Carisa Crittendon

I was born, raised, and completed my undergraduate studies in St. Louis, Missouri, where I was a first generation college student. As with others in the International Education field, I had a transformative experience while studying abroad in Japan and Thailand.

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After graduating with a bachelor's degree in International Studies, I returned to Japan to teach English through the JET Program and worked at several elementary and junior high schools in Kobe. At the end of my contract, I decided to return to the US to pursue my ultimate goal of becoming a study abroad advisor. I ended up with the Associated Kyoto Program, a faculty-led study abroad program hosted by Pomona College that sends students to Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. I thoroughly enjoyed my three years as an advisor, and in 2019 I decided to pursue an advanced degree in International Education Management at the Middlebury Institute.

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At the Institute, I am focusing on accessibility in the study abroad field. I am passionate about advising and providing resources to first-generation students like myself, who may not realize the benefits of study abroad. I am also a mental health and invisible illness advocate and would like to increase resources for health services for students abroad. 

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I currently live in Monterey, California with my two cats and several cacti. In my free time, I enjoy art (charcoal, watercolor), baking, and studying archaeology and primatology as a hobby. I love to travel the world, and eventually I hope to make it to make it to every designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. A snippet of my personal travel photo log is featured on the right.