“If you talk to anyone in international education, they're almost always going to tell you about their own study abroad or international experience, and how that's what sort of changed their trajectory,” Driscoll said. “So, yes, I can really empathize with what a lot of my students encounter in their cultural adjustment and how they sort of go about figuring out life abroad because that's what I did as well.”

Drawing on those experiences, Driscoll joined the Quinnipiac community in February 2020 and quickly established a rapport with a cohort of international students in desperate need of guidance amid the unprecedented travel complexities of the pandemic. In the years since, Driscoll has relished her role as “the first American many of them meet,” working tirelessly to ensure international students feel welcome in their new surroundings and remaining just as invested in their success as they enter the professional realm.

For those reasons and more, Driscoll will be recognized later this month with the university’s highest honor in service to students — the Staff Excellence Award.

“I'm incredibly humbled. I feel extremely honored and grateful,” Driscoll said. “It's really nice to feel recognized for the work that I do. I'm extremely passionate about it. We really value all the contributions that our international students bring to our campus, so to have an impact in their lives is very rewarding.”

In a glowing nomination, Matt Kurz, assistant vice president of student affairs, lauded Driscoll as a fiercely devoted leader who has “built a culture of inclusion, advocacy and student-first thinking that has truly changed the landscape for international students here.”

“She is a mentor, an advocate and a driving force behind so many positive changes that have strengthened the experience of our international student and scholar populations,” Kurz wrote. “Her work extends far beyond the compliance requirements of her position; she is a champion for students and faculty, ensuring they feel welcome, supported and set up for success from the moment they step onto campus.”

Kurz also cited numerous initiatives spearheaded by Driscoll and her team that have contributed to a welcoming environment for all students, faculty and staff, including the Global Partners Program, the International Student Advisory Board and the student-run Global Festival, which made its debut in the spring. Her boundless expertise on federal regulations and immigration requirements is an invaluable resource.

“Sarah’s leadership is particularly evident in times of crisis,” Kurz wrote. “She has stepped up as a campus expert with new immigration policies shifting frequently this year, drafting policy proposals, briefing university leaders on changes and directly supporting students who are anxious about their status. She is the person students, faculty and staff turn to when they need clarity, reassurance and solutions.”

But beyond navigating the extraordinary circumstances that have arisen throughout her tenure, Driscoll is buoyed by the relationships she builds. Stewarding an international student through the assimilation process and watching them flourish as a member of the Bobcat family is the most gratifying part of the job, she said.

“The reason why I find this work so rewarding is that I've always loved learning about new cultures, traveling, languages, and really sought out those opportunities in my personal life as much as possible,” Driscoll said. “To be able to have those kinds of interactions to support students in their journey, to learn about the culture shocks that they're encountering and the cultural differences that they're dealing with, even just in a minor, day-by-day way is just so interesting to me. I'm always learning new things and that is what keeps me in this work.