Carmen Pitz

(she/her/hers)

As the Assistant Director for Study Abroad Advising, I serve as the Study Abroad Advisor for a small portfolio of programs including Global Gateway Initiatives, and the Summer and Global Launch programs. As a first generation college student, I lived at home and worked for most of my undergraduate career. I was required to study abroad as a part of my Spanish and Art Education major at UW- La Crosse and chose to do so the spring semester of my Sophomore year. My semester program in Seville, Spain was the first time I had travelled on an airplane, been out of the country, and lived away from my family. To say that it impacted my life is an understatement. After undergrad, I taught high school Spanish in Monticello and Madison, Wisconsin. While teaching, I reconnected with my passion for study abroad by leading students on programs to Mexico, Spain, France and Argentina. Through these experiences, I realized that I wanted to merge my interests in education and entered a graduate program after 13 years of teaching to earn a Master of Science in Global Higher Education at UW-Madison. Before joining IAP in 2018, I worked as an International Program Coordinator in the study abroad office at Arizona State University. I enjoy exploring new locations and hearing other people’s stories, drinking coffee, painting, going to plays and musicals, and spending time with family and friends.