Susan Brodersen, CISabroad Onsite Program Coordinator
Susan studied abroad for the first time during high school at Universidad Salamanca in Spain, and continued studying abroad during her time at Jacksonville University. She enjoyed two summers traveling with IEP on the British Isles program, and has since worked in the study abroad office at JU. After getting her undergraduate degree in Economics, (minors:History, Art History, International Studies, & English), she moved to Glasgow, Scotland where she attended Glasgow University to obtain her masters degree in Museum Studies. Susan now works freelance for museums in the Jacksonville, FL area. She has continued to indulge her wanderlust by visiting many more countries: The Republic of Ireland, The United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, The Netherlands, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden, and most recently has touched ground in Iceland. Susan will travel with your group throughout your program and will be there to support you in every way possible to ensure that it is a safe, meaningful and positive one.
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 normally 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!