BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Olga Bedoya Arturo is the Director of Academic Services and Student Success of UCF Global at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Since 2014, she has been responsible for leading the Academic services of the Global Achievement Academy (GAA) and the initiatives to support the academic and well-being of international students at UCF Global. Before joining UCF, Dr. Olga Bedoya was the Director of Academic Resources at the Entrepreneurial Development Center at the Universidad Ices in Cali, Colombia.
Dr. Bedoya was born in Pasto, a small town in southwest Colombia, but grew up in sunny Palmira, an even smaller town in the Valle del Cauca. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the Universidad Javeriana and a master’s degree in business from Universidad Icesi in Cali, Colombia. Dr. Bedoya gathered more than 15 years of experience in higher education before coming to the United States, earning a doctoral degree in Higher Education and Public Policy and a Career Development certificate at the University of Central Florida.
Dr. Bedoya’s experience coming to the United States with two degrees and extensive work experience has influenced her research interest and passion for the immigrant community, which usually must find unorthodox paths to achieve economic and social integration into the American labor market. Her previous work experience in entrepreneurship and education enticed a passion for helping others find opportunities to achieve their dreams.
As an immigrant, Dr. Bedoya is committed to helping our community find multiple opportunities in Internationalization. The international landscape is a world of possibility for the UCF community to dream big and reach its stars.
Areas of Interest
- International Education
- Student Success
- Retention and Attrition
- Career Development
- Comparative Student Study Skills
- Academic Self Efficacy
- Entrepreneurship
- Creativity
- Social Integration and Cultural Association
- Cognitive Dissonance