DEM Dialogues with Derek

As dean of the International Division, Vavrus provides leadership across the university for international education and engagement, and for strategic planning and coordination in this area. The dean promotes faculty collaboration and initiatives in international teaching, research and outreach. Vavrus is a UW–Madison alum whose research, teaching, and service are in the fields of international education and African studies. She served for two decades as a professor of comparative and international education at Columbia University’s Teachers College and at the University of Minnesota. Dean Vavrus’ career has been profoundly shaped by her experiences as a Fulbright student and scholar in Tanzania, as a Foreign Language and Areas Studies fellow, and as a study abroad student and faculty leader. She brings academic leadership, research expertise, and personal engagement in international education to her position as the senior international officer for the University of Wisconsin–Madison.