ABOUT US
The International Relations and Global Engagement office is here to help you find a global connection. You can learn more about us and find our contact information below.
Eric D. Leise
Director
Eric.Leise@bhsu.edu
Eric joined BHSU in July 2018 after having served in similar roles at University of Oregon and University of South Dakota. Eric has been active in international education and international mobility since beginning his undergraduate studies at Univ of Calif., Los Angeles, where he studied the politics of European immigration and integration. He carried this interest through to his graduate studies at Georgetown University and again at UCLA where he continued work in different capacities comparing immigration laws and policies. At BHSU, Eric enjoys working with staff and faculty to continue building upon internationalization strategies and bringing the world to the Black Hills of South Dakota. In his free time, Eric enjoys the outdoors, scratch cooking and baking, reading, spending time with family, and letting his dog Charlie take him for walks.
Kaitlin Palmer
International Admissions Coordinator
Kaitlin.Palmer@bhsu.edu
Kaitlin grew up in the Black Hills region with a natural love for the outdoors, a good cup of tea, and traveling as much as possible! After developing a taste for culture, food, and new experiences while traveling as a young child, she has enjoyed exploring the United States and various areas of the world to meet new people and enjoy the delicious food they create! Kaitlin's first international education experience brought her to Florence, Italy where she spent a semester in 2013 exploring the Tuscan hillsides by bicycle. She graduated as a University Honors Scholar with a Bachelors degree of Science in Psychology from Black Hills State University in 2014 and a Masters degree of Education in Administration of Student Affairs from South Dakota State University in 2019. In her free time, she loves cooking, camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, and skiing with her husband, but also enjoys staying at home with her two cats and two birds!
Alysha Weiler
International Programs Coordinator
Alysha.Weiler@bhsu.edu
Alysha is the current International Program Coordinator at Black Hills State University. She is excited to be part of this team here at BHSU in Spearfish, SD! Alysha grew up in Sioux Falls, SD where she graduated from high school. She enrolled at University of Sioux Falls (USF) for one semester, but felt the need to go abroad. She left school and attended Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Germany and Nepal. After returning to the US, she realized college was a good thing, and returned to USF as a Biology major. After graduating, Alysha moved to Spearfish. She had done a couple summer research internships at BHSU, and stayed with some family. She got connected to the community and loved the area, so decided to move after she graduated. Once she was here, she got accepted and enrolled in the Graduate Integrative Genomics program here at BHSU, where she obtained her master’s degree. Alysha has always loved the Black Hills, and even when she was little, wanted to be here. Alysha’s mother’s family were Chinese people living in Cambodia. They immigrated to the US after the Khmer Rouge. Alysha had the opportunity to go to Cambodia with some of her relatives and visit places her family had been. She enjoyed being there and experiencing the culture her family had been in. Alysha loves snow, mountain biking (as long as she doesn’t fall off the cliff), and learning new languages.