OISS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Manager, Marketing and Communications, Educational Outreach and International Programs
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator, Educational Outreach and International Programs
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director at the Office of International Students
Chamu Gowrishankar is the Assistant Director at the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS). Chamu's responsibilities include overseeing OISS daily operations; advising and immigration services for students, scholars, staff, and WSU departments regarding federal regulations (F-1, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1 and employment-based permanent residence); ensuring Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) compliance; conducting workshops and training on immigration regulations and cross-cultural issues for WSU campus community. Chamu is also actively involved with NAFSA as Region V ISSS KC Rep and has presented and chaired numerous workshops and sessions at the State, Regional, and National conferences.
Job Titles:
- Academic Coordinator and ELI Instructor
Biography
Cole is responsible for updating and maintaining data in the DHS-managed Student and Exchange Visitor Information System and the Wayne State-managed fsaATLAS case management system. She is a member of the SEVIS registration team, ensuring student compliance is correctly reported to DHS.
Job Titles:
- Designated School Official
Job Titles:
- Vice President for Academic Student Affairs and Global Engagement
- WSU 's Senior International Officer
Dr. Ahmad Ezzeddine is the Vice President for Academic Student Affairs and Global Engagement at Wayne State University. Dr. Ezzeddine is responsible for the university's efforts to support students throughout the student lifecycle, from their initial engagement with Wayne State to graduation and beyond. His portfolio includes Enrollment Management, Student Success, Educational Outreach, the Transfer Student Success Center, community college partnerships and satellite campuses, the Office of International Programs, and several student-facing academic services offices, departments and programs within the Office of the Provost. Additionally, he oversees Executive and Professional Development, the office responsible for the university's training, consulting, and continuing education services.
As WSU's Senior International Officer, Dr. Ezzeddine leads the university's global engagement which includes "Global Learning for All," an initiative to develop students' global competencies by providing them with experiences locally, virtually, or abroad. He has developed partnerships with institutions in the Middle East, Latin America, Korea, India, and China which have led to innovative initiatives and new educational and research opportunities for students and faculty. A member of the Board of Directors of NAFSA: Association of International Educators since 2019, he was elected NAFSA's Vice President for Scholarship and Institutional Strategy in 2020.
A firm proponent of the crucial role that universities play in driving economic and community development, he is responsible for forging linkages with organizations in the City of Detroit and the region and supporting community engagement and workforce development initiatives. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities' (APLU) Commission on Economic and Community Engagement.
Named one of Crain's Detroit Business "40 Under 40" Class of 2007, Dr. Ezzeddine has been committed to serving the community since his arrival to the Detroit area more than 30 years ago. He is the current Chair of the Board of Directors of ACCESS, the largest Arab American community nonprofit in the United States.
Education
Ph.D., business and industrial engineering - Wayne State University
MBA, Wayne State University
BA, computer information systems, Wayne State University
Dr. Bo Shen received his Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland at College Park in 2004, and his research focuses on students' motivation, curriculum and instruction in physical education, and physical activity interventions. He has had over 110 presentations at national and international conferences and has authored over 70 data-based research articles published in primary journals in the field of education including physical education.
Shen was the first recipient of Helen M. Heitmann Young Scholar Award by Curriculum and Instruction Academy of National Association for Sport and Physical Education in 2007 and is an active Fellow of Research Consortium in the Society of Health and Physical Education. He currently serves as the president of International Chinese Society of Physical Activity and Health.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor of Marketing at Wayne State University
- Member of the
Dr. Cassandra Denise Davis is an assistant professor of marketing at Wayne State University. Her research broadly encompasses the domain of consumer well-being, with research spanning topics such as nutrition, aging, warning labels, mental health, telehealth, and social media influencers.
Davis has a particular interest in stigmatized and stereotyped identities, particularly when these identities negatively affect consumer health and safety. She has published in journals such as the Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, and the Journal of Business Research. She has also received grants from organizations such the American Marketing Association and U.C.L.A.'s Morrison Family Center for Marketing and Data Analytics.
