Caela Provost
North American Officer, University College Cork
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What's your background in IE?
I have worked on behalf of University College Cork as their North American Officer and US Representative for Study Abroad and Postgraduate Programs for just over three years now. I absolutely love that my career allows me to work with students, engage with faculty and staff, share my own study abroad experiences, and encourage others to embark on their own life-changing adventures in Ireland. Before working for UCC, I was a blogger and professional writing consultant for Education in Ireland, Irish Central, and i-studentglobal, so I guess you could say that working in international education is more than just my profession…it’s also my passion and my vocation. What's your favorite part of your role at University College Cork? I am very fortunate to be able to run and organize the UCC US Student Ambassador Program and Student Blog. Because I understand firsthand what an incredibly transformative experience studying abroad can be, I gain so much joy in giving students the opportunity to reflect upon, write about, and share their adventures on the Emerald Isle with other students. I truly believe that it is through the utilization and amplification of empowered student voices that the professional, personal, and cultural benefits of international education become manifest in the minds of educators and scholars alike. |
You're in a unique position working remotely. How do you bridge the gap between your colleagues in Ireland and your students to effectively market UCC to US students?
This might sound a bit simplistic, but communication is key to my achieving success in my position. Yes, I am working in a different country than the rest of my colleagues. Yes, I am an ocean away from my beautiful campus. Yes, there is a time difference that occasionally makes it necessary for me to work early or work late. All of this is true. It’s also true that my experiences and lessons as a student abroad prepared me to work in international education. The most important of these lessons, for me, has absolutely been becoming self-aware enough to admit that I am an interdependent life-long learner in an erudite, culturally diverse profession. Simply put: I don’t know everything and I never will…and that’s okay.
Once I embraced this state of self-awareness and found my place in this incredible international community, working to bridge the gap between my colleagues, my students, and myself became almost as instinctual as breathing. I ask faculty for course profiles, student ambassador recommendations, and advice on how best to recruit for their programs, because THEY ARE THE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS. I ask student alumni from study abroad, undergraduate programs, and postgraduate programs to serve as student ambassadors, to write blogs for the UCC International Student Blog Page, and to stand with me at fairs and panels to talk about their experiences, because THEY ARE THE EXPERTS ON THEIR EXPERIENCES. I email the different offices at UCC when I have questions about any best practices and campus rules and regulations, because THOSE OFFICES ARE THE EXPERTS IN THEIR POSITIONS. If you work with individuals –utilizing their unique gifts, strengths, and passions— you soon find that people are more than willing to collaborate with you to achieve a common goal. We all –administrators, mentors, faculty, staff—are in this profession to build a more globally-minded community starting with our students. Keeping that in mind, why would we limit ourselves to using only our own perspective and knowledge-base when we can do so much more as a collective unit of professionals?
Any tips to share about engaging your students after they've completed their program? Do you think this contributes to inspiring other students to consider UCC for their study abroad experience?
Anyone who knows me well knows that my favorite book of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. So, in keeping with the spirit of my character, I’m going to quote Scout Finch, “I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.” Maybe it’s because I come from a family of teachers and social workers, but I truly believe that if you reach out to people, ask them for advice/help, and engage with them with honorable, polite, and professional intentions (whether they’re aged 5 or 95) they will respond to you with respect, kindness, and a willingness to connect. I think about this every single time I send an email to a faculty member, or ask a student alum to write a review of their experience, or call a colleague at UCC with a question about international education. At the crux of human happiness is the desire to know that what you say and do makes an impact…that your voice is heard. The students I work with allow me and other aspiring study abroad students to experience their journeys in Ireland through their stories, pictures, music videos, and testimonials. These students aren’t just students in my eyes, but rather ambassadors, mentors, and motivational speakers for international education. I ensure their voices are heard, and they, in turn, help me build a strong community of advocates for Irish adventures abroad.
What are the three things you'll never leave home without?
Where's your most recent passport stamp from?
I most recently visited Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada, but I believe the most recent stamp was in Dublin, Ireland!
What's your go-to airplane snack for an international flight?
I always have a bottle of water and one or two Lara or RX protein bars.
