Meet the Global Engagement Team

Director for the Office of Education Abroad
matthewyates@CalLutheran.edu  
805-493-3757

Hometown: Schererville, Indiana, USA
Alma Mater: Indiana University – Bloomington, Ohio State University
Undergraduate Major: History and Global Governance, B.A.
Graduate Degree: History, M.A. and Ph.D.
Countries Where you have lived/favorite places abroad: I tend to gravitate to large cities with diverse people and rich food cultures, such as Barcelona, Cape Town, London, Montreal, Paris, Rome, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, and Toronto. I’d also include domestic communities like Chicago (where I grew up), New York, San Francisco--and of course, Los Angeles!
Languages: English; some French, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish
Advice for Internationally-minded students: Embrace adventure. Challenging interactions and conversations make us more human, pave the way for social justice, and help us find purpose in life. 

Assistant Director for the Office of Education Abroad
aam@CalLutheran.edu
805-493-3751

Hometown: Tehran, Iran
Alma Mater: Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration
Undergraduate Major: Commerce and International Trade
Graduate Degree: Commerce and International Trade
Countries Where you have lived/favorite places abroad: Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Croatia, Singapore, Indonesia, Turkey, Canada
Languages: Farsi, German, English
Advice for Internationally-minded students: Don’t be afraid to explore new cultures, you will learn a lot about yourself and you will discover kindness in the most surprising places.

Director for the Office of International Admission
drowley@CalLutheran.edu 
805-493-3601

Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Alma Mater: California Lutheran University
Undergraduate Major: History and Political Science
Graduate Degree: MS Counseling and Guidance, College Student Personnel
Countries Where you have lived/favorite places abroad: I’ve lived, worked and studied in Japan, the U.K., and Belgium. I’ve traveled to nearly 60 more countries around the world throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia. I love connecting with and learning from new people, cultures and ideas. 
Advice for Internationally-minded students: It is my hope that students will understand a powerful secret that comes in 2 parts: The first is that you have incredible cultural wealth and personal power within you that should be shared with those around you and with the world. Don’t ever let any person or any institution tell you that you are deficient and that they need to fill that deficiency within you. The second part is that while you hold strong in your own power and identity also open your mind and heart to the lives and stories and cultures of others. Global engagement is all about a process of learning, growing, changing, and connecting in mutuality. 

Associate Director for the Office of International Admission
ying@CalLutheran.edu 
805-493-3128

Hometown: Nanjing, China
Alma Mater: California State University, Northridge
Undergraduate Major: Teaching English as Second Language
Graduate Degree: Education Leadership and Policy Studies in Higher Education
Countries Where you have lived/favorite places abroad: I love all the places I have been to, such as Greece, Italy, Japan, Thailand, and the Bahamas. What a wonderful world!
Languages: English and Mandarin 
Advice for Internationally-minded students: When I came to the U.S. as an international student in 2012, I also experienced cultural and social differences, language barriers, academic anxiety, and financial stress. It's ok to be vulnerable and make mistakes. Let's embrace who we are. CLU cares about you as an individual; Please do not hesitate to ask questions or look for help. Our team is always here for you.

Director for the Office of International Students and Scholars
paguirre@CalLutheran.edu
805-493-3951

Graduate Degree: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in Higher Education, MA and EdD
Countries Where you have lived/favorite places abroad: Peru
Languages: English and Spanish  
Advice for Internationally-minded students: Remember to be open to meeting new people and cultures; especially on a diverse campus such as Cal Lutheran, which offers great opportunities for social and academic integration. Don’t take your life experiences for granted. Embrace and value the privilege of your study abroad education. Take advantage of this opportunity, because when you study abroad, you gain a greater appreciation of life, of what you left behind, and what you are gaining moving forward.