“We are pleased to welcome Trevor as the director of IGS,” said Okagaki. “Trevor brings over 30 years of leadership and experience in international education and his commitment to the field is clear. We look forward to seeing him usher IGS into the future as the office builds on existing strengths to advance the University’s internationalization efforts in innovative ways.”

Nelson has served as director of the Study Abroad Center at ISU since 2005 and previously held roles at the same institution as an assistant director of international education and coordinator of study abroad. There, he led the office’s collaborative efforts for growth in study abroad participation through the development of faculty-led programs, affordable semester options and service learning programs. Nelson also holds the role of Fulbright Program Advisor and oversees the Center’s programming and engagement initiatives.

He earned a bachelor's degree in Geography and Education from Lancaster University, a master’s degree in Secondary Education from Saginaw Valley State University and a doctor of education in Leadership Studies in Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“I am very excited and honored to have been appointed as the next director of the Institute for Global Studies,” Nelson said. “The University of Delaware is an institution with a long and notable history, including being the first U.S. institution to offer a study abroad program in 1923. I look forward to celebrating the 95th anniversary of education abroad at UD just next year. Similarly, I am eager to work with colleagues across the University to collectively advance international education to the next level.”

About the Search

The Institute for Global Studies conducted a nationwide search for the position chaired by Ravi Ammigan, Executive Director for International Services at the Office for International Students and Scholars.

Also on the committee were Maria Aristigueta, director of the School of Public Policy & Administration, Jennifer Gregan, senior assistant dean of global partnerships & programs at the Lerner College, Ismat Shah, professor of Physics and Astronomy, Mark Seifert, director of emergency management, Adam Cantley, interim dean of students, Lisa Chieffo, IGS associate director for study abroad, Daniel Bottomley, IGS associate director for partnerships & programs, Matt Drexler, assistant director for international student engagement and Nikki Laws, IGS communications specialist.

In October, finalists for the position were invited for an on-campus visit, where they met with representatives from partner offices and held open public forums. “I’d like to extend our thanks to the members of the University community who invested their time and thoughts during the search,” Ammigan said. “The feedback we received was an instrumental component of our process.”

About the Institute for Global Studies

The Institute for Global Studies was created in 2009 to enhance the international dimensions of teaching, research and outreach at the University of Delaware. IGS provides leadership and support for programs and experiences that contribute to the education of informed, skilled, open-minded citizens of the world.

Best known for coordinating the University’s study abroad program, IGS also awards scholarships and grants to faculty and students for a number of global opportunities, and administers internationally-recognized State Department-sponsored programs such as the UD Fulbright Initiative, Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Student Leaders Institute, Mandela Washington Fellowship Program for Young African Leaders, and most recently the Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders on Women’s Leadership (SUSI-WL) program.

IGS sponsors such signature events as Global Month each fall and country-specific celebrations each spring.

IGS collaborates with other global partners on campus, including the Office for International Students and Scholars, the Confucius Institute and the Center for Global and Area Studies. In addition, IGS partners with Enrollment Management to coordinate the UD World Scholars Program.