MA, International Training & Education, American University BA, Linguistics, Georgetown University
Favorite Spot on Campus
The pond between SIS and Roper Hall
Bio
Rachel Sawyer (she/her) is the Assistant Director of External Reporting for Online Programs in the School of International Service. She manages departmental finances, ranging from faculty pay to quarterly partner payments, and prepares reports to audit data flow accuracy across university departments as well as data flows extending to 2U, Online Program's technology partner.
Rachel served on the SIS Staff Council from 2019-2021 and was honored to lead the council in 2020-2021 as chair. Her proudest accomplishment during that time was being awarded the 2020 AU Staff Performance Award for Faculty & Staff Collaboration for her work designing and bringing together staff and faculty leaders in SIS to organize an "SIS Breaking Bread." Her team applied for and won an Inclusive Excellence mini-grant to fund the event awarded by the President's Council on Diversity & Inclusion.
From 2018-2021, Rachel volunteered as an AU Connects facilitator leading conversations around issues of race and ethnicity in response to situations and events. She was recognized along with the other members of AU Connects in 2019 with an AU Staff Performance Award for Inclusive Excellence for their work helping people increase understanding and build new relationships with each other. Rachel had the opportunity to lead trainings with groups on campus such as OIT, WAMU (AU's NPR station), and HR organized "Shared Vocabulary" sessions.
In total, Rachel has eight years of experience in higher education both internationally and in the US. Rachel was a Fulbright fellow in Kazakhstan for one year and continued working an additional year after her grant period ended. In 2020, she earned her Master’s in International Training and Education from AU’s School of Education.