Meet your Institutional Relations Officer - Hailey Freidel

Learn all about USAC Institutional Relations Officer, Hailey!

The Institutional Relations team works with universities, colleges, and other institutions around the country and travels to many study abroad fairs. The team is ready to answer any questions you may have about USAC and a current or prospective partnership with your institution.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HAILEY

Where did you study abroad?

Hailey in front of the German Alps in Germany.

My first study abroad experience was in 2014 in Ratingen, Germany. I caught the travel bug pretty quickly and signed up for a Greece and Italy Faculty-led program with my high school history department. From then on, I knew I wanted to study abroad. During my college career, I spent a semester at the University of Limerick in Ireland.

How did you get into the field of International Education?

Hailey in front of historic ruins in Ireland. All of my travel experiences sparked a profound interest in international affairs. I knew I wanted to work in education, and once I realized I could combine my love of other cultures with education, I was off to the races. I went to graduate school at the University of South Dakota, where I was a graduate assistant for the study abroad office. This experience led me to the field of international education, and even allowed me to move abroad for my first job to Dublin, Ireland!

What's your favorite thing about working for USAC?

I love that USAC is a nonprofit, ensuring that student needs and their best interests are always the top priority. I also love the community of coworkers. Even though I’m new, they have welcomed me and made me feel right at home. I think this is the same warm and welcoming atmosphere that the program fosters for students.

What is your favorite memory from your time abroad?

Hailey attending an Olympic event in Paris, France. Every trip has unforgettable experiences that make me want to do it all over again! However, one that stands out happened just this past summer. My mother and I traveled to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where we attended a sand volleyball match. It was an incredible moment because a fellow South Dakota native, Taryn Kloth, was representing Team USA on the big stage—and they won!

What is your favorite place you have traveled to and why?

Hailey in front of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All of them! Each new location is so uniquely different. But if I have to choose, I’d say Lucca, Italy, or Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I was lucky to stay in Lucca for extended periods with a family friend—it’s such a magical little Italian town. Rio was so colorful, the food was spectacular and rich in flavor, and the people were the kindest and most engaging group I have met during travels.

If you could go on any USAC program, what would it be and why?

I would love to participate in the Chiang Mai, Thailand program. Aside from always wanting to visit Thailand, I think it would be incredible to experience a non-Western culture through study abroad. The program offers a Hill Tribe Field Study course, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage with the local population in a way that most study abroad programs don’t get the chance to.

What's on your bucket list?

I want to see the Seven Wonders of the World! I’ve checked a few off, but at the top of my list is the Pyramids of Egypt.