Phillips has been impressed with how involved both graduate and undergraduate students are outside of the classroom, and how much student-driven initiatives can accomplish at Brown. “I love working at an institution and with colleagues where student's voices are heard and valued.”

Though ISE's programming is open to all international students, Phillips has worked directly with the Graduate School's Community Fellows Program to develop events that specifically serve our graduate population, such as bi-weekly Cultural Cafes and Global Voices. “I find myself in awe of the diversity of experiences that graduate students bring to our conversations - I always learn something new,” she says. 

While Phillips acknowledges that there are still initiatives that international students continue to advocate for and that there is always room for improvement, she says Brown has listened to concerns and needs and has taken steps to create a more equitable and welcoming community for international students. “I truly appreciate this student-centered approach to decision making,” she says.

Phillips came to Brown in May of 2017 from Lehigh University where she was a graduate assistant for International Affairs. Prior to that, she was the International Student and Scholar Advisor at Millsaps College and an Elementary ESL Teacher in Tupelo, Mississippi. She earned her B.A. in Japanese Language and Culture and History at The University of Puget Sound and an M.Ed. in Comparative and International Education from Lehigh University.