Allegra Laing
Executive Director for Global Programming
Department: Isabella Cannon Global Education Center
Email: alaing3@elon.edu
Phone number: (336) 278-6656
Brief Biography
Allegra Laing is the Executive Director for Global Programming at Elon University. She oversees all aspects of education abroad programming, including semester, exchange, and short-term faculty-led programs, focusing on student-facing and parent/family-facing activities. In addition, Allegra leads the global engagement team in implementing the GEC's diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan for study-away programs. Allegra joined the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center in 2016 as a Study Abroad Coordinator. Before assuming her current role, she held the positions of Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusion in Study Abroad and Associate Director for Global Diversity and Inclusion.
Previously, Allegra served as the Study Abroad Coordinator at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and as an Education Abroad Advisor at Washington State University. An active member of the North Carolina Association of International Educators (NCAIE) and NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Allegra has held leadership positions at the state and regional levels in international education.
In 2020, Allegra was a finalist for the Diversity Abroad Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion in International Education Award. She is the 2021 recipient of the North Carolina Association of International Educators Marth Fitch Trigonis Individual Award and the 2022 recipient of the NAFSA Award for Impact in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in International Education.
Her special interests include intercultural agility and the impact of education abroad on ethnic identity development. Allegra is a Sustained Dialogue Moderator and an IDI Qualified Administrator. She is pursuing her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.
Education
SIT Graduate Institute, Brattleboro, Vermont
Master of Arts in International Education
Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia
Bachelor of Arts in English, Bachelor of Arts in French, magna cum laude
Syracuse University/Université Marc Bloch, Strasbourg, France
Junior Year Study Abroad
Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Schœlcher, Martinique
Summer Study Abroad
Presentations
- Laing, A. (2020, November 9-13). Creating an inclusive excellence strategic plan for education abroad [Poster session]. NAFSA Region VII Virtual Program: Navigating Change with Purpose and Vision.
- Benjamin, S., Burress, B., Decato, J., Laing, A. (2020, August 3-7). (In)rollment and (in)clusion: Changing application processes to emphasize inclusive practices [Conference session]. 8th Annual Diversity Abroad Conference: Amplifying Voices and Moving from Rhetoric to Systemic Change, Virtual.
- Cook-Anderson, G., Gordon, A., Laing, A. & Titus, B. (2019, March 2-5). The rise of diversity & inclusion roles in international education [Panel discussion]. 7th Annual Diversity Abroad Conference: Equity and Opportunity through Inclusive Global Education, Boston, MA.
- Davis, M., Djalleta, M., Laing, A., Marshall, L., & Vaughn, J. (2019, February 22-23). #StudyAbroadSoBlack: Heritage-Seeking Through Global Study [Panel discussion]. Black Solidarity Day Conference: Our Power, Elon, NC.
- Bower, O., Cunningham, C., Djalleta, M., Laing, A., Luon, S., & Santana-Garces, M. (2018, November 10). Reframing the narrative of global engagement: Studying abroad as a student of color [Panel discussion]. 8th Annual Intersect Conference: We Inspires Me, Elon, NC.
- Cole, H., Jamison, A., Laing, A., Langley, J., Louis, T., Marshall, L. (2018, February 17). Black and abroad: Exploring the experiences of Black-identified students abroad [Panel discussion]. Annual Black Solidarity Day Conference: Awaken My Love! Elon, NC.
- Bell, B., Laing, A. & McKinney, N. (2017, March 19-22). Black card revoked: Re-thinking identity based advising support services [Conference session]. 5th Annual Diversity Abroad Conference: Embracing the Future of Global Education, Minneapolis, MN.
- Laing, A., Rayford, R. & Wade, G. (2016, November 6-10). 99 problems…studying abroad shouldn’t be one! Creating buy-in among parents at historically Black colleges & universities [Conference session]. NAFSA Regions III & VII Bi-Regional Conference, New Orleans, LA.
- Laing, A. & Udyavar, S. (2015, October 25-28). Using technology to bridge the cultural divide [Conference session]. NAFSA Region VII Conference, Savannah, GA.
- Laing, A. & Todhunter, L. (2013, October 27-30). Study abroad recruitment and advising at HBCUS [Conference session]. NAFSA Region VII Conference, Raleigh, NC.
Professional Activities
Chair, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Region VII
Term: November 2019 - November 2020
Chair, North Carolina Association of International Educators
Term: March 2017 - March 2018
HBCU Representative, North Carolina Association of International Educators
Term: June 2011 - March 2016
HBCU-Minority Serving Institutions Representative, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Region VII
Term: November 2013 - November 2016