The Center for Global Education has ended its two-year search for a new director with the hiring of Candace Chenoweth.

“I have some good ideas, and I have the ability to work with people,” Candace Chenoweth said. “I think we can do great things.”

Candace Chenoweth is the current Director of Education Abroad at Washington State University. She has also spent time dealing with international education in Japan and Hawaii.

Candace Chenoweth said she would like to involve more departments on campus with the Center for Global Education, including Residence Life and various student organizations.

While visiting campus as part of her interview process, Candace Chenoweth said it seemed many deans and professors from different departments were “very anxious to integrate study abroad opportunities with their programs.”

“If we want to do it well, we have to work collaboratively across the whole campus,” Candace Chenoweth said.

Although she has many ideas on how to improve the Center for Global Education, Candace Chenoweth said she is in no rush to make changes to the programs already in use.

“I need to get to know as much as I can about Whitewater and their goals … then start to develop strategies [on how to improve the program],” Candace Chenoweth said.

Associate Dean of College of Business and Economics Dr. John Chenoweth, the head of the screen and search committee, said one of the qualities he was looking for in a new director was someone who could not only handle students studying abroad, but could also give students on campus a feeling of global education.

John Chenoweth, no relation to Candace, said Candace Chenoweth was a good fit for the new director because she had experience with sending students abroad as well as giving international students in the U.S. an international experience.

Angela Milkie, a senior studying Human Resource Management and Spanish, was the only student on the search committee.

Milkie said she believed she was chosen to be on the committee because of her experience with the Center for Global Education and her time spent studying abroad in Spain.

According to Milkie, she enjoyed Candace Chenoweth’s ideas of incorporating student organizations with the center.

Milkie also said she felt Candace Chenoweth was a good choice for director because of her ability to interact with the faculty and students on campus.

“She seemed to fit well with our culture,” Milkie said.

John Chenoweth said there have been three search committees in the past two years to find a director who was not only qualified for the position, but who was also a good fit for the culture of UW-Whitewater.

Candace Chenoweth said she thinks she was chosen because of her personality and her experiences.

“I’m a good communicator and team player, but I’m also a good leader,” Candace Chenoweth said. “I like small towns, and I spent time growing up in the Midwest so I feel like [Whitewater] will be a good fit for me.”

Candace Chenoweth will take over as the global education leader in June.