Katie Irwin

Katie Irwin

Director of Study Abroad and Special Programs

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Katie Irwin is an experienced international educator dedicated to fostering cross-cultural understanding and global engagement. She has worked as an international educator at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, and as director of the Global Education Office for 10 years. She has supported both students studying abroad and international students, creating enriching and immersive educational experiences.

Irwin has worked as a NAFSA Academy coach for young professionals in the field of international Education and is a member of NAFSA’s Trainer Corps. With over 10 years of experience as a secondary school French teacher in both public and international school settings, she has a deep commitment to language education and cultural exchange.

Career Highlights
  • 14 years as an international educator at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts; director of the Global Education Office for 10 years 
  • NAFSA Academy Coach for young professionals in the field of International Education (2017, 2018) and member of NAFSA’s Trainer Corps.
  • 10-plus years as a secondary school French teacher in both public and international school settings
  • Lived in Milan, Italy, 2001-2005
  • Led multiple high school groups to France through the Experiment in International Living
  • Languages spoken: English, French, Spanish, Italian

 

Awards

Fulbright Scholar International Education Administrators Award to India (2016)

In Their Own Words

"I believe in a student-centered approach to learning where the student is the driver of their learning. I also believe in the transformative power of experiential learning and study abroad that comes from pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone by challenging ourselves to experience different perspectives. Immersing oneself in a culture different from one’s own and learning another language enables students to open their minds to new perspectives and that allows for a deeper understanding and connection. I often tell my students that living and studying abroad is one of the most challenging, rewarding, and transformative experiences that they may encounter in their undergraduate college experience. It is also a wonderful opportunity for deepening our creative and musical endeavors as music is a unifying and universal language through which we can connect and communicate with those who we may not have otherwise had the opportunity to do so. To be an integral part of this experience—to help guide students through these challenges—is both rewarding and a privilege for me.