Meet the Staff

Adem Althor
Executive Director, Global Engagement
[email protected]
(248) 370-4730

Alex Zimmerman 
Director, International Education
[email protected]
(248) 370-2843

Alex has been OU's Director of International Education since April 2016. Prior to coming to Michigan, he worked for four years as Study Abroad Coordinator at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and for one year as Project Manager at an Islamic interfaith organization in New York City. His international experience includes five years in South America, where he taught English in Argentina and Peru and had a fellowship from the Rotary Foundation to study microfinance and entrepreneurship in northern Peru, and a year in the Middle East where he directed a study abroad program for American high school students to learn Arabic in Amman, Jordan. Alex holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Chicago and a Master of Arts in Middle Eastern studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. He speaks Spanish, Arabic, French and Mandarin with declining levels of ability, and has also studied German and Navajo. He has studied abroad in 10 countries on five continents.

Priscilla Arciniega 
Study Abroad Coordinator
[email protected] 

Priscilla Arciniega is the Study Abroad Coordinator of International Education at Oakland University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Education Sciences from the University of California, Irvine. Originally from California, Priscilla is fluent in Spanish and deeply committed to supporting international students and fostering a globally engaged campus community. In addition to her professional focus, she has a strong interest in health and wellness.  

Shirley Smith
Administrative Secretary, International Education
[email protected]
(248) 370-2889

Shirley started at Oakland University in the Office of International Education in March 2008. Her primary responsibility is to provide clerical support to the director and his staff. Shirley is also the first point of contact for students who are seeking to apply for study abroad or study away, scholarships, or to make an appointment with an OIE staff member. Additionally, she provides support by answering questions and directing students to appropriate campus resources. Shirley comes to OU with more than 20 years of experience in the administrative field.

Juan Martin Davila Grijalva
Study Abroad Student Adviser

Juan Martin is an international graduate student with a degree in Hotel Management and Tourism. Juan has studied English since he was 10 years old and French before graduating. He has studied abroad in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, and has finished his Master of Business Administration at Oakland University in 2023. He is now pursuing another master's degree, Master of Science in Information Technology Management, at Oakland University. Juan loves nature and animals especially dogs (German Shepherds). He has climbed almost every mountain in Ecuador and visited the four regions in his homeland Ecuador, including Galapagos. He loves the ocean for surfing and scuba diving. He has traveled around the world, visiting Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Jamaica, Peru, Spain, Germany, and the United States. Now he is planning to keep traveling around the United States. During this time, Juan has made a lot of friends and networked with a lot of people. He has camped in 10 of the 103 state parks in Michigan and is planning to camp in all of them. After graduation, Juan will use his MSITM to promote tourism in Ecuador and to create new job opportunities for everyone, and will also promote Ecuador so that everyone can discover a whole new world. 

View Juan's study abroad photos on our Facebook page.

Brenda Murueta
Study Abroad Adviser
[email protected]

Brenda is an international graduate student working towards a Master of Science in Business Analytics at Oakland University. She's from Mexico where she earned her bachelor's degree and Master's in Business Administration. She has experience in project management. She's traveled around the United States and visited Canada and France. Studying abroad has been one of the best experiences she's ever had. It has allowed her to meet new friends from here along with international students and gain a lot of new knowledge!

She likes to do outside activities such as cycling and walking, and she also loves picnics!!

View Brenda's study abroad photos on our Facebook page.

Katie Sienkiewicz 
Study Abroad Advisor 
[email protected] 

Katie is a senior undergraduate student at Oakland University majoring in Japanese Language and Literature. Japanese culture has been a central interest of Katie's since a young age, and she is fortunate to have the chance now to study Japanese formally. Katie has studied abroad twice through Oakland University on our instructor-led programs and cannot recommend the experience enough to anyone who is even slightly interested in exploring Japan.  
Katie is an avid reader and loves to visit the places referenced in her books, many of which were made possible on her study abroad experiences in Japan! She dreams of visiting Europe someday to explore more of her Italian, Polish and Irish heritage, as well as visiting Prague to visit the Mucha Museum.