Meet Bianca Billings, our newest Partner Success Manager! Her journey from dreaming of studying abroad to living and working in Costa Rica has shaped her passion for international education. In this blog, she shares her inspiring career path, a memorable Thanksgiving in Panama, and the excitement she feels joining CIS Abroad to help others embark on their own global adventures.
Why are you excited to work for CIS Abroad?
I’m so excited to join CIS Abroad because I resonate deeply with the students who travel abroad with us. I was eager to explore the world and advance my studies and career while in college, yet didn’t have the adequate resources to fulfill my dreams of study abroad at the time. After I graduated college, that yearning never faded, and I found my way into the career path of international education to bridge my professional goals with my personal goals. Pre-covid, I had the incredible opportunity to live and work abroad in Costa Rica for the better part of 2 years, finally! I had my chance to learn and grow in a new environment, practice a new language, and travel independently. Post-covid, I had to return home to the States, where I had come across CIS Abroad at a major conference in our industry, and immediately knew this was my second chance to do what I love for a company that values all the same things I do. I am so excited to work with partners and students alike, and use my personal experiences to further the success of CIS.
Describe a memorable moment from abroad
Something that will always come to mind from my ~2 years living in Central America was the first Thanksgiving I celebrated away from home. Never in my life up until that point, had I not been home to celebrate with family and friends for Thanksgiving. Yet, that year, I was in beautiful Bocas Del Toro, Panama in a small hostel on the beach. I thought I would feel isolated and lonely not getting to have a big meal with my family and taking part in all our special traditions, however, something remarkable occurred. The hostel I was staying at hosted a Thanksgiving dinner of their own! With travelers from all over the world present, the hostel offered a special American style experience for all. I remembered sitting at the table next to people from Germany, China, Sweden, Mexico, Panama, and more thinking to myself, “This is really what Thanksgiving is all about”. The fellowship we had was wonderful, and I am so grateful to have experienced so many cultures in one place all celebrating this special holiday together.
What has your career path looked like? How did you end up in the field of International Education?
My career path has taken a few twists and turns, but I am so happy to have landed in International Ed where I intend to stay! Firstly, I graduated from Radford University with a degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism/Special Events (naturally). In college, I spent all 4 years as a peer advisor, orientation leader, tour guide, and admissions office assistant which cemented my love for higher education in general. After graduating, I dove into the hospitality/hotel industry finding roles in events, front office management, and sales. This world was very fun and fast-paced, but I missed working with students and more opportunities for travel.
On a whim, I applied to a year-long internship program in Costa Rica, and by some miraculous turn of fate, I was selected for the program! I spent 2 years abroad learning so much about International Ed and growing my network. When Covid-19 surfaced and this industry took a major hit, I found myself in an admissions role at a small local college in Tennessee, and eventually working remotely for an EdTech startup in customer success. One thing was always missing from all these related roles in education, the passion for culture and exploration. Which leads me to now working for CIS Abroad where I believe I will undeniably thrive.
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A typical weekend for me is…
It depends on the time of year! But most generally, I love to thrift fun items and decor for my new house or cook new recipes for friends and family. I also love being outside, in any climate really. That could look like skiing in the winters or water activities in the summer. A weekend for me is successful if I was able to do one thing I have never done before whether that’s try a new cafe or watch a new show/movie, or go as far as travel to a new city or accomplish something I had been putting off.
5 words that describe yourself
- Ambitious
- Thoughtful
- Outgoing
- Sensitive
- Open-Minded
Travel Tip:
My small tip is to always wait until the last zone is called to board the plane (if you don’t need special boarding or are military etc)! Why stand there with your luggage in hand, on the crowded jet bridge, tripping over everyone rushing to get on the plane when you could wait until the last zone is called to waltz right on with ease.
What's a hot topic in the field that you're interested in exploring more?
I am interested in learning more about how to improve visa complications in the study abroad process, and get more approvals for students quicker. Visas can be the one major hiccup in so many students' experience, and I would love to learn from a policy perspective what we can do to make it simpler for receiving institutions.
