Global Programs and Services Update

I am pleased and excited to announce to the university community the following changes in Global Programs and Services.

Danielle McMartin will assume the new role of senior director in the Office of Global Education. Danielle has contributed to the field of international education for over 30 years. She received an undergraduate degree in psychology from San Diego State and a master’s in education from Azusa Pacific University. She developed her understanding and love of supporting international students and stellar knowledge of immigration policy during her 12 years at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. She joined CSUSM in 2000 under the leadership of Peter Zwick, founding director of Global Education. In 2020, she stepped into the role of director, which includes supervision and support of our comprehensive study abroad programming.

Danielle believes in the value of bringing diverse perspectives to the table and knows that learning from different cultures helps our students to become more insightful and compassionate global citizens. She has been intentional and effective in building an amazingly talented and skilled team in Global Education.

In addition to managing the Office of Global Education, Danielle provides direct supervision of study abroad programs, including students and faculty exchanges, and will be directly responsible for on-campus internationalization efforts. 

Grant Parsons has been appointed to the role of executive director for Global Programs and Services (GPS). Grant will provide leadership, management, administrative and marketing oversight for all international education activities and programs, including international student recruitment, study abroad, student and faculty exchange, and institutional links abroad, as well as oversight of the American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI), the campus’ English language program. As executive director, Grant will provide daily oversight of all international enrollment efforts for GPS, will manage all agency and partner university agreements, ensuring compliance with requirements from the Chancellor’s Office and Integrated Risk Management. 

Grant joined GPS in 2014 to manage international programs. He has worked in international education for more than 16 years. He previously worked as U.S. education administrator for programs abroad in South Korea and Japan, director of the English and Culture Program at Cal State Stanislaus, and most recently as director of international enrollment and partnerships at CSUSM.

Grant has a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s degree from Cal State Stanislaus. He also holds a certificate in international student recruitment and an enrollment planning certificate from AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management.

Sincerely,

Godfrey Gibbison, Ph.D.
Dean of Extended Learning
Associate Vice President for International Programs