider their favorite and is not easy to find elsewhere! He also enjoys every place
where people meet with smiles and try to understand each other with words that are
unfamiliar to one or more of them. Places he still hopes to see are too numerous to
list, but include old churches, museums, mountains, and valleys across the ocean or
the interstate. His interests and hobbies include international travel, playing guitar
or a keyboard, listening to soft music, reading, walking, visiting new places, tasting
new flavors (especially when he can do it with his wife, a family member, or a friend).
"International programs interest me because its offerings change minds! Students (both
local and foreign) get to experience places they did not know existed and those simple
interactions increase the chances that our world will be a more peaceful and prosperous
place for all. Besides, my first professional job was at an International Programs
office!"
Natalie Ortz
Natalie Ortz serves as the International Programs advisor and Study Abroad coordinator.
Originally from Denver, Colorado, her favorite place in the world is Hawaii, but she
still hopes to visit Ecuador, Spain, France and Italy. Her interests and hobbies include
playing with her dogs, gardening, and hanging out with her husband. Ortz is interested
in international programs and because, "I love learning about different places and
cultures!"
Nripendra Singh, Ph.D.
Marketing professor Nripendra Singh, Ph.D., is originally from India and lists Lucknow,
India, as one of his favorite places in the world in addition to Las Vegas, Nevada,
and Kathmandu, Nepal. He still hopes to visit Switzerland, Brazil and South Africa.
His interests and hobbies include horse riding, cooking Indian cuisine, and visiting
places. "International programs interest me because I know what it means and feels
when you are an international student or scholar, so I want to help make them feel
at home. Additionally, there is immense importance of international program at any
higher education institution both from economic and cultural perspective. I wish to
help international students and scholars by being part of the international program,
which directly benefits my institution (Clarion University)."
Sandra Trejos, Ph.D.
Sandra Trejos, Ph.D., is a professor of Economics originally from San José, Costa
Rica. Her favorite place is any place where people enjoy freedoms and where people
can be and do. She hopes to see places where communities thrive and people are satisfied
with their lives. Her interests and hobbies include being outdoors and under the sun,
planting flowers, reading books about life, and spending time with family and friends.
"I believe in international education, exposing ourselves to other ways of communicating,
living and doing business. I think we can learn from each other across borders on
aspects as varied as cuisine, language, ways of protecting our environment, health
care, education – the list is endless."