Contact the IES Staff

Email: ies @ umbc.edu
Phone: 410-455-2624
Fax: 410-455-1130

Arlene Wergin, Ph.D.: Director

Arlene was born in Munich, Germany. She moved to the United States when she entered high school after her stepfather, a career diplomat, was stationed in Washington, D.C. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Maryland, College Park and her Ph.D. in German literature from The Johns Hopkins University. After serving as the Director of Foreign Student and Faculty Services at Johns Hopkins, she became the first director of the (then) new office of International Education Services at UMBC in 1990. Her primary responsibility as director is working with UMBC's international faculty and scholars. Arlene is married with two teenage children.

Jennifer Jantos: Assistant Director, International  Faculty Services

Jennifer was born in New York but lived in Japan during middle and high school. With over eight years of experience in the field of international scholar and student advising, Jennifer is primarily responsible for assisting with J-1 and H-1B visa sponsorship of international faculty. Jennifer received her Bachelor's degree at Towson University and recently received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Fiction at University of Maryland, College Park. In her spare time she writes short fiction involving identity and diaspora.

Roy Braine: Student Advisor, International Student Services

Roy joined the IES staff in May 2007.  Roy was born in Sri Lanka and moved to the U.S. in 1987. He is primarily responsible for advising F-1 Students. Roy worked at Florida State University for 5 years as an international student adviser prior to coming to UMBC. Roy received a Masters in Intercultural Management from the School for International Training and has a BA from the University of Central Arkansas.

James Kamonjoh: Student Advisor, International Student Services

Jimmy is a native of Nairobi, Kenya and joined the IES staff in July 2007. He attended Earlham College in Richmond Indiana, where he got his Bachelors in Political Science. He worked at The College of Wooster in Ohio prior to joining us at UMBC. His primary responsibility is also advising F-1 students. Jimmy loves rugby, college football and traveling. He hopes to get a Masters in Public Policy from UMBC.

Arthur Brown: Administrative Assistant
Arthur has worked at UMBC for 8 years, and joined the IES staff in August of 2005.

revised July 2007