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Anna Welton - Associate Dean of Community and Global Engagement

Anna comes to Warren Wilson with over a decade of experience running international programs both stateside and on the front lines of program delivery in Japan, Peru, and Argentina. She holds an MA in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management from The School for International Training (SIT) in Vermont and a BA in International Studies from Kenyon College.

She is passionate about bringing a critical eye to the fields of study abroad and community engagement and is continually striving to shape programs that are accessible to a diverse range of students and yield increased social consciousness as a learning outcome.

Contact Anna: [email protected]

Rachel Kerr - Assistant Director of Global Engagement

Rachel returns to Warren Wilson after graduating with a degree in Political Science and Spanish. During her hiatus from campus, Rachel volunteered in Spain and Italy which prompted her passion in international education and study abroad. She is currently pursuing her MA in International Education at The School for International Training (SIT).

As an alumna, Rachel is excited to work with students to find the perfect study away program for each individual and to continue to make Warren Wilson an internationally diverse campus. She believes that study away must be accessible to every interested student.

Contact Rachel: [email protected]

Stella Banowetz - Global Engagement Student Work Crew Member

Stella (she/they) is a second-year student from Bayfield, Wisconsin on the shore of Lake Superior. They are currently working towards a Global Studies major with a concentration in Peace and Social Justice Studies, and a double minor in Philosophy and Political Science.

Her first time abroad was in Belize when they were 12 years old. Since then she has backpacked around Canada and the United States. In Spring of 2021, they joined the Global Citizen Year Academy, where she connected with students from 80 different countries and learned from world leaders. This experience reignited her passion for global thinking, connections, and change-making. It is this energy that brought her to the Global Engagement Crew.

In her spare time, she loves writing, art, playing roller derby, and going on adventures. Stella believes that building coalitions and relationships across cultures is powerful and how we are going to achieve long-lasting global change.

Spencer Lewis - Global Engagement Student Work Crew Member

Spencer Lewis (he/him) is a first-year student from the southernmost end of Denver, CO. He is currently studying for a major in Outdoor Leadership Studies, with a minor in Environmental Sciences.

Spencer is an outlier in the fact that he has done little traveling abroad, but he’s made up for this lack of international travel by exploring the breadth of the United States. Since the age of 6, he’s spent every summer outdoors, traveling from state to state. From the high limestone towers of Big Bend National Park, across the mighty Rockies, to the rhododendron arbors of the Smoky Mountains. After graduating high school, he spent his two gap years guiding Class V Whitewater along the Colorado river, leading climbing and canyoneering trips in the Southeast, and studying for his WFR and WEMT. Impassioned by his travels, he’s all for discovering opportunities for outdoor experiences across the globe.

When he’s not on campus in his bare feet, Spencer’s hobbies encompass nearly anything there is to do outdoors. You’ll find him climbing, kayaking, backpacking, or just spending time playing his guitar in the mountains. Beyond the simple pleasures of mountain life, Spencer wants to become a wilderness therapist, and work with adolescents struggling with mental health, addiction, and self-confidence.

Francisco Javier Jimenez Paredes - Center for Experiential Learning Student Work Crew Member

Javier is an exchange student from Murcia, Spain. He is majoring in Philosophy, but also working as a web developer to people in Switzerland, Germany, or Dubai.

He was 14 years old when he went on an exchange program to study abroad in the U.K. Now, he is an exchange student through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) for both fall and spring semesters.

As a future philosopher, he knows a little bit of everything: math, physics, history, linguistics, psychology, sociology, etc, so you will be able to have a deep conversation with him about many topics. He cares a lot about mental health too and loves playing guitar and old video games.

Ukail Rusdhi - Center for Experiential Learning Student Work Crew Member

Ukail is an exchange student from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is majoring in psychology and has a great interest in learning about other cultures.

This is his first experience studying abroad and he is an exchange student through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) for the fall semester 2021.

Ukail loves music, hiking, and exploring new places. He also enjoys cooking and trying out new recipes from other cultures' food. You might see him wandering around campus during the day. Try to say ‘hi!’ to him and he will definitely love to respond. He likes to make new friends.