2009-2010 Neal Presidential Mentors

Chris Alexander, Ph.D. directs the Dean Rusk International Studies Program at Davidson College. The Dean Rusk Program is a co-curricular program that works to ensure that every Davidson student receives an international education as part of his or her liberal arts education. It incorporates the study abroad office, the international student program, and an office that organizes international events and makes grants to support student and faculty research and service abroad. Chris came to Davidson in 2002 from Texas A&M University, where he served as Associate Director of the International Studies Degree Program.

Jeffrey Riedinger serves as Dean of International Studies and Programs at Michigan State University. His responsibilities include: catalyzing multi-disciplinary, multi-college international research collaborations; advancing strategic international partnerships to advance collaborative research, teaching, and engagement activities that positively impact critical global issues; enhancing the internationalization of curriculum and student life; increasing student enrollments, program quality, and curricular integration of study abroad programming; and supporting initiatives in second language acquisition and Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL).

As founding Dean of International Programs of the State University of New York at New Paltz, Bruce Sillner is responsible for study abroad and exchange programs, international student and scholar services, international admissions, the intensive English language program and the Institute for International Business.   Sillner chaired the steering committee of the SUNY Council of Directors of International Education and is the 2009 recipient of NAFSA’s Marita Houlihan Award for distinguished contributions to international education.

As associate provost in Academic Affairs and executive director of the Office of International Programs, Lee Sternberger leads JMU in internationalizing curricula and administering study and service abroad, international student and scholar support, and immigration services. Sternberger’s B.A. is in economics from the University of Missouri, her M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Washington State University, and her M.A. in architectural history from the University of Virginia.  She has served in diverse countries and cultures.

Susan Buck Sutton is Associate Vice President of International Affairs for Indiana University, with responsibility for the IUPUI campus, where she leads internationalization through a philosophy of dialogue, collaboration, and civic engagement honored with the 2009 Andrew Heiskell Award for International Partnership from the Institute for International Education. Sutton is also Chancellor’s Professor of Anthropology with interests in migration, tourism, and community in contemporary Greece.  She has published four books and over 50 articles.