Global Education Week 2023: Post-Graduation Opportunities Abroad Panel

PANELISTS

Terina Mailer – Manager, Academic & Career Advising

I was lucky enough to begin international travel experiences in childhood with my parents – and then on my own in my teens – but homesickness plagued me. It taught me to throw myself into the experience and keep my mind focused on the new and exciting things around me. I learned that I could do anything if I focused on learning and experiencing. When I left Canada the first time as a young professional, I was 24 and planned to work abroad for a year. One year turned into ten. That experience began with a literal flood. My second night in South Korea, everything I owned and painstakingly packed for my year away was under water. You never know what can happen – but you can rest assured it will make you a stronger, grittier and more adaptable person (with great stories to tell!).

Megan Lochhead – Curriculum & Academic Programs Manager, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science

Born and raised in Vernon, Megan ventured to the “big city” to complete her Bachelor of Science at UBCV. Vancouver introduced her to a world of diversity, sparking her passion for travel. Eager to explore the globe but lacking the financial means to do so, Megan took a teaching job in South Korea. She spent two years teaching and two years travelling before returning home to “get a real life”.  Megan completed her BEd at UBCO then spent a couple years as a Teacher-On-Call. However, her desire for a more structured routine, ultimately lead to her current role. Today, Megan works with the Faculty of Science at UBCO, where she is instrumental in creating new programs and enhancing existing ones.

Heidi Maddess – Manager, International Recruitment, Okanagan Campus

Heidi Maddess grew up most of her childhood in the Okanagan. From a young age she was encouraged to learn about different countries, ways people identify and the importance of inclusion and respect.  She had many family road trips to Washington as a child as her father’s family lived there and she worked hard at paper routes to save money to join close family friends on a 5-week trip to Turkey when she was 15 which was a life changing opportunity.  She pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts, studied on an international exchange in Scotland and worked as a student admissions assistant throughout her undergraduate university career.  After graduation, she was selected for multiple artists in residences in Iceland, travelled internationally as much as her working hard to collect savings allowed and lived in Japan as a JET teacher of English. Upon returning to Canada after the JET program she started a career in Admissions and recruitment. Heidi has been in the post-secondary profession for over 18 years and has worked at three public universities in Canada.  She has been the Manager of International Student Recruitment and Advising at UBC Okanagan for over 10 years. Heidi is deeply committed to assisting others find their way to achieving their goals of education, to intercultural communication, to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, to anti-racism, and to creating safe communities both personally as well as professionally.