In the past, we’ve shared inspiring stories from both visiting Erasmus+ students and AUBG students studying abroad. But the Erasmus+ program is not only for students; it is also a great opportunity for faculty and staff, and AUBG is a welcoming destination for ideas, collaboration, and knowledge exchange.
Recently, Gretchen Ketner from LCC International University in Klaipėda, Lithuania, visited AUBG through the Erasmus+ job shadowing program and shares her experience below.
I visited AUBG through the Erasmus+ job shadowing program on February 17–19, and it was an incredible experience. Recently, I took on the role of Student Academic Support Specialist at LCC in addition to my other responsibilities. I wanted to expand my knowledge of student success and academic support by learning from Maia Parmakova and the staff at the Center for Learning and Academic Success (CLAS).
In addition, I am an instructor for LEAP (Learning English for Academic Purposes) courses at LCC, so I was interested in learning more about the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program at the English Language Institute at AUBG. It was very interesting and helpful to spend time with Maia Parmakova and Andria Shehu at CLAS and with Nikolina Radeva at the ELI. I saw similarities and differences in our programs and contexts and gained new ideas that will be helpful as I continue working in these areas.
In addition to the main job shadowing activities, I also spent time with Professor William Clark, whom I know through a network of Christian academics and from having attended Penn State University for graduate studies. I enjoyed spending time with Bill, his wife Lisa, and Professor Daniel Adsett over coffee. Bill also introduced me to AUBG student Madelyn Hershey, who is from State College, Pennsylvania, the town where Penn State University is located.
Another connection at AUBG was with student Emily Kutelia from Georgia. In 2024 Emily’s younger sister attended LCC’s Summer Language Institute, a program I direct. Emily and I had a wonderful conversation about her life at AUBG, Georgian culture, and current events. She is smart and curious and is clearly making the most of the opportunities AUBG offers.
The visit concluded with a meeting with Provost and Interim President J.D. Mininger, former Academic Vice President at LCC. J.D. and I worked together at LCC for several years, and it was fascinating to hear about AUBG from his perspective.
I am grateful to Mariya Handzhiyska, Erasmus and Study Abroad Manager, for coordinating the visit, and to everyone at AUBG whom I had the chance to learn from.