Davis is a member of the Ph.D. Project, an organization that seeks to increase workplace diversity by increasing the diversity of business school faculty and has recently co-edited a special issue on diversity and marketing education in the Journal of Marketing Education.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering
Dr. Helen Durand is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Wayne State University. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UCLA, and upon graduation joined the Materials & Processes Engineering Department as an engineer at Aerojet Rocketdyne for two and a half years. She earned her M.S. in Chemical Engineering from UCLA in 2014 and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from UCLA in 2017, and subsequently started at Wayne State.
Durand's research interests are in the area of process systems engineering with a focus on process control.
Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney is an Emmy award-winning international performing artist whose life mission is to spread cultural knowledge to communities across the globe through sharing his gift of the arts.
He is an assistant professor at Wayne State University who holds a BFA in dance, an MA in ethnochoreology and a PhD in arts practice research.
His research explores ‘movement as cultural knowledge' and investigates the significance of embodied cultural expressions in artistic praxis. Dr. RAS Mikey Courtney continually strives to use the arts as a bridge for cultural understanding.
Dr. Ronald E. Brown is an associate professor of political science whose teaching and research interests intersect. He strongly believes that teaching Introduction to American Politics contributes to the health of our democratic republic. In addition, Religion and Politics, Detroit Politics, and African American Politics expose students to the ongoing quest for procedural and substantive justice by civil rights activists and scholars.
Brown is a board member and participant in civic literacy programs sponsored by Citizen Detroit, a nonprofit organization that hosts workshops on topics such as gerrymandering, the City Charter, local, state, and national elections.
An international or global democratic perspective is an integral part of courses taught by Professor Brown. Illustrative examples include writings and analyses of Frederick Douglass's anti-slavery speeches in Great Britain in the 19th century, as well as comparison and contrast between black power struggles in the United States, Great Britain, and South Africa. Moreover, Professor Brown's prior study abroad courses identifying and describing faith-based politics in South Africa, Turkey, and Ghana increased student knowledge of the power of government(s) to control the political agenda.
Ronald Brown's recent research projects are with his son, Associate Professor R. Khari Brown, Department of Sociology, Wayne State University. He is the co-co-principal investigator of the 2020-21 National Politics Study, and the Detroit Area COVID-19 Study, co-funded by the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. He is the co-author along with R. Khari Brown, and James S. Jackson, Race and the Power of Sermons on American Politics, University of Michigan Press, 2021.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor of Bilingual
Dr. Sandra M. Gonzales is an Associate Professor of Bilingual/Bicultural Education in the Division of Teacher Education at Wayne State University. She received her master's and doctorate in International Educational Development from Columbia University, Teachers College.
Her research interests include: Latinx identity and belonging; K12 school reform efforts; culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning practices; and the revitalization of elder and Abuelita epistemologies, such as testimonio, stories and storytelling centering on Detroit's Chicanx, Mexican and Indigenous Mexican community.
Gonzales coordinates the Native Development Network and Learning Community, a student success initiative for Native American students and allies at Wayne State University. She is also the faculty PI for the College of Education Upward Bound program, a TRIO pre-college initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Student Programs, Office of International Programs and Educational Outreach
- Associate Director, Student Programs, Office of International Programs and English Language Institute
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Student and Scholar Advisor
Gail advises international students and scholars regarding immigration regulations, personal, financial, cross-cultural adjustment and related matters.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Vice President, International Partnerships
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator for Educational Outreach
- Project Coordinator, Educational Outreach and International Programs
Jessica Hoffmeyer is the project coordinator for Educational Outreach and the Office of International Programs. Jessica coordinates short-term international programs and international student recruitment. Jessica has been a member of the Wayne State community since 2015 when she came to WSU for her undergraduate degree. She has since graduated with her BA in history and worked in multiple roles across campus as both a student assistant and full time staff member.
