Meet Your Institutional Relations Officer - Kim Diehl de Yanes

Learn all about USAC Institutional Relations Officer, Kim!

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 Kim

What are your international experiences?

My high school experience abroad (summer program) was to the Dominican Republic through Michigan 4-H. After that, I studied abroad for a semester in college in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I then spent three years living abroad in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

How did you get into the field of International Education?

I had a split assistantship in grad school that let me explore both student activities and international. I knew at the end of those two years that international was the direction I was going to follow. Thirty years later, and I’m still convinced I chose wisely!

What's your favorite thing about working for USAC?

I love being able to trouble shoot for study abroad offices and helping to connect their students with amazing (and affordable) study abroad opportunities.

What is your favorite memory from your time abroad?

For me, it is always about the people you meet/connections you make. Starting to dream in the new language (Spanish) is also pretty cool.

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

It's a toss-up! Galapagos Islands, or doing both a sunset and a sunrise walk on the Great Wall of China. Both were times when I kept saying, “pinch me please, I can’t believe this is real.”

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

I would probably go on the Bengaluru, India program. I’m all about studying abroad in places you probably won’t get the chance to travel to in the future (or are less likely to travel to). And I love that you get to learn about Indian culture by having a service-learning internship during the last four weeks of the program.

What is your funniest travel memory?

Having my future husband be flagged for “heightened security” as we were flying to Honduras for the wedding (just months after 9/11), and he was in charge of carrying the garment bag with my wedding dress inside. I had to keep asking the security officers searching him to have him turn around when they were opening the garment bag so he didn’t see the dress!

What do you like to do outside of work?

Now that we aren’t running around for our kids’ sports activities, I enjoy walking, reading books, and watching sporting events on TV (futbol, women’s basketball, and Ohio State).

What is a weird fact about you?

My third cousin and I share the same name (Kim Diehl)...but I’m 36 hours older than her!

What’s on your bucket list?

Visiting more U.S. national parks, and trekking to see gorillas in Rwanda.