Kristen is a first-generation college student, daughter of divorced Slovakian and Irish immigrants, and values immensely the opportunities her own college education has brought her. She had never been outside of the U.S.—with only limited travel outside of the Northeast—until she attended college. With the connections her U.S. universities had to volunteer and study overseas, Kristen began to realize the importance of exposure in cross-cultural dialogue and international exchange. Today, you can contact Kristen in Spanish and Italian.  

Kristen financed part of her education by working both in the Financial Aid Office and Dean’s Office at College of the Holy Cross, giving her a behind-the-scenes peek at the college admissions process. Simultaneously, Kristen began to volunteer as an ESL teacher for a non-profit in the Worcester community. These experiences formed a central basis for her academic studies, leading to several publications and presentations. Leaving a legacy at her alma mater, she reformed the barebones nighttime ESL program to form strong volunteer relations from local universities and initiated the process of outside grant funding. She continued working with high schoolers during her Master’s degree in Madrid, Spain, focusing on strengthening their academic and ESL skills in standardized exams such as the SAT. 

As a result, Kristen was invited through the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Program in 2011 to supplement the English Department at A Universidade Federal de Pelotas, a public university in Southern Brazil. As the only native English speaker in the area, Kristen was invited to lecture at another private university and local academies. She had exposure to over 2000 students and teachers from local schools, and promoted U.S. culture through designing and leading hundreds of hours of cultural and English-language seminars. 

During her Fulbright, Kristen listened to the needs of her community, and funnelled her energy into public presentations about how to study, work, and volunteer abroad. Her influence on current high schoolers, college students, and fellow teachers inspired many attendees to pursue opportunities outside of Brazil. 

On a personal level, Kristen was responsible for identifying opportunities for her younger brother’s higher education. In between her Fulbright and coursework abroad, she took her brother on tours and interviews to area colleges in the Northeast—often mistaken as an applicant herself by college students and admission officers. Ultimately, she came up with a creative solution to have him take college courses in Panama while receiving credit for a U.S. degree. Tuition was only a fraction of the cost of a U.S. degree and he was able to receive the emotional support he needed by having family nearby. This experience further motivated Kristen to continue to find cost-friendly alternatives for how students can continue and complete their higher education.