UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Alexandra Persiko, interim director of Global Partnerships in Penn State Global, received a Fulbright IEA award in 2024, notable not only because she was one of 14 university administrators across the U.S. to garner such an award this year, but also because of her unique connection to the program through her mother, Alice Ann, who completed a Fulbright student program in Germany in 1957.

“I wouldn’t be here or have grown up with that spirit of global in mind if it hadn’t been for my mother, a Fulbright student to Germany in 1957,” Persiko said.

In 2024, Persiko participated in a program administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the French Fulbright Commission for two weeks in October 2024, leading her to Caen and Le Havre, Normandy, as well as Paris. The program included briefings, campus visits, appointments with selected government officials, networking and cultural activities, and meetings with French international education professionals.  Persiko had in-depth conversations with representatives of a wide swath of universities, ranging from large public to specialized universities and research institutes in Caen, Le Havre and Paris.

“I felt privileged to be in the shoes of a student again and learn from both my fellow participants as well as from the many encounters at universities, ministries, research institutes and the wonderful French Fulbright Commission staff,” she said. In her role as interim director for global partnerships, she was on the lookout for potential collaborative opportunities in research and education, learning more about the French system of higher education and an exchange with her peers. 

Persiko’s program could not have been more different than her mother’s many years ago. For one, her mother’s program was for an entire year, whereas Persiko’s took place over the span of 12 days.

“I did feel a sense of awe, excitement, looking at something with fresh eyes, and receiving ideas for engagement, just like I imagine my mother did,” Persiko said. 

Alice Ann spent a year at the University of Mainz, taking classes and teaching at a girl’s school in town. She took away not only an expanded worldview; her experience had a very tangible outcome. During her experience, she met her future husband, a young medical student who also led tours for international students. 

Alice Ann pursued her master's degree at Yale, but ultimately returned to Germany in 1959 and got married shortly thereafter, said Persiko. Fulfilling the mission of cross-cultural understanding and relations, she stayed very active professionally and privately, teaching English at universities and business schools as well as to adult learners.  She and her U.S. American and British friends in the Mainz area would get together for monthly coffee and lunch sessions, where discussions often centered around U.S.-German culture, education and teaching, and life in general. 

Persiko, growing up with the sense of possibility and a yearning for things global, decided to study in the U.S. after receiving her Abitur, granted at the end of secondary education in Germany.

“And the rest is history,” she said. “I ended up staying in the U.S., met my husband, had kids, returned to Germany for 10 years, and then found my way to central Pennsylvania."

“Working in Penn State Global has been a wonderful fit for me; it’s truly exciting to be involved in the globalization of our campuses and help establish partnerships across the world, together with incredible colleagues and very dedicated leadership," said Persiko. "It’s a true blend of my personal and professional lives.”

Highlights of the experience included “the absolutely wonderful Fulbrighters and French Fulbright Commission staff," she said.

“I can really say that we clicked after less than a day and have continued to stay in touch,” she added.  “Other wonderful times included a chance to spend the weekend in Paris and to get to know Normandy a bit — the LeHavre sunset was simply out of this world!”

For information on her experience, contact Persiko at axp1225@psu.edu. For information on the Fulbright Faculty Program, contact Sylvester Osagie at soo1@psu.edu.