For Alana Manga ’93, the journey from a Biology major at Mount Saint Mary College to the administrative halls of a university in France wasn’t a straight line, and that’s exactly how she thinks it should be.
Recently appointed as the Registrar and Dean of Student Success at the American University of Paris (AUP), Manga is proof that a foundational education at the Mount can serve as a passport to the global stage.
Manga’s career in higher education began with observation: While she was deep in the sciences at the Mount, she was also paying close attention to how the institution itself functioned.
“While at the Mount, I was able to observe higher education function and the effectiveness of student-centered teaching practices,” Manga recalled. “It was an influential and inspiring experience that has helped form the trajectory of my career.”
That trajectory eventually led her to a massive leap: moving from the Hudson Valley to the international academic landscape of France. While the surroundings changed, the core lesson she carried across the Atlantic remained the same.
“The Mount taught me about building community wherever one lives, studies, or works,” she explained. “This is a critical aspect of my academic work in France.”
As she navigates her leadership role at AUP, Manga remembers her Mount mentorship, specifically from her department chair, Iris Turkenkopf, professor emerita of Natural Sciences and former Vice President for Academic Affairs.
She “was a wonderful part of my tenure at the Mount,” said Manga. “She is an impactful teacher and mentor.”
For current Knights looking to follow in her international footsteps, Manga offers a perspective of patience and practical preparation. Rather than racing toward a destination, she encourages students to embrace the unknown.
“I wish I knew that there is no need to rush from goal to goal,” Manga noted. “There’s plenty of time to meander over random interests and seemingly unconnected opportunities, as those experiences may lead to new discoveries of self.”
For those ready to take that first concrete step abroad, her advice is simple: “Take advantage of study-abroad opportunities or international travel or life abroad. Furthermore, study a foreign language too!”