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Profile for Karolyn Bald

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Karolyn Bald

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Director of International Edu & Engagement
International Education & Engagement University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

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Karolyn Bald Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Director of International Edu & Engagement

International Education & Engagement

Specialty area(s)

Study Abroad:  Wisconsin-in-Scotland, 1996
Staff/Faculty-Led Programs:  Ghana, 2005 and Vietnam, 2009

International education and engagement, education abroad/away, international student programs, internship programs, job search strategies, resume and cover letter writing, graduate school tips, employment trends, academic advising, pre-health advising

Brief biography

My career started totally by happenstance.  I loved college and was involved as much as possible as a student.  UWL opened doors to me that I didn't even know existed - student government, residence hall involvement, academic clubs, and study abroad.  As a first-generation college student, my parents were incredibly supportive but often wondered what all this involvement was really about but little did I know I stumbled upon my future career.  It was an appt with my career advisor when I realized, "Wow, she really loves her job!"  I grew up with parents that had "jobs" to pay the bills, but this advisor had a "career" - there was passion.  So that was really the beginning of my career story.   Thankfully, my parents let me follow my interests in part because they didn't know how to help.  I just needed to be able to support myself and be independent.  It is from their hard work and supports that I am where I am today.  For nearly 20+ years, I worked in the Academic Advising Center & Career Services Office - the same office as my former advisor (in fact, she was my first mentor and boss).  As of September 2020, I have served as the Director of International Education & Engagement.  It brings all my experiences into one ideal position - experiential experiences and international.  My advice for students is - work hard and volunteer (at work and in your community) to help because you never know who is paying attention and what opportunities might present themselves to you.  

Personal notes:  My partner is a Yooper with a fantastic sense of humor (yeah, you might need to look that one up), an adorable son (Jack), and two wild dogs (Miley & Kiwi).

I am #UWLProud!

Education

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI
Master of Science in Education – College Student Development and Administration
Bachelor of Science - Public Administration/Political Science

Career

Professional history

Interim Director of International Education & Engagement, 2020-2022

Assistant Director of the Academic Advising Center & Career Services, 2016-2020

Career Advisor for the College of Liberal Studies (CASSH), 1999-2016

Co-Founder of the UWL Peace Corps Prep program

Co-Leaders of 2 Study Tours - Ghana, West Africa & Vietnam/Hong Kong

Instructor for Career Preparation/Exploration Courses and Freshman Seminar

Family Cluster Facilitator, LeaderShape

Kudos

awarded

Karolyn Bald and Miranda Panzer, both International Education & Engagement; and Nicole Gullekson, Management; received the award for Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence from Fulbright . UWL has been selected to host a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence. Dr. Katarína Procházková, Associate Professor of Intl Business & Leadership, from the University of Economics in Bratislava, Slovakia will join UWL and Management Dept during the Spring 2023 semester.

Submitted on: April 4, 2022

 

awarded

Marie Moeller, College of Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities; and Karolyn Bald and Jordan Brick, both International Education & Engagement; received the award for a $70,460 grant from Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. The International Collaborative Communities Virtual Lab program was designed to increase academically-based, community-engaged, virtual internationalization opportunities for students in an effort to train the next generation of water professionals and signify Wisconsin as a global leader in water-related science, technology, and economic growth initiatives. Funding supports all program fees and tuition for student participants. The program is a partnership between UWL, Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, and Academic Programs International (API). Accepting applications for a summer cohort at www.uwlax.edu/international-education

Submitted on: April 4, 2022

 

presented

Karolyn Bald, International Education & Engagement, presented "Innovative New Program Models: Collaborative Virtual Communities in Education Abroad" at NAFSA All Region Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 13 online.

Submitted on: Oct. 13, 2021

 

published

Karolyn Bald, International Education & Engagement; and Bianca Basten and Betsy Morgan, both Psychology; co-authored the article "LinkedIn®: Advice for Students and Faculty " in Eye on Psi Chi published on Thursday, Feb. 4 by Psi Chi.

Submitted on: Feb. 4, 2021

 

awarded

Karolyn Bald, International Education & Engagement, received the award for Outstanding Service Award at WIACE Conference on Dec. 3 in virtual format. Karolyn was recognized for her service and active participation in the Wisconsin Association of Colleges and Employers.

Submitted on: Dec. 11, 2020

 

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