International Student and Scholar Services

Primary Responsibilities: PhD and MFA student advising; Visiting Research Fellow (VRF) applications and coordination with hosting departments

Sonja joined Brown in January 2020 as an Assistant Director, International Student Services. She works with PhD and MFA students on aspects of their academic programs related to F-1/J-1 status. She fields questions related to U.S. employment authorization applications as students prepare for postgrad opportunities. Sonja partners closely with colleagues from the Graduate School, department managers, and faculty members to host Visiting Research Fellows (VRFs). 

Sonja has been advising international students for over fifteen years. Prior to Brown, she supported international undergrads at two small liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania and Minnesota. She was awarded a Fulbright International Education Administrators award to South Korea in 2018 and has served as lead trainer for NAFSA workshops on F-1 Regulations at multiple regional and national conferences. Currently, she serves as secretary on GRAC (Government Regulations Advisory Committee), within NAFSA's Region XI.

Sonja has a bachelor's degree in English from St. Olaf College (MN) and a master’s in Educational Policy & Administration from the University of Minnesota. Between degrees, she taught English in Slovakia, where she developed a taste for sauerkraut and sheep cheese. She is a mom to very active twin boys. When not chasing them or tripping over their toys, she enjoys thrifting, going on nature walks, and watching the occasional reality tv show.