Skip to main content

International Education

Connect with Us

Please visit Bentley Abroad to schedule an appointment with an advisor, or contact us at 781.891.3474. For general inquiries, contact us at study_abroad@bentley.edu.

Natalie Schlegel
Natalie Schlegel
Executive Director

Education:

MBA, Bentley University
BA, Economics and Spanish, Vanderbilt University

How long have you worked at Bentley?

Since August 2003.

Tell us why you chose a career in International Education at Bentley.

I have worked in the field of international educational exchange since 2000, advising students at high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. At Bentley, I am pleased to have the opportunity to be part of a community that is both close-knit and global at once!

Where have you lived/traveled/worked/studied abroad?

I studied in Argentina for six months as an undergraduate, and I have lived in Germany and Scotland. I've traveled in Africa, Europe, and South America.

Advice for students studying abroad:

Your study abroad experience can be anything you make of it. Set realistic expectations, keep an open mind, and don't be a tourist; learn to live like a local!

Sandonei Chiodini
Sandonei Chiodini
Director, Study Abroad

Advisor for:

Faculty-led International Programs and GBEs

Education:

MBA, Bentley University
BA, International Business, Leonardo da Vinci University, Brazil

How long have you worked at Bentley?

Since January 2023.

Tell us why you chose a career in International Education at Bentley.

I have worked in the field of International Education since 2005. I want to enable students to take a further step in their professional development by learning from new cultures, understanding cultural differences, and using their skill sets to be a force to create a positive impact in their ecosystem.

Where have you lived/traveled/worked/studied abroad? 

I spent a year in Angola teaching at a local community college, and travelled all over North/South America and Europe. Most recently, I worked at MIT Sloan, managing various global academic partnerships.

Advice for students studying abroad:

No matter if you plan on working at an international company or a local startup, you will most likely be part of a diverse team that includes people from a different background than yours. Our world is moving fast, so take advantage of a study abroad experience to shape your business skills and become a global citizen.

Kathleen C. Shields
Kathleen C. Shields
Assistant Director

Advisor for:

Spain, Australia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Semester at Sea, South Africa, Argentina, Chile

Education: 

BA, English, Bentley University

How long have you worked at Bentley?

Since February 2019

Tell us why you chose a career in International Education at Bentley.  

Like most people in the field of International Education, we are drawn to help others after our own powerful international experiences. This was definitely true for me, and for nearly 20 years I have been fortunate to help students and teachers make the most of their study abroad experiences. As a graduate, my career has come full circle back to Bentley.

Where have you lived/traveled/worked/studied abroad?

I participated in Semester at Sea, during which I circumnavigated the globe and travelled to 10 countries in S. America, Africa, and Asia. My work has also taken me to many countries in Europe and the South Pacific, so I just have one more continent on my list!

Advice for students studying abroad:

You can do difficult things! In my years working with college students, I consistently hear that the most challenging situations experienced while abroad are some of the most formative. Whether it was navigating a new city not knowing the language, meeting people from many different cultures, or being far away from home for the first time, you will remember these experiences for the rest of your life. Believe in yourself and you will return more confident, resilient, and mature.

" "
Charlie Deichmann
Study Abroad Advisor

Advisor for:

All incoming exchange students, and outgoing programs in Italy, France, Ireland, and the United Kingdom

Education:

BA, International Affairs, Bentley University

How long have you worked at Bentley?

Since August 2022

Tell us why you chose a career in International Education at Bentley.

The most valuable lessons we learn are those we find outside of our comfort zones, and what is travel other than the choice to leave those zones behind? Studying abroad offers many students their first chance to truly step outside what they know, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to return to Bentley and use my own experiences to help  students “seek discomfort” and make the most of what will be a life-changing journey.

Where have you lived/traveled/worked/studied abroad?

I had always wanted to study in the Czech Republic, so as an undergraduate student at Bentley I built my own program studying political science at Charles University in Prague. Then, I was lucky enough to complete an internship with the Polish Agency of Foreign Trade in Warsaw the following summer. After building international trips for an educational travel company, I won a Fulbright grant that took me back to the Czech Republic to complete a year of teaching English in the eastern city of Ostrava. In my own travels, I have had the great fortune to visit most of Europe, a good deal of Central and South America, Southeast Asia, Russia, Ghana, and Morocco.

Advice for students studying abroad:

Set some personal goals for yourself and keep a journal! So many new things will be coming at you so fast, it can be tough to keep track. This is your time to relax and enjoy, but a with just a little bit of extra reflection, I guarantee you’ll get even more from this experience of a lifetime.

Rachel Dobrzynski
Rachel Dobrzynski
Study Abroad Advisor

Advisor for: 

Korea, Japan, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Switzerland, Open Campus, Washington, D.C., internships, and summer programs

Education:

BA, Media & Culture and Business Studies, Bentley University

How long have you worked at Bentley?

Since September 2022

Tell us why you chose a career in International Education at Bentley.

I believe one of the best ways we can empower ourselves is to learn about others; other people, other cultures, other regions of the world, you name it. It's interesting to see the world through different eyes, and working in the International Education department means that I not only get to meet people with different backgrounds, but also get to help others step out of their comfort zones and begin to open their eyes to different parts of the world, too!

Where have you lived/traveled/worked/studied abroad? 

During school, I interned at a TV Agency in Rome, Italy. While in Rome I travelled to nearby Italian cities and a handful of European countries! I also participated in a faculty-led trip to Peru during my time at Bentley, where I took a Spanish class and stayed with a local family

Advice for students studying abroad: 

Something small can lead to something big! Shaking your new professor's hand may seem small at the time, but it could lead to an international mentor and opportunities that you may have missed if you hadn't taken the time to say hi.

Inaara Gilani
Inaara Gilani
Study Abroad Administrator
781-891-3435

Education:

BA, South Asian Intersectionality, Brandeis University 

How long have you worked at Bentley?

Since September 2023

Tell us why you chose a career in International Education at Bentley.

I have always been interested in interacting with students and pushing institutional boundaries to allow for a more global and inclusive perspective. Bentley is an institution with a student population that could benefit from insight to learning more about all that the world has to offer. I feel that International Education is a great way to apply what you learn as a result of your experience to all that you do in the future whatever it may be. The change of mindset that comes with studying abroad impacts the way people interact with each other in all walks of life. 

Where have you lived/traveled/worked/studied abroad? 

The summer before my senior year of college I studied abroad in Istanbul, Türkiye. I attended Boğaziçi University as an exchange student and took classes regarding Islamic history, history of the modern Middle East, and Migration Studies. Aside from a study abroad experience, I have traveled to Pakistan, the UAE, Switzerland, and Puerto Rico! 

Advice for students studying abroad: 

Everyone's always intimidated to apply to big-deal scholarships, but don't let that stop you from applying! If I hadn't been given the encouragement to apply for specific scholarships, I never would have been able to afford to study abroad. It's important to use scholarships as chances to engage with cultures and parts of the world that are beyond the "traditional" horizons of study abroad. Your different experience will make you stand out and could lead to opportunities you never would have thought of in the future.