Study abroad transforms lives.  We know this from our personal experience as study abroad students.  Ryan’s experience in the early 80s in London propelled him into volunteering for the Peace Corps which in turn led him back into study abroad, this time as a resident director for the School for International Training in Kenya. 

In 1998 Ryan recognized a need for a flexible, supportive and dynamic organization to help US universities respond to increasing demands for study abroad opportunities by their students.  Soon afterwards Ryan met and mentored Penny at the annual NAFSA Conference in Denver, the beginning of a friendship among two people sharing the same enthusiasm for study abroad. 

In 2007 Academic Solutions entered an exciting new phase of development to better serve study abroad students in the UK, Spain and the former Yugoslavia.  Each of these three sites now have a dedicated director and the support of the entire organization.  Penny returned to Academic Solutions as its temporary US Marketing Director after many years of working with SUNY study abroad students. Her efforts to build brand awareness for the company were completed in February 2009.  Happily, Emily agreed to become our new UK Program Coordinator in 2007.  Emily’s experience as a study abroad student and intern in London as well as her work with the registrar’s office at the University of Toronto, led her to the same decision as Penny and Ryan: to catalyze study abroad opportunities for US students.