KU News Release

KU’s Office of Study Abroad taps Sue Lorenz as permanent director

Sue Lorenz

LAWRENCE — Sue Lorenz, an educator with a long career of working with gifted students, has been named permanent director of the Office of Study Abroad at the University of Kansas. She had been interim director since January.

Before leading the office in the interim, Lorenz worked for the University Honors Program, most recently as associate director. In her new position, she will oversee the study abroad office and its 14 staff members, including two in Costa Rica and one in Spain.

Lorenz said she hopes to continue the office’s success in helping students study outside of the United States and increase collaboration between office staff and KU students and faculty.

“We’d like to make everyone aware of the countless opportunities abroad,” Lorenz said. “My hope is to engage Office of Study Abroad staff with all KU students and faculty and academic units across the university. Studying abroad is one of the most beneficial experiences a student can have, and we want to make it available to as many people as possible.”

KU has a long tradition of providing students with international opportunities. The Institute of International Education recently ranked KU 11th in the nation among public universities in the percentage of students who study abroad before graduation. The report showed about 27.5 percent of KU students studied abroad and lauded the university’s involvement in short term programs, in which students complete international study programs during winter or summer breaks.

In her work with the University Honors Program, Lorenz was the coordinator of advising and scholarships for programs such as the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships, which give students a chance to further their education outside of the United States. She was also an assistant for the Honors London Review, a KU program that gave students an opportunity to study in England.

Lorenz was an academic adviser at Washburn University in Topeka for seven years before coming to KU. She was also the director of the writing center at Bowling Green State University.

In addition to reaching more people on KU’s campus, Lorenz said she hopes to reach new parts of the world in which the university doesn’t currently have partnerships and programs for international study. Given the increasing importance of a global economy, Lorenz said she’s thrilled to be associated with the Office of Study Abroad and the chance to give students international opportunity before entering the workforce.

“The Office of Study Abroad is a unit I’ve always had tremendous respect for,” she said. “Through my advising, I’ve talked with students for many years who have done one or more study abroad programs, and seen the increase in confidence it gives them, and the immeasurable benefit it has, both educationally and personally.”

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