Maj Fischer has been appointed as interim director of external relations, effective March 1, 2017. The move comes as current director of external relations, Cynthia Williams, assumes a new post in Washington, D.C. as International Policy and Program Development Officer.
As interim director of external relations, Maj will manage university agreements and memoranda of understanding with institutions abroad. In addition, she will coordinate key visitors and delegations on campus and lead the external relations team. Maj will retain her roles as director of UW–Madison’s Peace Corps Office, the Scan|Design Foundation Fellowship Program, and as committee chair of International Education Week.
“I am very pleased that Maj has agreed to serve as interim director of external relations,” said Guido Podestá, vice provost and dean of the International Division. “IIP and Peace Corps have both seen growth and new milestones through Maj’s efforts. I have no doubt her extensive experience and strong history with various international programs at UW–Madison and abroad will help her to succeed in this role.”
Maj has served as the director of UW–Madison’s International Internship Program since 2010. Previously, she worked as associate director for the Peace Corps in Fiji from 2003–2005, re-opening the program after its five-year hiatus. After Fiji, she moved half way around the world to Copenhagen, Denmark, to work for DIS as Director of Academics before returning to UW–Madison. In addition, she has served as associate director of International Academic Programs (IAP).
Michelle Kern Hall will serve as interim director of the International Internship Program (IIP), while Maj fields this new position.
Michelle has been the assistant director of IIP since December 2011. In that time she developed the IIP website and database while expanding internship opportunities and student services for the program. Prior to joining IIP she worked at MIT as the MIT-Japan program manager, coordinating student internships and research in Japan.