Our campuses, our courses, and our commitment to YOU!
From St. John’s signature first-year programming designed to engage students from day one to our short-term and semester-long study abroad and service programs internationally, the Office of International Education (OIE) serves as the central resource for the St. John’s community regarding global opportunities beyond our New York campuses.
In keeping with the University’s global mission, OIE strives to provide international opportunities at every level of your degree. St. John's innovative core and major-specific programming offers opportunities for students in nearly every discipline to engage in cross-cultural experience and gain invaluable skills for the job market, opening doors to future opportunities. Starting with the Global Passport Program in Freshmen year, to our semester programs at St. John's European campuses, all the way up to our graduate programs around the world, St. John’s students hear the call – over 40% of St. John’s students participate in some form of study, internship or volunteer opportunity abroad!
Start exploring your options today...
Global Passport
St. John's nationally unique first-year program engages your Core academics from day one!
Semester
Whether you travel to one country or three, St. John's offers you full cultural exploration and immersion through our Semester in Paris, Semester in Rome and Western Europe Semester programs.
Short-Term Programs
St. John's offers a wide range of short-term, faculty-directed programs all over the world, with travel ranging from 7 days to 2 months.
Exchange
For the more independent student, we offer a variety of exchange programs with partner universities around the world, including Sweden, Japan, Colombia, Australia, Chile and more!
GLOBAL is part of the St. John's MISSION!
Given how often you hear about study abroad at St. John's, would it surprise you to learn that only 10% of college grads nationwide take advantage of this incredible opportunity? At St. John’s, our global mission pushes us to consider that a challenge, driving us to create new and innovative programs that encourage all students to study, volunteer, and live outside the U.S.
Study abroad is not only a fun and personally rewarding experience, it helps to set you apart on the job market and gain invaluable global competencies. And who knows? You may come back with new ideas for where your career may take you. Many St. John's students go on to pursue other international opportunities, and we're confident that you will too!
So what makes St. John's programs unique?
Academics
Locally informed scholarly inquiry is at the core of our study abroad programs. With that in mind, we offer intellectually engaging classes taught by dedicated, highly trained St. John’s faculty throughout the world, with experiential components at the core of every course. That means you won't just be sitting in a classroom abroad but directly engaging your coursework in the cities, histories and landscapes that surround you. What's more, these are our programs, so you know the courses are designed for YOU, work for your major and core requirements, and, most importantly, keep you on track for graduation.
Affordability
Study abroad should be accessible to all students. To make that a reality, St. John’s offers generous financial aid and scholarships that aim to accommodate every student, independent of their financial resources. Plus, most of your St. John's financial aid package will travel with you... that's the beauty of a St. John's program!
Safety
We want you to expand your intellectual and personal horizons, safely. Our full-time student life and academic support staff in each of our semester locations work with you to make sure you’re able to make smart choices. And when things don’t go perfectly? You’ll have St. John’s-provided international health insurance and worldwide emergency assistance – all covered by your program fee.
The Vincentian Difference: Giving Back
Helping to change lives is an inspiring experience – one that sets studying abroad with St. John’s programs apart from most others. Each year, our study abroad students commit roughly 5,000 hours to service sites worldwide. You’ll make a real difference through activities like teaching English to local students, serving in soup kitchens, and working with the elderly. Best of all, giving back often forms a central part of your academic experience. Through our Academic Service-Learning offerings, you’ll work with the community while fulfilling course-based experiential education requirements.
Student Support—Before, During, and After the Program
At St. John’s you’ll receive personal attention. We’ll be with you every step of the way, making sure you are fully prepared to get the most out of your experience. We’ll even (happily) talk to your families and provide resources to help them understand how St. John's guarantees that you’ll have an amazing... and safe... experience abroad!
Office of International Education
Marillac Hall, Room 210
Tel: 718-990-6105
[email protected]
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Meet the OIE Team
Christian Andrade
Associate Director of Partnerships and Short-Term Programs
Education
B.A. International Business, Manhattanville College
M.B.A. Marketing, St. John’s University (expected Fall 2025)
Relevant Experience
Christian (Chris) is an accomplished higher education professional with over 20 years of experience, bringing expertise in global education, enrollment management, and partnership development. His current role marks Chris’s second tenure at St. John’s University. Chris’s career includes roles at Marymount Manhattan College, Manhattanville University, and the SUNY Central Office. Passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, Chris has actively contributed to multiple initiatives to foster belonging and support underrepresented students.
