President Stefanco Appointed to Board of American University in Bulgaria

President Carolyn J. Stefanco

ALBANY (January 30, 2017) — Dr. Carolyn J. Stefanco, President of The College of Saint Rose, has been appointed to the Board of Trustees for the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG), the first American-style, English language, liberal arts educational institution in Eastern Europe.

President Stefanco’s appointment was announced by Dr. Ivan Manev, Chairman of the AUBG Board of Trustees and Dean, Professor of Management and Nicholas M. Salgo Professor in the Maine Business School at the University of Maine.

“Global higher education has long been both a professional and personal passion, and I am pleased to work alongside an outstanding group of world leaders on behalf of the American University in Bulgaria,” President Stefanco said. “The American University in Bulgaria serves high-achieving students from more than 40 countries who live and study in a learning community distinguished by faculty who come from top institutions across five continents. I am privileged to serve this excellent institution and its 1,100 students.”

“We are thrilled to welcome an educator of Carolyn’s stature and experience to our Board of Trustees,” Chair Manev said. “Her commitment to raising the standards of global higher education and her knowledge of the region make her an invaluable addition to the governance body of American University in Bulgaria.”

Under President Stefanco’s leadership, The College of Saint Rose created the Center for International Programs, which supports the College community with a dual mission: first, to offer international study and experiences as an essential part of the education at Saint Rose, preparing students and faculty to meet the challenge and potential of a global society; and second, to coordinate support services and programs for international students and visiting scholars studying and working as part of the Saint Rose campus community.

In addition, the College adopted Global Connectedness as the first goal in its 2016-2020 Strategic Plan, establishing a vision to become “an institution that reflects, inspires, and empowers global connectedness, with a student, faculty, staff, and administrator community that embraces national and international diversity in its curricular and co-curricular experiences, values, actions, and culture.”

Saint Rose welcomes students at the undergraduate and graduate levels from 55 countries.  Both domestic and international students have the opportunity to study and earn college credits in: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Poland, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, and Thailand.

President Stefanco also created the International Programs Advisory Council at Saint Rose, with internationally distinguished experts to support institutional efforts to globalize the educational experience, to recruit international students, and to offer students exciting new opportunities, such as internships in countries outside the U.S.

President Stefanco was a Fulbright Scholar to the University of Zagreb in Croatia, served as resident director of a study abroad program at The University of London, has created programs for student exchange and faculty research in Honduras, Brazil, Portugal and Croatia, and worked as a higher education consultant for Saudi Arabia. She has written, lectured and consulted extensively about global engagement and international higher education.

“Service on the AUBG Board of Trustees allows me to combine my commitments to student success and global connectedness, as well as to develop insights and relationships that ultimately will benefit our students at The College of Saint Rose,” President Stefanco said.

AUBG was founded in 1991 as a private, not-for-profit institution with the support of the U.S. and Bulgarian governments, the Open Society Institute, and the University of Maine. The Board of Trustees met most recently in Washington, D.C., with President Stefanco in attendance.

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