Alumni Spotlight with Tracy Minard, MSEd ’19

International Student Advisor at the Institute of International Education, Tracy Minard discusses her career, her Marxe MSEd experience, and what drives her.

Tell us about your career in higher education, thus far.

My career in Higher Ed started at The American University in Bulgaria where I worked for three years as an Admissions Officer and Recruitment Coordinator. It was an awesome introduction to International Higher Ed specifically, because even though it was an American university, the majority of students were from the Balkans. It was very inspiring and fun to work with students from all over the world that wanted to pursue a liberal arts degree and valued the US higher ed system.

After working at AUBG I took a position at the Institute of International Education working with the Foreign Fulbright Student Program. Initially I was working on helping incoming students find academic placement and now I work as an advisor for Fulbright students that are in the New York City area. I stay in touch with them throughout their time in New York making sure they have the resources they need and check in on their academic progress. I help extend their grants each year of their program and make sure they are complying with visa regulations.

Why did you decide to go back to school to get a degree? What made you decide to come to Marxe, and how has it helped you in your current role as International Student Advisor at the Institute of International Education?

I decided to go back to school because I’d been in the field long enough that I knew that it was what I wanted to do long term and felt ready to invest in it fully. I had my eye on the Marxe program because it was local, affordable and I knew I’d need to keep working while going to school, so I appreciated that it was aimed towards those working full time. Attending a CUNY helped me understand the higher ed landscape in NYC and gave me great exposure to the field as it relates to our diverse city. There are all types of universities here in New York and before attending Baruch I was quite unfamiliar with CUNY. The price was right and the education was second to none. The network that I made while in the higher ed program has been incredibly beneficial to my career here in New York.

When did you first realize you wanted to be involved in higher education and help students?

I first realized I wanted to help students after being an exchange student myself during undergrad. The experience was so critical to my personal growth and I knew back then that everyone should be able to have the opportunity to study abroad. My time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bulgaria further solidified my belief in the power of an immersive experience abroad, which is why I wanted to work at The American University in Bulgaria and continue to live overseas. Helping international students now in my work at IIE is inspiring on a daily basis and I am grateful for the opportunity to help them while they are here in New York pursuing their degrees.