Fun Travel Fact
Originally from Ecuador, Chris grew up in five different countries, including Brazil, which helped him become fluent in Portuguese in addition to his native Spanish. As an international college student in the United States, he developed a lifelong passion for exploring the world. Chris has traveled to over 35 countries, including all nations in the Americas.
Natalie Artiles
Coordinator of Outbound Student Services
Education
- B.S. in Marketing, St. John's University
- M.B.A. in International Business, St. John's University
Relevant Experience
Natalie’s passion for international education started while she was a student at St. John’s. She studied abroad three different times as an undergrad, which included the Global Passport program to Rome, the Discover the World semester program to Spain, France, and Italy, and a Global Destination Course to Athens, Greece. After graduating from St. John's, she worked in different industries including pharmaceuticals at Pfizer, digital ad sales at Yelp, and financial services at Piper Sandler. In her current role as Coordinator of Outbound Student Services at OIE, Natalie works directly with SJU students to prepare them for their study abroad experiences through pre-departure orientations, visa advisement, health insurance registration, and more. She is dedicated to making students’ preparations for studying abroad run as smoothly as possible.
Fun Travel Fact
Natalie is bilingual in Spanish and has traveled to a total 18 countries in 4 different continents. On one of her study abroad programs with St. John’s to Athens, Greece, she met two of her now closest friends. Since then, they have continued to travel together internationally.
Jamia Brooks
Coordinator of Partner Student Services
Gregory Bruhn
Director of Outbound Programs
Education
- B.A. in French Language and Culture, University of Connecticut
- M.A. in French Literature, New York University
- M.Phil. in French Literature, New York University
Relevant Experience
Greg has over 30 years of experience in international education in a variety of roles including as an international student advisor at NYU; as a classroom educator in literature, English as a Second Language, and French language and culture at a number of universities; and as a study abroad administrator in the U.S. and France. Greg studied and worked for three years in France, and has directed service and academic programs in France, Italy, Guatemala, and Peru. His work has also included translations for W.W. Norton Press, as well as interpreting work for the Paris Opera Ballet and Theatre des Bouffes du Nord during their performances with the Lincoln Center Arts Festival.
Fun Travel Fact
Greg has hiked in Patagonia and completed the Inca Trail in Peru. He was also able to attend a wedding in a castle in Germany, and stayed in an Italian villa that had a private library with manuscripts pre-dating Christopher Columbus.
Dennis Cuadros
Assistant Director of Short-Term Programs
Education
- B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Miami
- M.A. Mathematics & Secondary Education, Queens College
Relevant Experience
Dennis Cuadros has been working in education for over a decade as a classroom instructor and, most recently, as an international education administrator. He taught mathematics to diverse groups of students at the community college and high school levels in New York City and participated in a summer teaching program in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Miami, Mathematics & Secondary Education at Queens College, CUNY, and International Education Management & Leadership from the University at Albany, SUNY. Dennis is an avid traveler, culture junkie, and has visited 24 countries.
Anna Torres
Coordinator of Study Abroad Academics and Scholarships
Education
- B.A. in Psychology, St. John’s University
Relevant Experience
Anna comes with over 23 years’ experience in Higher Ed. She began her higher ed career at St. John’s as part of the University’s Executive Vice President team implementing various research projects and studies for new initiatives. One of her early projects includes working with the development team, performing research for the Discover the World program, now known as Western Europe Semester. Anna has worked in the OIE for over 8 years. She works closely with Advising Deans and students as they prepare and plan academically to study abroad.
Fun Travel Fact
Anna grew up living in Greece during the summer months and is bi-lingual in Greek. She has traveled to 4 continents. Some of her favorite experiences include exploring many of Greece’s beautiful islands with her family, swimming beneath a waterfall in Costa Rica, and wave-running in the turquoise waters of Bora Bora.
