The MU International Center is pleased to announce that Dr. Miguel Ayllon will serve as director of study abroad effective Sept. 1, 2018. Ayllon has been interim director of study abroad for the center since January 2018. Prior to that, he was the director of international engineering and STEM programs, a position shared by the MU College of Engineering and the International Center. Ayllon was selected for this new role as the result of a competitive national search. He will report to the International Center director.

A native of Lima, Peru, Ayllon came to the United States in 1999 as an international student. He first joined the University of Missouri in 2008 as a residence hall coordinator for the Department of Residential Life. Since that time, Ayllon has worked at MU in a variety of student-centered roles with increasing leadership and responsibilities. He completed a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy analysis from the MU College of Education in December 2016.

As director of study abroad, Ayllon will lead a team of education abroad professionals in the development and implementation of a strategic plan that will:

• Design and improve the quality of MU study abroad programs.
• Use technology to streamline and enhance student service processes.
• Provide study abroad advising that integrates career goals, educational choices and guidance with respect to program choice.
• Increase the undergraduate study abroad participation rate from 24 percent to 30 percent by 2023.

“Study abroad at Mizzou can have a lasting impact on the state of Missouri by providing career-ready professionals and engaged citizens equipped with global skills for the 21st century,” Ayllon said.