Meet Program Specialist Kristina Carrizosa
Meet Program Specialist Kristina Carrizosa Kristina Carrizosa’s journey in international education has come full circle as she rejoins the International Programs team at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education. Having graduated from UC Davis with degrees in Spanish and communications, her first job was as an activities coordinator for the Intensive English Program at UC Davis.
“My experience in the Intensive English Program at UC Davis exposed me to working with students from different cultures and helped guide my career path to international education,” she said.
Today, she is a program specialist managing Academic Preparation and Pathway Programs and Pre-College Programs, while also overseeing the overall student experience for International Programs.
With a master’s in international education and training, plus 14 years living in Panama where she worked as the director of admissions at the Metropolitan School of Panama, Kristina brings extensive knowledge and experience in international education to her new role.
Tell me more about your experience in international education.
As the director of admissions at the Metropolitan School of Panama, a new international school founded in 2011, we had over 40 student nationalities attend our school, as well as a very diverse group of staff members. I also had the opportunity to be an EAL (English as an Additional Language) teacher at the same school. It was an amazing experience to be part of a new project from the very beginning, and I'm proud to say it's now one of the top international schools in Panama.
What are you most excited about in this new role?
What excites me the most is the chance to make a meaningful impact on the lives of our students and contribute to UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education’s dedication to promoting global education.
How will your work impact students?
My goal is for our international students to thrive academically and culturally during their time with us. I am looking at ways to increase connections with other UC Davis students, as well as continuing to foster a welcoming environment.
What do you value most about working in international education?
Being able to hone my skills in intercultural communication and my experience as an expatriate gave me a greater appreciation of the challenges that our international students often encounter. For many of our students it may be their first and only time living abroad, and we have a great team in place to guide them through their UC Davis experience.