Karolis Barutis, recently graduated from the University of Westminster with a First Class (honors) degree in International Relations. Karolis chose that subject because he wanted to understand why people make the decisions they do when voting or protesting.

Born and raised in Lithuania, Karolis is very proud of his home country and of Europe – speaking Lithuanian, English, Italian, and Portuguese. As part of our Reception Team, Karolis enjoys engaging in political conversations with students around Faraday House and during field trips. Outside of work, he especially loves time on the beach, dancing, and eating fried chicken.

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After finishing her degree in business studies in her home country of Spain, Eva Cuevas moved to London to experience what this amazing city has to offer…and she never got tired of it! After working in a variety of customer services roles in the hospitality industry, Eva moved into facilities management. She comes to Syracuse London from companies such as Pearson Education and Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis – the world’s largest commercial real estate services company.

Eva has a young family, with whom she enjoys a great deal of quality time. On the rare night out, though, she is quite the salsa dancing queen!

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Originally from Leeds, Ellen Common earned her degree in French and Hispanic Studies from the University of Liverpool in 2020. Her studies involved learning not just the languages themselves, but also about the varied cultures of the Francophone and Hispanic worlds. Passionate about experiential learning, Ellen’s role as Special Programs Coordinator involves working with faculty to use London and Europe as a classroom.

As part of her studies, Ellen spent a year living abroad, expanding her interest in different cultures and her love of hearing about people’s diverse experiences from around the world. She is fascinated by how language shapes and influences society, and has previously worked in various educational settings due to her interest in creative teaching and learning methods. When she’s not at work, you will find Ellen at a gig, reading, doing yoga, or at the cinema!

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Emmanuelle is a cultural theorist who specialises in fashion studies. A graduate from the University of Sussex, Professor Dirix has worked in higher education for eighteen years, lecturing at Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, and the Royal College of Art as well as serving as head of critical and contextual studies at the Antwerp Fashion Academy since 2009. As well as teaching “Fashion in Focus” and “Beauty and Diversity in Fashion Media” at Syracuse London, Professor Dirix serves as our Learning Advocate, ensuring every student is able to excel and make the most of their academic time in Britain.

Emmanuelle’s most recent work includes “Dressing the Decades” (Yale University Press) and several academic journal articles for “Film, Fashion & Consumption”, “Fashion Theory Russia” and the journal “Clothing Cultures”. She has curated several major travelling fashion exhibitions including “Unravel” for the Fashion Museum in Antwerp. Aside from her academic practice, Emmanuelle works as a freelance fashion branding and communications consultant for the luxury industry, is a columnist for KingKong magazine, and is regularly contacted by leading international news outlets as a subject expert.

In her free time, Emmanuelle escapes the city by through-hiking, wild camping, and running after a small child.

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Dr Becca Farnum is an environmental activist-academic currently serving as our Assistant Director for Teaching & Learning. Becca began working at Syracuse London in September 2017 as she was finishing her PhD at King’s College London, which explored conservation and peace activism in the Middle East and North Africa. Becca’s past work has involved contributing to the International Law Commission’s policy on environmental peacebuilding; running an educational exchange between Norway and Norfolk; and serving a stint with Michelle Obama’s Correspondence Team at The White House. Dr Farnum’s teaching focuses on inclusive learning and transformative pedagogies, supporting students to understand and purposefully impact global change.

Originally from the US, Becca moved to the UK as a Marshall Scholar and has been passionate about student opportunities in Europe ever since. When not in Faraday House, Becca loves hiking mountains and deserts around the world, swimming in oceans and lakes, and baking cookies en masse.

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Marco, our Assistant Director for IT & Operations, holds a BSc in Computing (Software Engineering Pathway) from the University of Westminster. Marco has previously worked in various IT roles, ranging from developer to team leader in the finance and education sectors.

Marco is bilingual (English and Portuguese) and in his free time, enjoys retro gaming, classic horror movies and music.

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Eugenia Francis-Williams joined Syracuse University London in 1986 and has held a number of roles. She is now serving as Registrar.

Born in the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies, Eugenia joined her parents and siblings in London in 1961. She enjoys family gatherings, cooking, dancing and keeping fit.

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Dr Troy Gordon earned a BA from the University of Puget Sound, and an MA and PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. From 2001-2006, Dr Gordon was Lecturer in Writing Programs at UCLA, and in 2007 he relocated to London to serve as Head of the Media & Communications Department and later as Associate Dean at Hult International Business School.

In 2012, Dr Gordon took up the post of Academic Director at Syracuse London before stepping into the role of Director, a position he has held since 2014. Dr Gordon researches, teaches and presents on techniques and uses of mass persuasion; the study of mass atrocities and post-conflict societies; critical perspectives on US foreign policy; male/female friendship; study abroad education; and the changing nature of work and organisational life in the 21st century.

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Stephen is our Cultural Engagement Manager. He attended Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) for his undergraduate degree, where he completed a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and Sport & Exercise Science. Stephen then continued his education at CCCU, obtaining a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Over the past six years, Stephen has been teaching and managing courses in secondary education.

At Syracuse London, Stephen brings his wealth of experience in both education and sport to build programming around London, the UK, and Europe for students abroad. His special interest in how field trips and independent experiences can complement formal academic learning led Stephen to create our flagship London Passport program, which gives students a way to reflect on and receive recognition for extra- and co-curricular activities and travel.

