Kristin Thomas
Meetings and Event Management Certificate Faculty Coordinator, RPTM
Infusing her experience in event and program management, marketing and international education into the classroom, Kristin aims to inspire students to push themselves academically.
701D Ford Building
University Park, PA 16802
I have approximately eleven years in event and co-curricular program planning and development. Six of those years, I focused on intercultural student development while working in the University Office of Global Programs and developed the Global Engagement and Leadership Development and the First-year Global Engagement programs. For five years, I served as a guest lecturer and co-leader of a short-term study abroad program for undergraduate students participating in the Leading Edge Academic Program (LEAP) at the Pennsylvania State University.
My research focuses on meaning-making, learning, and motivations and expectations during travel experiences (educational, heritage, and virtual) using qualitative and mixed-methods. I have presented research findings at national and international conferences including Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium, CIEE, The Forum on Education Abroad, PaCIE, and the Michigan College Student Personnel Assocation. I have three articles in process: Can Tourism and Education Abroad Mix?; The Awe in Awesome in Education Abroad; Old influences and Blurred Lines: Student, tourist, and traveler, as needed.