SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Amy E. Lancaster, dean of Wofford College’s international programs, recently received the Volunteer of the Year Award from IES Abroad, the leading not-for-profit study abroad organization.

The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has supported and strengthened the mission of the study abroad field through extraordinary volunteer efforts. Awardees are determined by their involvement in and leadership of the various organizations that serve the study abroad field, including IES Abroad and its various committees and councils. The award also recognizes and thanks the award recipient’s school, for providing the opportunity to serve in various capacities. The awardee is chosen by the institutional member representatives at IES Abroad.

Lancaster received her B.A. in Spanish from Wofford College and her M.A. in Spanish from Middlebury College. She is also an IES Abroad La Plata 2000 alumna.

She has served at Wofford College for 11 years, as assistant director of programs abroad and assistant dean for international programs, before being promoted to her current role as dean of international programs. In her former position, she oversaw all of Wofford’s January Interim faculty-led programs, which included many IES Abroad customized programs. Lancaster was the chair of IES Abroad’s Barcelona Program Review, has participated in many site visits and served as a member of the IES Abroad Academic Council for more than two years. She also has presented at the Forum on Education Abroad Conference and IES Abroad’s Annual Conference. Lee L’Hote, IES Abroad program dean, had this to say about his experience working with Lancaster on the Barcelona Program Review: “She is a thorough reviewer and did a great job of keeping the committee focused at all times during a very busy week. Her wealth of experience in the field came in quite handy in the drafting of many of the recommendations that came out of the review. She is the consummate professional who always looks out for her students’ interests without losing sight of the overall goals and missions found in most study abroad experiences.”

IES Abroad is a global, not-for-profit academic consortium that offers more than 120 study abroad programs, in more than 30 international locations, to more than 5,700 U.S. college students annually. Founded in 1950, IES Abroad is a leader in the field of education abroad programming and has more than 230 prestigious U.S. college and university affiliates as a part of its consortium. Learn more at www.IESabroad.org. For more information about IES Abroad, contact Ashley Houston, outreach coordinator, at 312-261-5060 or ahouston@IESabroad.org.