Stephen is a keen sportsman who plays competitive football (that’s soccer, for you Americans) and rugby.

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Gokulna, our IT Assistant, joined Syracuse London in 2017. She started out in our Reception Team, with a vast background in front of house experience. A year later, she moved into her current tech role, where she specialises in making sure Faraday House is able to provide the tools our students need to make the most of their time abroad and excel in their academic work.

A plant enthusiast and committed vegan, Gokulna enjoys caring for her indoor garden, propagating succulents and occasionally growing vegetables. Goks also loves long walks, yoga and photography.

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Charlie Loynes first worked at Syracuse London on a short-term contract to support the program office during our Spring 2020 semester. It was a tumultuous time, due to the Covid-19 pandemic! Happily, he was able to return full-time starting in Fall 2021, and now serves as our Internship Program Coordinator

After studying history at the University of York, Charlie worked for organisations like BBC Comedy, PredictX, and the University of Cambridge. Outside of work, Charlie enjoys cooking, listening to podcasts, and playing football (that means soccer, Americans!). He also loves to travel – making his work with field studies a great fit. Charlie is currently training to become a therapist, and is always up for a chat over a cup of tea.

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Sharon McGhee is one of our Cultural Immersion Advisers, responsible for housing with the intention of helping students to maximise their learning opportunities through deeper engagement with the city and their local neighbourhoods.

Sharon holds a double B.Sc. in Biology and Maths and a PG Diploma in Education. She is an experienced science and maths teacher in secondary schools, and has previously worked as secretary for the Westminster district of the National Education Union.

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Serena is a student at Bath Spa University, where she studies Business Management and Tourism. As part of her year in industry (a long-term internship option for British university students), Serena is working part-time at Faraday House as part of our fantastic Reception Team.

Serena has been performing ballet for over fifteen years, and recently earned her Intermediate Classical Ballet Qualification. She’s also a great source of travel wisdom: before starting uni, Serena led a group of friends on a gap year across the East Coast of Australia.

When she isn’t helping out at our Front Desk or busy with her nose in a book, Serena loves going on field trips and playing sports (especially netball!) with Syracuse London students.

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Omer joined the team as Receptionist in 2017. Previously, Omer has worked in various customer and visitor services roles in companies as diverse as Hamley’s Toy Store, The Royal London Hospital, and The National Gallery.

Omer is a huge fan of Def Leppard, 80s cartoons, and the work of Steven Spielberg. The staff joke that he holds a ‘PhD by practice’ in film – Omer knows an incredible amount about cinematography and history, and can always be counted on for a critical review of recent releases or a good recommendation of what to watch on a rainy London day. He also enjoys running, working out at the gym and travelling.

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Dr Rebecca Pollack is an architectural historian researching memorials and monuments. Her doctoral work at CUNY examined Holocaust memorials and museums in Britain, analysing their forms, content, and locations. She is especially interested in how contemporary debates around monuments to Imperialists and slavers – and, critically, the lack of memorials to the victims of those histories – intersects with public discourse and government use of Holocaust commemoration.

In 2020, Rebecca immigrated to London. She now serves as Student Support Administrator at Syracuse London, helping students navigate their transition to British studies. She is particularly well-suited for the role: while an undergrad at Brandeis University, Rebecca spent her junior year abroad in London. Outside of academia, Rebecca likes to bake, visit English country houses, and watch reality TV.

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Jo is our Assistant Director for Finance and HR, and joined Syracuse London in July 2019. She has over 25 years of experience in the finance industry – including retail banking and accounting for research and enterprise projects. Jo is particularly inspired by working in higher education, and loves to make workflows and finances eaasier for our staff and students.

A Londoner all of her life, one of this job’s best perks for Jo is the opportunity to visit other European cities on our weekend field trips. Beyond Faraday House, Jo enjoys going to the gym, walking her dog, and baking tasty cakes.

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Dr Maggie Scull is a modern historian whose work explores religious institutions, secularisation, political violence, sectarianism, and peace. Previously, Maggie held an Irish Research Council postdoctoral fellowship at NUI Galway. After graduating from Boston University, Dr Scull earned a Master’s and PhD at King’s College London while beginning her teaching career, which has included work with American students abroad.

Maggie’s interdisciplinary research explores the relationship between religion and politics in the contemporary period. Her current work examines the role of funerals throughout the conflict in Northern Ireland. Oxford University Press published her first book, The Catholic Church and the Northern Ireland Troubles, 1968-98, in 2019. She has been a regular contributor to the international press including The BBC, The Irish Times, and RTÉ Brainstorm. In addition to managing our internship program and teaching “The Global Workplace”, Dr Scull leads our Signature Seminar on “Borders in Flux: Identities and Conflict in Ireland.”

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A native Kiwi, Teresa comes to Faraday House from New Zealand House (the country’s embassy in London), where she spent time working as a regulator for employment law and supporting their immigration section. Teresa holds a BA in English Literature and History from Victoria University of Wellington. At Syracuse London, Teresa supports Finance and HR as our Administrative Assistant, and loves speaking with students about their experiences abroad.

Teresa enjoys reading, music, and exercise…but travel above all else, so she is especially happy to be working in a place that helps others pursue that same passion in a meaningful way!

Contact Teresa