Nicole Hoffman '14 - Languages, Literatures and International Studies

My time at NMU was foundational in shaping my personal and professional identity. Graduating in 2014 with a double major in Spanish and International Studies, I gained invaluable global experience through a semester in Lima, Peru, and two faculty-led programs to Cuba. This sparked my passion for international education and promoting global experiences and perspectives.

At NMU, I also worked as a receptionist in Career Services, which, alongside my degree, laid the groundwork for my career, though I didn’t follow a traditional path after graduation. I initially aimed for a position in study abroad, where I faced setbacks but gained helpful feedback that led me to earn my TESOL/TEFL/TESL certification and pursue teaching abroad. After a year of teaching in Uruguay, and teaching online while traveling around South America for a few months following, my husband and I returned to the U.S., where I continued teaching English online and began a Master’s in Higher Education Leadership at Siena Heights University, in an attempt to better position myself for a higher education role.

In 2021, I received a call from Defiance College for a role as Financial Literacy Education Coordinator. Although not directly aligned with my long-term goal, I saw it as a valuable foot in the door. During the interview, I openly shared my aspiration to work in Study Abroad/International Education, a passion my now boss and the hiring committee kept in mind. My experience at NMU—in Career Services, study abroad, and language studies—resonated with them, which helped me secure the role and begin contributing meaningfully to the college.

Through my role, I connected with the McMaster School for Advancing Humanity, which offers international community based research initiatives for students and faculty to partake in. After the departure of a faculty leader, I was invited to support the Belize initiative to assist the remaining faculty fellow as an associate fellow, leveraging my international background. My Spanish degree helped significantly in that role due to the gap in travel over COVID-19. The schools that our students work with on the ground in Belize are located close to the Mexican border where students and families primarily speak Spanish, although English is Belize’s official language. COVID-19 hindered their English language learning that usually takes place in school, and my degree was useful in assisting my students in their project preparation and communication with the Belizean students. 

I have since advanced to positions like Assistant Director of Admissions, Director of Service Learning and Study Abroad, and now Director of Admissions and International Education. In my current position, I oversee our college admissions staff and office procedures and serve as the international student contact and Principal Designated School Official. I am also responsible for finding ways to bring global learning opportunities to our students, including leading the Belize course and trip, which has been revamped and turned into a Freshman initiative to introduce new Defiance College students to international travel, community based research, and the McMaster School.

I am also currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Higher Education at the University of Toledo, with plans to focus my research on international education. Though my journey was unconventional, the blend of skills, support, and global perspective I gained at NMU prepared me well for my evolving role in higher education.