Erica Nikolaisen is the assistant director for program management and student support at Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses. She joined the team in 2023. Erica oversees a consistent and inclusive approach to pre-departure education across the program management team; manages a portfolio of study abroad programs (including the advising, enrollment, support, preparation, and participation of those students); and supports program and student support in collaboration with the associate director.

Prior to this role, Erica held positions at Penn State University, where she worked as an education abroad advisor, and at Texas Tech University, where she worked as the assistant director in the Center for Global Engagement in the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business. Most recently, she worked in Education Abroad at New Mexico State University.

A New Mexico native, Erica graduated from New Mexico State University with her BA in government and history and a master of public administration. Erica studied abroad in England as an undergraduate student as part of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). She is currently pursuing her PhD in educational leadership and administration at New Mexico State University and is writing her dissertation on student perceptions of global citizenship during international student teaching experiences.