Cassandra Siela is no stranger to travel. And she’s bringing her extensive experience to Mizzou Engineering as its new International Director.
Siela recently joined the College to oversee its international education programs and international student recruitment. Most recently, she served as the assistant director of off-campus study at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
“The work appealed to some of the soft skills that I think served me well in my education,” Siela said. “I loved working with students, advising them and guiding them down their own paths. It’s something I always felt a personal passion for.”
Siela brings extensive international experience to Mizzou Engineering. Before joining the Maryland Institute College of Art, she was the coordinator of the Office of International and Off-Campus Studies at Cornell College. Siela earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, and her master’s from the University of Glasgow. She participated in a Fulbright program in Japan in 2017 and spent a year teaching English in Beijing.
She believes that studying abroad and adding strong international students to Mizzou Engineering’s student pool serve to strengthen its student population.
“We’re all living and working in an increasingly globalized society, and international and cultural knowledge is a vital part of our personal and professional development, and it’s especially critical for engineering students, whose work is increasingly internationally focused,” Siela explained.
Siela said her initial goals are to work to create new international partnerships and to support innovations in international education in the College of Engineering. The Iowa native said she’s excited to return to the Midwest and to help support Mizzou Engineering’s strategic vision.
“I was drawn to the College of Engineering because I really like the new strategic plan, new mission, new commitment to sustainability in smart cities, food and energy resources,” she said. “The College’s Four Pillars of Pursuit and focus on innovation resonate with me, and I’m excited to play a role in supporting this work.