Meet the Staff

Dennis Galvan
Vice Provost Intl Affairs

Dennis C. Galvan is Professor of Political Science and International Studies and Vice Provost for International Affairs at the University of Oregon.  Professor Galvan received his Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley in 1996, and has conducted field research since 1988 in a cluster of thirty villages in rural Senegal, as well as in Dakar. His book on land tenure, local government and sustainable development in rural Senegal, The State Must Be Our Master of Fire: How Peasants Craft Culturally Sustainable Development in Senegal (University of California Press, 2004) won the 2005 Best Book Award from the African Politics Conference Group. His published work on Senegal covers institutional change, peasant adaptation of property regimes, social capital and democratization, sustainable development, ethnic relations, and grass-roots patterns of nation-building. He is currently completing a book entitled Everyday Nation Building, which explores the ongoing, ordinary-life construction of inclusive forms of identity and community in Senegal and in Central Java, Indonesia.  He is the Co-Director of the Global Oregon Initiative, a strategic initiative to promote internationalization at the University of Oregon.  In this role, he led the development of the recently announced Gabon-Oregon Transnational Research Center on Environment and Development. 

Email:
dgalvan@uoregon.edu
Phone:
(541) 434-2416
Abe Schafermeyer
Director, International Student & Scholar Services

Abe has worked in the Office of International Affairs office since 2002, and currently directs the International Student and Scholar Services office.  Originally from New Hampshire, Abe received his M.Ed. in Student Affairs from Western Washington University.  He has lived in Chile and Colombia, and has travelled extensively in Latin America, Europe, and Oceania.  When Abe isn't in the office helping international students and scholars, he can be seen pedaling down the streets of Eugene on two wheels with his family.  If you have any questions or comments, you can reach Abe directly at 541-346-1215.

Email:
abe@uoregon.edu
Phone:
541-346-1215
Becky Megerssa
SEVIS Coordinator, Friendship Foundation for International Students (FFIS) Coordinator

Becky has over 20 years of experience working with international students. She has lived in Indonesia, France and Haiti and has traveled to even more places around the world. Cooking is one of Becky's favorite leisure activities, especially preparing cuisine from around the world. She also enjoys hiking and gardening and learning about other cultures. As SEVIS Coordinator, Becky is responsible for managing the government's information system containing data on UO international students and scholars. You can contact Becky with questions about obtaining an I-20 to study at the UO, adding dependents, transferring or returning to the UO after a period of absence, or any other SEVIS-related question. Becky is also the UO liaison for the Friendship Foundation for International Students, an organization which provides hospitality and friendship to international students, scholars, and their families. You can email Becky atsevis@uoregon.edu or call 541-346-1436.

Email:
becky@uoregon.edu
Phone:
541-346-1436
Megan Sullivan
International Student Advisor

Megan joined the ISSS team in January of 2008. She is an international student adviser and currently helps international students with orientation and scholarships. Megan loves traveling and has been to South Africa, India, Malaysia, Thailand and New Zealand to name a few. Megan has a B.S. from Colorado State University and spent much of her time facilitating experiential education courses before beginning work with international students. Her current hobbies include just about anything outdoors and she frequently competes in triathlons. She is available for student appointments by calling the front desk at 541-346-3206.

Email:
megss@uoregon.edu
Phone:
541-346-3206
Paolo Daniele
International Student Advisor

Paolo joined the ISSS team in November of 2011. Raised in Italy in a mixed Filipino and Piedmontese family, he has “international” encoded in his DNA.  Paolo has lived in Japan and Germany, travelled to 35 countries, and simply loves meeting people from all over the world to hear their stories. In his spare time he enjoys re-learning Korean and Japanese, cooking tiramisu, eating it, and spinning dance music records. Paolo obtained a B.A. from UCLA and an M.P.A. from CSULB. His primary responsibilities are advising international students and coordinating exchange and sponsored programs but his experience includes graphic design and project management.

Email:
pdaniele@uoregon.edu
Lisa Mick Shimizu
International Scholar Specialist

Lisa started working in International Affairs in 2007.  She works with international faculty, scholars, and staff at the University of Oregon, assisting with visa paperwork and advising.  She has traveled throughout the world and lived in Japan and Italy.  She has family from Japan, Germany, and Guatemala.  Lisa has lived in Eugene, OR since she was 11 years old, and graduated from the University of Oregon in 2005.  Besides traveling, she likes reading, running, and playing with her dog, Sophie.  Lisa enjoys assisting departments and faculty in understanding and navigating the immigration system.

Email:
ischolar@uoregon.edu
John Ahlen
Administrative Program Assistant

John began working in International Affairs in 2010.  He works closely with students and staff while overseeing scholarship applications, and compiling and analyzing statistics.  John enjoys cooking second only to eating, and likes being outdoors when it isn’t raining.   He enjoys travelling, and has visited over a dozen countries.  He is available to answer general inquiries, and is happy when anyone gives him an opportunity to practice his Mandarin.

Email:
ahlen@uoregon.edu
Mariska Dover
Administrative Assistant

Although born in the Netherlands, Mariska was raised in the U.S. since she was 3.  She has been in the Office of International Affairs for over 5 years and currently works as an administrative assistant.  When not spending time outdoors doing fishing and camping, she loves hanging out with her family, especially her granddaughter who is her first. Mariska is also a member of the FFIS Homestay Program and hopes to continue housing international students from all over the world who have brought yet another element cultural awareness to her life.

Email:
mariska@uoregon.edu
Sandi Cullimore
Reception Desk Manager

After spending most of her adult life living outside of the state Sandi decided recently to move home to Oregon. She was raised in the fishing village of Winchester Bay at the mouth of the Umpqua River on the Oregon coast.  Although Sandi is new to the University of Oregon, she has 13 years of experience working closely with student interns in the College Program and International College Program at Walt Disney World in Florida.

 

Email:
sandic@uoregon.edu
Phone:
541-346-3206