Education
BA, history, Wayne State University
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Student and Scholar Advisor
Biography
Jessica Martinez is a Student and Scholar Advisor in the Office of International Students and Scholars. She is a proud Warrior alum, having graduated from Wayne State University with a B.A. in Public Relations. She advises international students and scholars regarding immigration regulations as well as personal, financial, cross-cultural adjustment and related matters. Prior to coming to OISS Jessica worked for several years in international logistics. She enjoys international travel, cycling and spending time with friends and family.
Biography
Dr. Dixon brings more than 10 years of experience in international education and also serves as WSU's director of Study Abroad. She is the author of numerous articles with research interest in the development of individuals within their international communities. She is a member of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, chair of the WSU Academic Staff Professional Development Committee and immediate past-president of the Michigan Association of Adult and Continuing Education. She has received numerous awards for service to the university and surrounding community. Kelli holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; a master's degree in public administration and PhD in political science, both from Wayne State University.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Political Science and Fellowships Faculty Coordinator
She joined OISS April 30, 2012 as the Program Specialist. She has been with the University for 16 yrs with 10 of those years with the Physics department as the graduate admissions secretary. She is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Labor Studies. She enjoy cooking, hosting family gatherings, and spending Christmases in San Antonio, TX.
Job Titles:
- Student Services Coordinator
Job Titles:
- International Teaching Assistant ( ITA ) Testing and Training Coordinator and ELI Instructor
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Student and Scholar Advisor
Biography
Michelle Gardner works as a Student and Scholar Advisor in the Office of International Students and Scholars. She is responsible for educating scholars regarding immigration regulations along with providing support for personal, financial, and cultural adaptation matters as well. She holds a bachelor's degree in Global Studies and Anthropology from Wayne State University with a master's degree in Social Science and Education from The University of Chicago. In her spare time, Michelle likes to travel, paint, and eat delicious food from all around the city.
Job Titles:
- Director of Global Studies and Coordinator of Faculty Engagement and Global Learning
- Member of Wayne State 's Department of Languages
Nicole has been a member of Wayne State's Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures since August 2015 where she teaches all levels of German language, seminars on human rights and literature, and Global Studies classes. Her main research interests include 20th and 21st century German literature, intercultural literature including but not limited to migrant and minority literature, and the intersection of literature and human rights. Her book, "The Right to Difference: Interculturality and Human Rights in Contemporary German Literature," was published in October 2021 by the University of Michigan Press. It analyzes the relation of alienness and human rights violations in intercultural German literature since 1990. She examines in what ways alienness is constructed to allow for the violation of specific groups of people and demonstrates to which extent literature can negotiate, overcome and reconcile human rights abuses as well as the underlying constructions of alienness.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations, Academic Student Affairs and Global Engagement
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Student and Scholar Advisor
Biography
Sofia Malynowskyj is an International Student & Scholar Advisor in the Office for International Students and Scholars. She holds her Masters in Counseling, from Wayne State University. Prior to coming to the OISS office she was an academic advisor for the School of Business at Wayne State for 10 years. She advises international students and scholars regarding immigration regulation, personal, financial, cross-cultural adjustment and related matters. She enjoys acting and producing plays. In her spare time likes to travel and knit and has a passion for helping people.
Job Titles:
- Project Coordinator for Educational Outreach
- Project Coordinator, Educational Outreach and International Programs
Zane Harvey is a project coordinator for Educational Outreach and the Office of International Programs. Zane is the primary point of contact for prospective international students. He assists in the execution of an effective recruitment strategy and coordinates outreach efforts for applicants. Before joining full-time in May 2023, he worked on several OIP initiatives as a program assistant since 2017.
Previously, Zane was a technician in the University Advising Center working under the Advisor Training Academy and Pre-Medicine and Health Science Center, where he produced STARS 2.0 advising training videos, student engagement initiatives and managed social media accounts. While pursuing his degrees at Wayne State, Zane worked with the Office of New Student Orientation and the Student Center Administration.
Education
BA, political science, Wayne State University
BA, communication, Wayne State University