Staff

Jeanne Kelley has been in the field of international education for over 14 years and is the Director of the International Students and Scholars Office. She advises international students, scholars and university departments on immigration issues and specializes in non-immigrant employment matters and federal compliance. Jeanne obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Clark University in International Relations and a Master of Science degree from Boston University in International Communication. Jeanne can be reached by e-mail at jkelley@bu.edu.

James E. Leck is the Associate Director for Student Services. He works with the ISSO's international student advisors to help provide a high standard of service for all of Boston University's international students. His nearly 20 years in international education began with AFS in New York. James spent four years in South Africa teaching and working with youth on leadership and race relations. James served on the regional team of NAFSA: Association of International Educators from 1999 to 2003 and has held member-leader positions with NAFSA at the national level. He holds a Master's degree from the School for International Training. James can be reached at jleck@bu.edu.

Andrea Popa is the Assistant Director for Scholar Services.  She spent twelve years of her childhood in Portugal and the Azores Islands and has also lived in Bucharest, Romania, where she met her husband. She graduated with a B.A. in English and a Sociology minor from Eastern Nazarene College and earned a M.A. in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University. Andrea joined the staff of the ISSO in November of 2002 as an international student advisor.  She has been advising since 1996. Andrea can be reached by e-mail at apopa@bu.edu.

Elizabeth Czuprynski is the Assistant Director for Operations at the International Students and Scholars Office. She supervises employees, oversees web development and maintenance, provides technical systems support and manages all daily functions of the office. Elizabeth graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a B.A. in International Relations and in 2003, received her M.B.A. with a concentration in International Business at Boston University. Elizabeth can be reached by e-mail at elizczup@bu.edu.

Christopher Moca is the SEVIS Records Coordinator at the International Students and Scholars Office. He joined the ISSO in 1998 as an International Student and Scholar Advisor before moving to his current position in 2004. Chris monitors the transmission of information that Boston University is required to report to the Department of Homeland Security through the Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for all of our F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and their dependents. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and German from the University of New Hampshire and his Master of Education degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from Boston University. His travel interests have brought him to Austria, England, Germany, Japan and Russia. Chris can be reached by e-mail at cmoca@bu.edu.

Rebecca Breitman Jacoby serves as the International Admissions Specialist. She evaluates all admissions material sent by the graduate school Admission Coordinators and issues the appropriate visa document for study at Boston University. Her education includes degrees from Tufts University and Northeastern University. Rebecca has been a teacher, guidance counselor, international admissions counselor and educational consultant. She has been with Boston University since 2001. Rebecca can be reached by e-mail at issogac@bu.edu.

Peter F. O’Meara joined the ISSO as International Scholar Advisor in November, 2006. He advises international scholars, including professors and researchers in J-1 classification, and university departments on issues related to immigration status, benefits, employment and travel. Peter has been a paralegal specializing in Native American law, a Scholar Advisor with LASPAU at Harvard University, a high school teacher and a Spanish medical interpreter and translator. He continues to serve as English Language Editor of the journal “Cuadernos de Trabajo Social” published by the Universidad Complutense Madrid. Peter completed high school in Peru, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs and Spanish from the University of Maine and holds a Master's degree in History from the University of Chicago. Peter can be reached at pomeara@bu.edu.

Sylvia A. M. Lynch began her position at the ISSO as an International Student and Scholar Advisor in 2003. She advises students from the College of Engineering, the School of Theology, the College of Fine Arts and the School of Education. She has worked at Boston University since 1987, working with predominately international students in an academic unit until she joined the ISSO. She attended Boston University and interrupted her studies to move to Hong Kong in 1983, where she lived and worked for three years, and has traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia and Micronesia. Sam can be reached by e-mail at samlynch@bu.edu.

David A. Enderlin serves as the ISSO advisor to students in the School of Law, College of Arts and Sciences and the College of General Studies. David came to the ISSO in April 2006 after 28 years in the field of international education. David, a fourth generation Californian from the Napa Valley, graduated with a BA in International Relations and Political Science at the University of California, Davis. After serving in the Peace Corps in Zaire (Congo) he did graduate work at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He has served in a variety of positions working with international students at Nathaniel Hawthorne College in New Hampshire and Northeastern University. He can be reached by email at davend@bu.edu.

Jennifer Havlicek joined the ISSO as an International Student Advisor in March 2008. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from Central College in Pella, Iowa, and a Masters in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. After serving in the Peace Corps (Senegal: 96-98), Jennifer worked for LASPAU at Harvard University, placing Fulbright and OAS grantees from Latin America and the Caribbean in graduate programs throughout the U.S. In 2004, she moved to Vermont where she became the Assistant Director of International Student and Scholar Services at Middlebury College.   Originally from Iowa, she has studied abroad in Spain and Mexico, and has traveled extensively. Jennifer advises students from the School of Dental Medicine, School of Public Health and School of Medicine.  Jennifer can be reached by e-mail at havlicek@bu.edu.

Beatrice M. Karam joined the office in December 2003. She serves as the ISSO advisor to students in the School of Hospitality, the School of Social Work, the College of Communication, and Metropolitan College, including BU Global.  Beatrice earned her Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Boston University and her Master's degree in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University. She can be reached by e-mail at bkaram@bu.edu.

Lynn A. Walters serves as the ISSO advisor to students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the University Professors Program.  Lynn joined the ISSO as a Senior ISSO Coordinator in February 2005.  Originally from Nebraska, Lynn moved to the East Coast in 2002 to obtain a Master's degree in International Education from Harvard's Graduate School of Education. She finished her Bachelor's degree in Anthropology at the University of Chicago in 2000. Her travels have taken her everywhere from Spain to Kenya. Lynn can be reached by e-mail at lwalters@bu.edu.

Krissy Ellsworth recently returned to Boston after spending 18 months in Berlin, Germany and joined the ISSO as a Senior ISSO Coordinator in August 2008. She graduated from Boston University in 2006 with a B.A. in Linguistics and minored in French and Art History. Krissy studied abroad through BU in Madrid, Spain and Grenoble, France and traveled all over Western Europe. She has also taken advantage of opportunities to travel to Morocco, Thailand, and China. She is proud of her Guatemalan heritage and celebrates diversity.  She is looking forward to helping the international students and scholars feel welcome here at BU. Krissy can be reached at kmworth@bu.edu.

Lauren Jeffery joined the ISSO in March 2008 having previously worked in International Admissions at another university.  Her travels have taken her across one third of the world's landmass on the Trans-Siberian Railroad, to coffee farms in Brazil and through the streets of Europe's most beloved cities. Lauren's route to working in international education was more circuitous than zip lining through the Andes Mountains. Shortly after earning her bachelor's degree in Clothing and Textiles from Framingham State College, Lauren discovered that her passion for travel and intercultural learning was stronger then her passion for pattern-making and  weaving. She is currently pursuing her MA in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University in Cambridge. Lauren can be reached at ljeffery@bu.edu.

Katy Rugg moved to Boston from Virginia to join the ISSO as a Senior ISSO Coordinator in October 2006.  She studied French and Geology as an undergraduate at Earlham College, participating in off-campus programs in France and the Southwestern U.S.  She has traveled to Japan and worked in international education in Washington, DC, and with Elderhostel tours.  She has also participated in volunteer work projects in France.  In 2003, she earned her MA in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University, which included work with the alumni of the School for Field Studies in Salem, MA.  She is excited to be back in the Boston area and working with the diverse international population of Boston University.  Katy can be reached by email at katyr@bu.edu.

ISSO
Boston University
February 28, 2005