Asha Henry

See Asha at the Traveling While Black Student Panel

Asha Henry, from Takoma Park Maryland, is a junior on Northwestern Fencing studying Cognitive Science and Global Health. She attended the Global Health Studies Comparative Health in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Summer 2023. 

Michaiah Ligon

See Michaiah at the Traveling While Black Student Panel

My name is Michaiah Ligon and I am a third year student studying Psychology and LOC as well as the integrated marketing certificate. This past summer I traveled to Athens, Greece and it was my very first study abroad experience as well as my first time traveling to Europe. Since then, I've begun making plans to travel to other countries as I feel this trip created a love for international travel. Next, I want to visit Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Turks and Caicos and possibly Peru. 

Autumn Rose

See Autumn at the Traveling While Black Student Panel

Autumn is a senior studying Communication Studies, and minoring in Spanish and Film & Media Studies. With an interest in language acquisition and culture, and wanting to expand her Northwestern experience, she chose to study in the Spanish Language & Culture program in Barcelona, Spain in Summer 2023. Through taking classes at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and participating in community events in several cities, she was fortunate to gain knowledge from unfamiliar, yet inspiring and exciting experiences. She has grown personally and academically from this opportunity.

Having studied in Spain, and previously traveled to Italy and France, she hopes to be able to answer any questions and encourage other students to take advantage of global learning opportunities!

Jade Thomas

See Jade at the Traveling While Black Student Panel

Jade (she/her) is third-year in Medill majoring in Journalism with a double minor in Black Studies and French. She studied abroad in Montpellier, France during the 2023 fall quarter with the University of Minnesota. Her favorite parts of the experience were her host family, the friends she made, the kindness of the region.

Ryan Rounds

Senior Program Manager, Global Learning Office

Ryan will co-moderate the Traveling While Black Student Panel

A Chicagoland native born in Chicago and raised in the south suburbs, Ryan joined the Global Learning Office in June 2022. Her interest in international education began in high school on a trip to Spain where she told a fellow classmate "You don't go to Spain to eat fries and ketchup."

Ryan received her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish from the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign. She realized that psychology, though interesting, was not her calling and went on to get her M.Ed. in International Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago. In both undergraduate and graduate school, Ryan had the opportunity to study abroad in long and short-term programs in Spain, Italy, and China. Prior to coming to Northwestern, Ryan has worked in retail, non-profit administration, distance learning design and facilitation, taught English abroad, and was most recently a Study Abroad Specialist at Western Michigan University. She has a particular interest in diversifying study abroad student participation. When she is not working, Ryan loves watching true crime documentaries, traveling, ethnic food, following her favorite YouTube content creators, thrifting, and hanging out with her frenchie, Hugo.

Norvell Watts

Program Manager, Global Learning Office

Norvell Watts will co-moderate the Traveling While Black Panel Discussion.

Norvell is a program manager for GLO and is passionate about students learning more about the study abroad opportunities NU has to offer, as well as providing resources and access for navigating students' social identities while studying abroad.

Norvell joined the Global Learning Office in July of 2021. A native Chicagoan, his interest in international education was sparked during educational trips abroad as a Chicago Public School student. After years of working in university student services, Norvell assumed the role of Community Engagement Manager for an international exchange and travel nonprofit. Norvell would further his involvement in international communities by first moving to Bangkok, Thailand then to Montreal, Canada to teach English. Additionally, he worked in compliance for Greenheart International ensuring international students were treated fairly in employment across the United States. Norvell holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Roosevelt University and a master’s degree in Education Administration: Higher Education Leadership from the University at Albany SUNY. He has a particular interest in making international education more accessible and equitable. When he is not working, Norvell loves cycling, kayaking, reading, listening to podcasts, and cooking.