If you’ve been to the Center for Global Education at any time in the last two and a half years, you’ve met Ashley Trebisacci. She’s soft-spoken, incredibly bubbly, clever beyond her years, and for some inexplicable reason, always knows exactly what to do when it feels like the world is ending.
Having only started at Wheaton in November 2012, if anyone proves that quality matters more than quantity, it’s this Administrative Assistant.
“She’s been more than one of the coordinators at the office of Global Education, Ashley has been a true friend.” Maria Rios Brache ’16 replied when asked about her interactions with Trebisacci. “She has sat to listen, to talk, to truly be there whenever I needed someone. It didn’t matter to her whether it was academic, abroad related, or personal; she has always been so selfless in helping me, and for that I will always be grateful.”
“I love Ashley!” replied Sydney Beck ’16. “[She] actually makes it easy to go into Global Ed. She’s so friendly and is probably one of the most competent people I know. You never have to worry if she is taking care of something for you.”
For all the ways Trebisacci has seamlessly coalesced into her role at Wheaton, she never intended on working in higher education.
“When I graduated from college, I actually planned on going into publishing and becoming an editor,” Trebisacci explained. “I knew I wanted to take some time to work before grad school, but I wasn’t positive what subject I wanted to pursue.”
She sent dozens of applications out, hoping for responses, but none ever came. Taking a step back, Trebisacci found herself reevaluating her interests and questioning her goals.
“I thought more about the best parts of my college experience – being a student activist, and the relationships I made with my mentors. It finally clicked that I could work at a college without having my PhD, and that being a staff member would allow me to connect with students and be a resource for them. My study abroad experience was incredibly transformative, and I knew that Wheaton was the type of college I wanted to work at–so when I saw there was an opening in Global Ed, I jumped at the opportunity.”
Her position quickly became a passion, and Trebisacci quickly became a staple of the Wheaton community as well as an invaluable resource for students wishing to study abroad.
“Ashley made the transition into going abroad nearly seamless,” said Jenna Tramonti ’15. “She is the heart of the Global Education Office and always has a smile on her face. She’s always willing to answer any question and makes herself readily available to students for any issue they may have.”
“I’m a perfectionist,” Trebisacci said when asked what the most difficult aspect of her job is. “I believe that everything I’m involved in at the Center has to be flawless, so I definitely put pressure on myself to always do more, and do it better.”
For all the difficulties her job entails, Trebisacci finds the rewards to be innumerable. Her favorite parts are overseeing the student workers and Global Peer Advisors, and working in an international environment.
“Working with students from all over the world has broadened my perspective in so many ways. I also came to Wheaton still in a state of reverse culture shock…[having studied abroad at Worcester College, Oxford University] So while I will always be jealous of my study abroad students, helping them through the process and being here when they return has helped me through my own re-adjustment. Most importantly, working in Global Ed. has confirmed that I want to continue working in Higher Education.”
Trebisacci’s commitment and dedication to her job over the last two and a half years has neither gone unnoticed or unappreciated by the students she works with, and her comforting effervescence will be regretfully missed when she takes her leave at the end of this semester to pursue a Masters Degree Program.
Eventually, Trebisacci wants to direct a Women’s/LGBTQ Center and empower students to become leaders on campus, but for right now she’s just focused on starting a new chapter in her life.