Saeed Husain
News Editor
Kendra Morehead, assistant director of International Student Services (ISS) in the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) at the College, will be vacating her position on Wednesday, May 8 to join Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Morehead made the announcement to all international students at the College on Thursday, April 25 via email.
Her various responsibilities at the College include creating and implementing cultural and support programs for international and global nomad students including international student orientation and International Education Week (IEW). She has also been an advisor to student organizations on campus, including the Muslim student group, Noor. Morehead also advises students on basic immigration issues, including SEVIS documentation.
Morehead, who graduated from the University of Evansville in an International Studies Honors Program, went on to get a Masters in International Education from the School for International Training (SIT). Before receiving her graduate degree, she spent seven months in Guatemala teaching English and the TOEFL. Prior to joining Wooster as first a program coordinator, she worked for a year at Saginaw Valley State University as a graduate intern. She transitioned into her role as assistant director for ISS after the CDI underwent a staff restructuring following her first year at the College.
Speaking about her time at Wooster, Morehead discussed her different roles. “In the time I was here, I coordinated and implemented programs to educate the campus community on international cultures and the international student experience and worked to bridge the gap between international and American students on campus; advised student organizations; helped re-design the international student orientation program, and became a Designated School Official for F-1 student regulations, among other things,” she said.
Morehead also commented on what her role at Wooster provided her in terms of professional development. “I could not have asked for a better start to a long-term career, nor for more caring and passionate colleagues. I will always cherish my time at Wooster and will remember the campus community with joy,” she said.
Arguably the largest event during IEW, the Culture Show, is what Morehead termed as being one of her favorite events on campus, saying, “If I truly have to choose from all of the wonderful moments I have experienced here at the College, I would have to say it is watching the Culture Show come to life. Seeing the behind-the-scenes sweat and tears that are always poured out for that event and the amount of sheer effort on the part of the students participating and organizing the event is something truly special.”
Morehead also said conversations with students have been something she truly enjoyed.
“If I could add on a second moment, it has to be the deeper conversations about life with students — learning more about what makes them passionate about what they do or just having a philosophical discussion about religion or the state of the world. Those moments are truly beautiful,” she said.
In Des Moines, Morehead will be the new Director of International Student & Scholar Services, a step ahead in her career.
“At Drake University, I will encounter new challenges and will certainly have a learning curve, but I thrive on adapting to new challenges and learning new information,” Morehead explained.
(Photo by Saeed Husain)