Genie Smiddy
Coordinator of Short-Term Programs
Education
- BA Art History – Hunter College CUNY
- MA TESOL Hunter College CUNY
Relevant Experience
Genie has been working with international and immigrant students since 2005. First, she worked as a tutor then supervisor at the Hunter College Writing Center, then as a first-year literature and writing instructor at Hunter College and School of Visual Arts, and now as an English language instructor and coordinator for the English Language Institute and Short-term programs at St. John’s University. One of the many highlights of her work was coordinating and teaching in a professional development program for 50 Brazilian teachers of English where she and the teachers developed digital lessons for their high school students back in Brazil.
Fun Travel Fact
Genie doesn’t mind wandering aimlessly and stumbling on interesting finds – typically after visiting an art gallery or museum – like the equestrian event she found in the park near the Borghese Galleries in Rome or the Marché des Enfants Rouges open food market she meandered into after an exhibit at the Foundation Henri Cartier-Bresson in Paris.
Bianca Sylvain
Assistant Director of Outbound Student Services
Education
- B.A. in Psychology, Mount Saint Mary College
- Masters in Business Administration, Mount Saint Mary College
Relevant Experience
Bianca has worked in the field of International Education for over four years, as a study abroad advisor in the SUNY system. Throughout her career, Bianca has focused on making study abroad accessible to all students, through study abroad scholarships. Bianca is committed to making study abroad affordable to students by taking advantage of the funds provided by the national scholarships, such as the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship. Bianca herself is a recipient of the Gilman scholarship.
Fun Travel Fact
Bianca’s fascination with travel started with her own study abroad experience in the Czech Republic during her undergraduate career. Since then, she has traveled to more than 25 countries on five different continents. During her travels, she has stayed in a hut located in the middle of the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Colombia and technically missed her 24th birthday because she was flying to New Zealand and skipped a day because of time zones.
Mary Zouvelos
International Education Office Assistant
Education
- B.S. in Legal Studies, St. John's University
Relevant Experience
Mary is a proud St. John’s Alumna and President’s Society Member. She has been blessed to work in everything from the non-profit sector in places like the American Ballet Theatre to sport entertainment at Madison Square Garden and even as a teacher in the classroom before returning home to STJU, where she's enthusiastic to support our students as they make their way around the world!
Fun Travel Fact
Mary has traveled across three different continents, being fortunate enough to spend many summers in Greece and a semester abroad at St. John's Rome campus. In 2022, she attended the University of the Peloponnese in Kalamata, Greece, where she studied Greek history, language and culture throughout the summer. Mary continues to chase a knowledge of art and culture, studying Italian, Spanish, and Greek in her spare time.
Susan Peterson
Associate Director of Global Engagement
Sue Peterson is the Associate Director of Global Engagement at St. John’s University, New York City, with responsibilities for developing and communicating about global programs, events, and initiatives. As an educator, Ms. Peterson has been an ESL/EFL teacher, program administrator, workshop leader, curriculum developer, and teacher trainer in the U.S., Mexico, and China. At St. John’s, she has developed curriculum for a variety of programs including the Global Online Learning Exchange Program. She is the co-author of Prism: Listening and Speaking, Intro with Cambridge University Press, and Writing Power, Books 3 and 4 with Pearson Education.
Tiecher Adams
International Education Office Assistant
Education
B.S. in Biology, Lehman College
B.S. in Toxicology, St. John’s University
Relevant Experience
Tiecher has over 20 years of experience in international education. She began working with international students as a student worker in the English as a second Language Program at St. John's. As the student worker, she was responsible for various tasks most importantly preparing English placement exams. After graduating from St. John's, Tiecher was immediately hired as the administrative assistant for St. John's Intensive English Program where she continues working directly with international students as an international advisor generating I-20s, setting up housing accommodations on campus, and lending an ear when students need someone to listen. She is dedicated to keeping students well-informed.
Fun Travel Fact
Tiecher ignited her interest in travel when she spent 2 weeks studying abroad in Japan where she immersed herself in Japanese culture. After that, she got the travel bug and began looking for other travel opportunities. She spent 5 days in Playa del Carmen, Mexico for swimming lessons to improve her technique while she experienced the beauty and culture of the area. Tiecher has a passion for medicine and spent time in Athens, Greece in 2021 shadowing doctors in various medical specialties.