Staff

Sherif Barsoum began as the Director of ISSS August 2007. He has been in the field of International Education for 20 years. A two time graduate of Ohio State University, where he received his Masters degree in Higher Education Administration. He comes to Vanderbilt after 13 years as Assistant Director at the International Office at Ohio State University. He is currently Vice President of Public Policy and Practice for NAFSA: Association of International Educators.  Originally from Cairo, Egypt, Sherif has lived and traveled to many countries and enjoys meeting people and learning about new cultures. He enjoys conducting Cross-cultural workshops and inter-cultural programming. He is a huge advocate of Study Abroad and of International exchange. He also leads a Maymester program each year to Egypt or Morocco.

Heather Young started at Vanderbilt University in August 2003. As the Assistant Director of ISSS, she advises students on F and J visas, maintains the ISSS website, and student/scholar database. She graduated from WKU with a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and Computer Information Systems, and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration at Vanderbilt.  She is also the financial adviser for the African Student Union (ASU) and the Vanderbilt International Students Association (VISA). As a member of NAFSA: Association of International Educators she is currently the Region VII Secretary/Treasurer for NAFSA and she is also a Past Chair for the Tennessee Association of International Educators (TAIE). Heather was awarded a Fulbright Administrators in International Education Scholarship to Germany and Poland in October 2005. She has also traveled to Belize, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. She was previously employed by Western Kentucky University (WKU) as an International Student & Scholar Adviser.

Marci Angevine joined ISSS as an International Student & Scholar Advisor in August 2005. She advises Vanderbilt students and scholars on F and J visas.  Marci is originally from the Midwest, and got her Bachelor’s degree in French and Communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She completed her Master’s degree in Education at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Marci has held positions advising international students at The Institute of International Education in Chicago and Ramapo College of New Jersey, before coming to Vanderbilt. Marci is very interested in the francophone world but loves to learn about all cultures. She has lived in France and traveled throughout Europe. In 2006, she was awarded a Fulbright International Educators Award to Japan and spent three weeks visiting educational institutions all over Japan . She is excited about continually expanding her knowledge of the world. Marci is also a member of NAFSA.

Heather A Jones joined ISSS as an International Student & Scholar Advisor in February 2008. She advises Vanderbilt students on F visas and assists with coordinating the various ISSS programs.  Heather is originally from Ohio, and received her bachelor’s degree in International Business from Michigan State University.  While attending MSU, she studied in Angers, France.  Previously, Heather was an International Student Advisor at Eastern Oregon University for three years, where she also worked with international admissions and study abroad programs.  Heather enjoys meeting and helping students, cooking, and exploring new places.

Radhika Reddy began her new position at ISSS as International Student & Scholar Adviser October 2007. She originally joined ISSS as Administrative Assistant in April 2005. She was previously employed by Nashville State Community College as an Admissions Assistant and enjoys assisting students and scholars with their adjustment to life in the U.S. She was born and brought up in India and moved to the United States in 1999 with her family. She has two children, and enjoys cooking and gardening.

Michelle Kovash started at Vanderbilt University in August 2009 as the Office Assistant in the Dean of Students Office. She is now joining us as the Administrative Assistant in ISSS. Michelle is originally from Ontario, Canada and moved to Pikeville, Kentucky where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Pikeville College. After graduating and moving to Tennessee with her then fiancée, she began a position with Spherion Staffing as their Recruiting Agent. Michelle is now married and has a beautiful baby girl named Ava Grace that was born in March of 2010. In her spare time, Michelle enjoys reading, crafting, decorating, and shopping.

Peggy Knupp is the new receptionist for the International Suite of the Student Life Center, serving the three offices: International Student and Scholar Services, Global Education Office, and the Office of International Services. She received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Political Science from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. During that time she studied abroad in Groningen, Netherlands. Peggy has also visited Paris, Prague, and parts of Germany. She spent six years, up until the end of 2005, working at the information desk for Vanderbilt Internal Medicine. In her free time, Peggy enjoys watching movies, playing Hacky Sack, and reading.