Meet Angelo, your On-Site Program Coordinator

Angelo was first bit by the travel bug when he left his native Pennsylvania for Germany as an exchange student for an academic year in high school. He then lived in Morocco for another academic year during his undergraduate degree, earning an International Studies degree at Lock Haven University. Recently, Angelo earned his MA in International Education from the School for International Training Graduate Institute. Aside from his studies abroad, Angelo lived as an expat in Istanbul, Turkey for three years where he taught English as a Second Language. Other countries Angelo has visited include Poland, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Cyprus and India! Now, in his spare time away from the office, he is working on building his trumpeting skills back up and enjoying his first foray into life in the South.

What’s an OPC?

As part of your customized faculty-led program abroad, you will be led and supported by a CISabroad On-Site Program Coordinator (OPC). OPCs are experienced and well trained staff members, there to ensure the schedule goes according to plan. Each OPC attends an extensive training program that involves a range of modules – risk management, emergency response, safety, logistics’, cultural awareness, communication, culture shock, budgeting, social media, La Vida Local and customer service.

The primary role of the OPC is to facilitate the in-country implementation of the assigned customized program, by providing safety / emergency response and logistical support. During the program, the OPC is responsible for managing the day-to-day logistics of the assigned customized program and providing in-country support to both the faculty and students. Using personal travel experience, professional work experience (and where possible language knowledge), the OPC will help create a program environment that is safe and culturally engaging. The CISabroad OPC may or may not be an in country local. The majority of CISabroad OPCs are expats from the US, who have travelled, lived, volunteered, or worked abroad in the program destination.

The OPC is not a registered tour guide nor expected to provide tours of sites visited during the program. If the program is one that requires specific guided tours of various sites, these will be provided separately. The OPC provides a general neighborhood walking tour to help the group identify the nearest bank/ATM, pharmacy, laundry-mat, grocery store and other similar conveniences.

The OPC’s role allows Faculty to focus on the academic objectives and the students to make the most of their time overseas!