This month’s staff member in the spotlight is Jeff Heerdink-Santos, Director of International Experiences and Undergraduate Grants in the Hutton Honors College. We asked him a series of questions, and here’s what he had to say (responses may have been edited for concision and clarity):
What is your name and what do you do; how long have you worked here in OVPUE?
Jeff Heerdink-Santos, Director of International Experiences and Undergraduate Grants. I have worked for the Hutton Honors College since 2014 and with IU since 2013.
What three traits define you?
- Extroverted
- Adventurous
- Determined
What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
Marine biologist. My favorite movie for as long as I can remember has been Jaws, and my childhood desire to become Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss’s character) led me to take honors science courses and learn about the ocean as much as I could. However, I also discovered a love for learning about languages and other cultures along the way, and there came a point in high school where I had to make a difficult choice between taking more world language courses and pursuing higher-level science courses. I ultimately went all in on studying languages and international studies, and that decision set my course for working in study abroad and international higher education today.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I want to learn to lead kayaking and white water rafting trips. My husband and I have gone kayaking a number of times in Portugal and the US, and I had plans to do a two-week intensive training last summer in Utah. However, the pandemic got in the way.
What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?
I began a doctoral program in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, while still adjusting to working remotely and reacting to the pandemic’s effect on the field of international education. It has definitely been a lesson in dealing with uncertainty and understanding that even the best laid plans can always be interrupted by a once in a hundred years worldwide health crisis.
How do you define success?
I define success as being able to have a positive impact on others and the world around us, whether that is on a large scale or in an individual interaction.
What do you do in your spare time?
Pre-pandemic: Rock climbing, traveling
Currently: Playing board games, watching movies, hanging out with friends on Zoom
What’s the coolest (or most important) trend you see today?
Student Activism. Although student activism is far from a new trend, I am happy to see the current generation of students taking a stand and getting involved with environmental and social justice issues, among many others.
What is your favorite thing about working at OVPUE?
I enjoy that the variety of roles and functional areas within OVPUE allow us as staff to not only connect with different colleagues inside OVPUE, who work in different areas, but also colleagues in other units across campus, who work in our own functional areas. I think that this potential for connection and collaboration is helpful for breaking down professional silos at IU to better serve our students.
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