International Affairs is proud to announce the Spring 2021 Employee of the Quarter is Macy J. Ring. Macy was nominated and selected by peers for her outstanding work in overseeing all administrative aspects of UCR’s Faculty Led Education Abroad Program (FLEAP).

There is no doubt that 2020 and 2021 have been incredibly difficult years for international education. The SARS-CoV II pandemic effectively shut down international travel world-wide. Hundreds of education abroad programs were closed or put on hold indefinitely while the world tried to solve the public health crisis. The financial impact of the program closures was substantial, both at UCR and for our partners around the world. After the loss of the Director of Education Abroad position due to budget cuts in the 2020 – 2021 academic year, Macy took on the significant responsibility of overseeing all administrative aspects of the Faculty Led Education Abroad Program.

With the decrease in staff and in addition to her other duties, Macy has been the point person to collaborate with several international education organizations outside of UCR. These partner organizations will help with logistics and risk management of the proposed faculty-led programs. Given the large number of proposals received for summer 2022, there have been a lot of details to coordinate between the new partners, UCR faculty leaders, and the business team in the FAST office. Macy has handled the increased workload with an incredible mix of poise and pragmatism.

She has gone above and beyond her duties to take care of FLEAP during the transition and has helped more than a dozen faculty relaunch their programs for Summer 2022. Her dedication and professionalism, especially during the transition, is appreciated by students, staff, and faculty.

Macy Jeffery Ring is a 2005 UCR alum and has been a UCR Education Abroad Advisor for seven years. She is a second generation Cambodian-American (or “Khmer Krom”) who grew up in San Bernardino County. She has a master’s in education from the University of Hawaii Manoa. Her goals are to elevate and empower first-generation students, like her, to seek and embrace opportunities for academic, personal, and professional development. Macy also serves as a board member with the UCR Alumni Association Inland Empire Alumni Network. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors, camping, hiking, and exploring new places.

Congratulations Macy! Thank you for all that you do to support International Affairs at UCR.

The International Affairs Employee of the Quarter program is meant to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding work our staff undertake each day. It is part of an ongoing strategy to build a healthy, inclusive, and supportive environment for our staff.