UAlberta International has a friendly team of professionals that focus on various areas of work that support internationalization at UAlberta. Let's spend a few minutes getting to know Carrie Malloy, Global Education Coordinator!
Have you ever lived/studied/worked/volunteered outside of Canada? If yes, tell us when and where, and share one key life lesson from your experience.
After I finished my Bachelor's Degree, I bought a Round the World ticket and went backpacking for a year. I had such an amazing experience that I had barely landed back in Canada when I was looking for opportunities to head out again. Over the next twelve years, I traveled, volunteered and worked in Europe, Asia and South and Central America with a brief stop back at the U of A to get a Master's Degree. One of the most important things I learned from my time abroad was that traveling does not automatically make you interculturally competent. Having an open mind, questioning stereotypes, being respectfully curious and accepting that you will always be a learner are just a few of the things that set you up for successful intercultural experiences.
What do you like most about your work at UAlberta?
There are many things that I like about working at U of A, such as the beautiful grounds, the friendly people and the excitement that fills campus as students return in the fall; however, the best part of working for U of A International is that I get to interact with so many amazing staff and students from around the globe every single day. My work focuses on bringing the world to our campus so I have the privilege of "traveling the world" and learning about diverse cultures and viewpoints from right here at home. Whenever I have the opportunity to work with students, I jump at it! I teach Intercultural Communication for the Certificate in International Learning (CIL) and I also have the opportunity to help refugee students settle on campus through the Welcoming Newcomers Program. From learning about how the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relate to the work of UAlberta professors for International Week, to researching global leaders in human rights for the Visiting Lectureship in Human Rights, my work offers me so many opportunities to continually learn about global issues and connect them to what is happening in my own community.
What previous position have you held that contributes most to your position at UAI?
Every position I have previously held has contributed to my skill-set and helps me to be better at my job; however, working for a human rights non-profit organization here in Edmonton was the job that most prepared me to work with the Global Education Program at UAI. In my previous position, I learned so much about Edmonton and the amazing people and organizations that make this city a great place to live. I had the opportunity to bring my theoretical knowledge about human rights into practice, and to discover how important it is to ensure that diverse perspectives are a part of every workshop, panel, lecture, etc. I also learned how valuable it is to bring together competing voices for a rich and productive dialogue. These and many other experiences traveled with me to my position at UAI and I know that because of this, I am a better Global Education Coordinator.
What's something that has surprised you about your chosen career path?
I don't know that I have ever considered myself on a "career path". Like many students, as I finished high school, I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do with my life career-wise (or otherwise for that matter). When I went into Education, I wasn't 100% sure that I wanted to be a teacher, but I had a knack for teaching and I liked kids so I guess that I thought that would be that. When I finished my degree when I was 23, I took a year off to travel and assumed that I would return to Canada to be an elementary school teacher. I could never have imagined that my degree would afford me many years teaching abroad and that my passion for learning about other cultures would be the thing that brought me back to Canada to a Master's program in International and Intercultural Education. This degree sent me back overseas to teach global issues and that experience brought me back to Canada to focus on local human rights issues. The only thing I know for sure about my "career path" is that it has been a completely unpredictable and enjoyable journey!