mission statement
The Office of International Programs at Western Kentucky University will provide leadership in the
development of an international program that is recognized both nationally and globally for its excellence. The office will advocate for the development of sustainable, high quality, academic programs. Innovative grants and international agreements will be encouraged, and the creation of community partnerships that center on quality of life issues and economic development will be a priority. The office will support the internationalization agenda of all university departments by providing high quality student, scholar, and faculty support services. In all of our work we will be guided by the core values of professionalism and ethical behavior.
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Dr. Cornell H. Menking
chief International officer
Dr. Menking comes to WKU from Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Cumbaya, Ecuador, where he had worked since 2001. He had served as director of the school’s Office of International Programs since August 2006 and oversaw the largest, single-institution international exchange program office in South America.
He also had been a professor and director of graduate programs in education at the Ecuador school since August 2001. While there, Dr. Menking also was chair of the Institutional Effectiveness Team, SACS program auditor, Entrepreneurial Team member and assistant dean of the graduate school.
Dr. Menking also served as an instructor/clinical supervisor and several other roles at the University of New Mexico from 1996 to 2000, worked at the Yakutsk Teacher Training Institute in Russia from 1993 to 1996, served as outreach coordinator/instructor for the Albuquerque Literacy Program in 1992-93, was a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone, West Africa, from 1988 to 1991, and was an instructor at the Center of English Language in Dallas from 1986 to 1987.
He received a bachelor of arts in history from Southern Methodist University in 1986, a master of arts in foundations of education from the University of New Mexico in 1998 and his doctorate in educational thought and sociocultural studies from the University of New Mexico in 2003.
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reed vesey
Director of study abroad
Reed started as a student at WKU in 1985 and graduated with a double major (Economics and Marketing in 1990. He followed this up with an M.A. in Economics in 1992. He began his career at WKU with a position with the University as an Academic Advisor for the College of Business. In 2006, Reed was appointed Director of Study Abroad and his extensive travels include Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Mexico, Colombia, Canada, and China.
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beth murphy
coordinator of international student and scholar services
Beth has been involved in the field of international education for about 20 years. After earning her BS degree, she received her MA in TESOL from Penn State. In 1990, she began her career as International Teaching Assistant Coordinator at Penn State. Beth later served as Advocate for International Family Housing at Indiana University and, in 1998, and as an ESL instructor at Eastern Illinois University. In 2000, she accepted the position of Director of The Center for English as a Second Language at Brescia University. Beth then moved to Murray State University where she was an International Student/Scholar Advisor and ESL Student Advisor/Instructor before accepting the position of Coordinator of International Student and Scholar Services at WKU in 2003.
Beth has lived in England and studied in Germany. Her other travels include: the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Spain, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Estonia, Sweden, and Denmark.
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bethany ore
immigration specialist
Bethany Oré is the Immigration Specialist at ISSS. She currently works primarily with faculty and staff for H-1B visa’s and J-1 students, researchers, and scholars. She is a WKU alumni and is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Student Affairs and a Certificate in International Student Services. She enjoys traveling abroad and has visited France, Germany, Austria and Peru.
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JAN RAMGÉ
office associate - budget and finances
Prior to coming to Western Kentucky University, Jan Ramgé has served in a number of financial and administrative positions in the government and defense industry within the United States, Turkey, Germany and Saudi Arabia. She came to Western Kentucky University in April 1996 as an Office Associate in the Admission’s Department and later transferred to the Office of Development until 2000 when she joined the Office of International Programs where she has served as an Office Associate handling administrative and financial affairs for the office. She is married with two sons, one of which is retired from the U.S. Army and the other who is a Army Infantry Officer currently serving his second tour in Iraq. She and her husband Jim also have three grandchildren. Her interests include traveling to other countries, reading and spending time with her family.
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andrea ford
international associate advisor
Andrea Ford is a native of Bowling Green and earned her Bachelor's from WKU. Andrea first began working on campus as a student worker in 1986 and then as a full-time staff member in 1996 for the Office of Admissions. After management positions for other area businesses, she returned to WKU in September 2005 to work with ISSS and is currently working on her Master's Degree in International Relations. Andrea loves cross-cultural communications and working with international students. She studied abroad in high school and hopes to travel more extensively in the future.
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judy scott
office associate, office of international programs
Judy received her Associate's Degree in Banking and Bachelor's Degree in Business and is an alumnus of Western Kentucky University. After working in the public school system for 17 years, she recently returned to campus to manage the Office of Internationalization.
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casey young
Graduate assistant, office of international student and scholar services
Casey is a graduate student working as an intern with International Student and Scholar Services. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Kentucky. She is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Student Affairs in addition to the International Student Services Certificate. During Casey's undergraduate program,she studied abroad in Spain and traveled to Paris.
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NADIA DE LEON
GRADUATE ASSISTANT, OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
ISSS student workers
NATALIA BARAHONA and farhat hamidullah
