Contact us
Virginia Commonwealth University
Global Education Office
Education Abroad
817 West Franklin Street, Room 122
P.O. Box 843043
Richmond, Virginia 23284-3034
Phone: (804) 827-7882
Fax: (804) 828-2552
Email: abroad@vcu.edu
When contacting us for an advising appointment, please list the days and times you are available to meet over a three week period.
Instructions for off-campus visitors and recruiters 
Wheelchair Access Directions
The Education Abroad office is accessible to visitors with mobility complications from the front of the building that faces West Franklin Street. Visitors should take the ramp to the basement where an elevator is located at the other end of the hallway. Using the elevator, visitors are able to ride up one level to the first floor, where the Education Abroad office is located. Please feel free to call if further assistance is needed.
Education Abroad staff
Stephanie Davenport Tignor
Director
Email: davenportse@vcu.edu
Stephanie Tignor has worked in the Global Education Office for over eight years in a variety of positions. As the Director of Education Abroad, Stephanie oversees administration of the university's study abroad and exchange programs including faculty-led programs. She is an alumna of VCU, at which she earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees. She first discovered her passion for international education while on a semester study abroad program in Edinburgh, Scotland through the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). As a graduate student in English, she studied abroad in Peru and spent time volunteering in Ecuador as a teacher of English as a foreign language. She has also co-led service and study abroad programs to Mexico and Malaysia, and has led a program in the US for students from VCU's Partnership institutions in China.
Advising areas
- Curtin University
- University of Córdoba
- University of Westminster
- University of São Paulo
- University of the West of England
Nasha Lewis
Program Manager
Email: nlewis7@vcu.edu
Nasha Lewis joined VCU Education Abroad in September 2007. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international politics from George Mason University and a master’s degree in international education from George Washington University. Lewis has worked in community development for the U.S. Peace Corps in West Africa, and her experience there encouraged her to travel to other places such as Eastern Asia, Southern Africa, South America and Western Europe.
Advising areas
- Africa
- Asia
- France, Canada and all French-speaking locations
- Fudan University
- Middle East
- Multi-country programs
- VCU School of the Arts in Qatar
Kelly Chroninger
Advisor
Email: kbchroninger@vcu.edu
Kelly Chroninger joined the VCU Education Abroad team in August 2012. Her first international experience was as an undergraduate at the College of William & Mary, where she studied abroad in Galway, Ireland. While completing her MA in English, Kelly worked with and taught ESL to international students at UVA. She also spent two years teaching English at universities in Sarajevo, Bosnia and coordinating an international service-learning program. Kelly is excited to help VCU students find new ways to study, work, and volunteer abroad.
Advising areas
- Eastern Europe
- Germany and Northern Europe
- Italy
- Turkey
- UK (including Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) and Ireland
Drew Cowles
Advisor
Email: cowlesat@vcu.edu
Drew is the newest member of the Education Abroad office, joining the team in February of 2013. His experience abroad includes three trips to Kerch, Ukraine, as well as two trips to Central America working with clean water in Leon, Nicaragua. He received his degree in Religious Studies from VCU and is excited to help students further understand, serve and create community through the education abroad experience.
Advising areas
- Australia, New Zealand and Oceania
- General Advising
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- Spain
- Ukraine and Russia
Sarah Young
Sarah Young joined the Global Education Office in 2008 after graduating from Allegheny College with a degree in International Studies and Spanish. Sarah studied abroad with American University’s Washington Semester Program and has traveled through Western Europe, Asia, and Central and South America. She is also a graduate of the VCU School of Education’s Counselor Education program where she focused on the importance of cultural exchange and the career development of college students. Sarah joins the Education Abroad staff in assisting returnees with their career development and professional goals, as well as working with incoming exchange students.
Advising areas
- Returnee advising
