Staff

Allison Kroft

Allison Kroft, Ph.D. Director of Study Abroad Programs allison.kroft@valpo.edu

Allison oversees all operations of Study Abroad and also serves as primary advisor for the Valpo Study Abroad programs. Additionally, she coordinates faculty-led and other special international programs. Prior to this role, Allison worked in Valpo’s Office of the Provost for three years. 

Allison holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Loyola University (Chicago) and her area of focus was International Relations. While a graduate research assistant at Loyola, she provided support for the International Studies Program, which included assisting with study abroad. She has a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish, with a minor in French, from Wittenberg University. During her undergraduate studies, she spent a summer abroad in Nantes, France, and a semester abroad in Salamanca, Spain.

Outside of the office, Allison enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and friends, baking, and taking daily walks with her active dog.

Rachel Beard, M.A. Study Abroad Coordinator rachel.beard@valpo.edu

Rachel serves as an advisor to students for the Valpo Study Abroad programs. She manages the student interns and oversees the social media sites for Study Abroad. Additionally, she conducts student orientations and workshops for the Study Abroad programs. Rachel also maintains and updates the Study Abroad program database.

Rachel has a Master’s degree in Second Language Acquisition, Policy, and Culture from the University of Southern Indiana. She has a B.A. in German Language Studies from the University of Southern Indiana. During her undergraduate studies, she spent her final semester abroad in Marburg, Germany. 

Outside of the office, she enjoys traveling, reading, and indoor rock climbing.