What's your biggest cultural faux pas abroad?
I don’t know if this would be considered a cultural faux pas, but I feel terrible that I only speak English. I can understand and read French (thank you, high school!), and know a few phrases in Spanish, and I can read and understand Latin (thank you, college!), but it’s a goal of mine to at least become conversationally fluent in Spanish.
What's your favorite memory from a trip you've taken?
I have entirely too many to count, but if I had to pick just one I think I’d have to go with climbing the active Volcano Pacaya in Antigua, Guatemala (and then roasting marshmallows in hot lava!).
This might sound a bit simplistic, but communication is key to my achieving success in my position. Yes, I am working in a different country than the rest of my colleagues. Yes, I am an ocean away from my beautiful campus. Yes, there is a time difference that occasionally makes it necessary for me to work early or work late. All of this is true. It’s also true that my experiences and lessons as a student abroad prepared me to work in international education. The most important of these lessons, for me, has absolutely been becoming self-aware enough to admit that I am an interdependent life-long learner in an erudite, culturally diverse profession. Simply put: I don’t know everything and I never will…and that’s okay.
Once I embraced this state of self-awareness and found my place in this incredible international community, working to bridge the gap between my colleagues, my students, and myself became almost as instinctual as breathing. I ask faculty for course profiles, student ambassador recommendations, and advice on how best to recruit for their programs, because THEY ARE THE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS. I ask student alumni from study abroad, undergraduate programs, and postgraduate programs to serve as student ambassadors, to write blogs for the UCC International Student Blog Page, and to stand with me at fairs and panels to talk about their experiences, because THEY ARE THE EXPERTS ON THEIR EXPERIENCES. I email the different offices at UCC when I have questions about any best practices and campus rules and regulations, because THOSE OFFICES ARE THE EXPERTS IN THEIR POSITIONS. If you work with individuals –utilizing their unique gifts, strengths, and passions— you soon find that people are more than willing to collaborate with you to achieve a common goal. We all –administrators, mentors, faculty, staff—are in this profession to build a more globally-minded community starting with our students. Keeping that in mind, why would we limit ourselves to using only our own perspective and knowledge-base when we can do so much more as a collective unit of professionals?
Any tips to share about engaging your students after they've completed their program? Do you think this contributes to inspiring other students to consider UCC for their study abroad experience?
Anyone who knows me well knows that my favorite book of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. So, in keeping with the spirit of my character, I’m going to quote Scout Finch, “I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.” Maybe it’s because I come from a family of teachers and social workers, but I truly believe that if you reach out to people, ask them for advice/help, and engage with them with honorable, polite, and professional intentions (whether they’re aged 5 or 95) they will respond to you with respect, kindness, and a willingness to connect. I think about this every single time I send an email to a faculty member, or ask a student alum to write a review of their experience, or call a colleague at UCC with a question about international education. At the crux of human happiness is the desire to know that what you say and do makes an impact…that your voice is heard. The students I work with allow me and other aspiring study abroad students to experience their journeys in Ireland through their stories, pictures, music videos, and testimonials. These students aren’t just students in my eyes, but rather ambassadors, mentors, and motivational speakers for international education. I ensure their voices are heard, and they, in turn, help me build a strong community of advocates for Irish adventures abroad.
What are the three things you'll never leave home without?
- My wallet
- A good book
- My phone
Where's your most recent passport stamp from?
I most recently visited Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada, but I believe the most recent stamp was in Dublin, Ireland!
What's your go-to airplane snack for an international flight?
I always have a bottle of water and one or two Lara or RX protein bars.
What's your biggest cultural faux pas abroad?
I don’t know if this would be considered a cultural faux pas, but I feel terrible that I only speak English. I can understand and read French (thank you, high school!), and know a few phrases in Spanish, and I can read and understand Latin (thank you, college!), but it’s a goal of mine to at least become conversationally fluent in Spanish.
What's your favorite memory from a trip you've taken?
I have entirely too many to count, but if I had to pick just one I think I’d have to go with climbing the active Volcano Pacaya in Antigua, Guatemala (and then roasting marshmallows in hot lava!).
