Connie Jesse Lira

She/Her

Connie Jesse joined International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) in 2003 and currently serves as the assistant director for faculty and scholar immigration. She advises departments on immigration matters regarding employment and works with international faculty and scholars to maintain their status. She received her B.A. in international relations, area studies of Latin America and Spanish from George Mason University. She earned her M.A.Ed. in international education and human development from George Washington University. She conducted her master’s thesis work in South Africa and Namibia. Before coming to the University of Maryland, she worked in the field of international education for nine years on international exchange and training programs sponsored by USAID. Her international experiences include living, working and researching in Peru, Mexico, Egypt, South Africa, Namibia, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Russia, and Ecuador, as well as vacationing in seven other countries.