Maritheresa Frain, a leader in managing international education abroad and in the United States, will serve as the George Washington University’s new director of study abroad. She begins her role Monday.
Dr. Frain most recently was executive vice president for study abroad for the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), a nonprofit study abroad organization that partners with hundreds of colleges and universities, including GW, to provide study abroad opportunities.
The role is a homecoming of sorts for Dr. Frain. She served as GW’s resident director—the program lead on location at a study abroad site—for the university’s Madrid program in the late ’90s.
“It is exciting to be back with GW, working with a team of professionals committed to ensuring students have safe, rewarding and life-changing learning experiences abroad,” Dr. Frain said.
Dr. Frain, who is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese (and proficient in French and Russian), was a U.S. Department of State consular agent stationed in Seville, Spain, before taking on progressively responsible roles at CIEE—first as center director for CIEE in Spain and eventually as a vice president overseeing the organization’s academic standards in its programs.
At GW, Dr. Frain takes the helm of the Office of Study Abroad, which routinely engages half of the university’s 10,000 undergraduate students and manages their experiences at more than 50 partner universities and study centers in Chile, Spain, England, France and China, among other countries. Dr. Frain will oversee a team of 16 staff members who help administer all aspects of GW’s study abroad operation, supporting learning experiences and campus internationalization while ensuring study abroad is accessible for all students.
Donna Scarboro, associate provost for international programs, said GW has “cause for celebration” in Dr. Frain’s appointment.
“She brings with her a top-notch reputation, an established commitment to equity and access and an excitement for coming back to GW after many years abroad and in the U.S.,” Dr. Scarboro said.
Dr. Frain has a bachelor’s degree in foreign service and international politics from Penn State University and master’s and doctorate degrees in international relations and comparative government from Georgetown University. She has taught courses on these topics in Spain, Portugal and Russia.
