Meet the Team: Adrienne Shank

Tell us about yourself.

Hello! My name is Adrienne (she/her) and I am originally from Pennsylvania, where I grew up in a small rural town. Fun fact – I lived near several Amish and Mennonite communities and got to see horse and buggies regularly! Shoo Fly Pie, Apple Dumplings, and Red Beet Eggs are some of my favorite foods from these cultural influences growing up. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Education with a concentration in Spanish in 2009 and earned my Master of International Studies degree from NC State in 2020.

Tell us what you were doing before you came to NC State/GTI.

Before joining the GTI in June of 2021, I spent several years teaching Spanish to high school students. I also spent a summer teaching English in Costa Rica and later led several student groups on education programs in Costa Rica as well. Once I landed in Raleigh, I knew it was going to be home for awhile. The size of the city is great and I appreciate the focus on maintaining natural environments and the greenways as well.

Tell us what you do in a few sentences.

I am a program coordinator in the GTI office. I work primarily with students who study in Raleigh through our partner, SKEMA Business School, but I also love that I get to work on a variety of programs with students and professionals from around the world!

What do you like to do outside of work?

I like to be active. Raleigh has a lot of great lakes where I run and walk my dog. I also enjoy spending time reading, cooking/baking, or watching house hunting and renovation shows.

What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?

This past year I checked off a bucket list item – hang-gliding! The Outer Banks was a great place to try out this activity. Another great adventure was in Costa Rica. My husband and I completed and all-day volcano hike. We hiked to top and down into the crater, where there was a natural lake. It was an amazing experience!

What’s the next place on your travel bucket list?

There are so many places I would love to visit, but I would love to make it to various countries in South America. Visiting Machu Picchu in Peru or Iguazu Falls in Argentina would be a dream come true. I love learning about culture and language as well as getting to see the natural beauty of each country around the world.