IXO's 5th Birthday!

The International Exchange Office (IXO) was founded on January 2, 2010 by our director, Dr. Linda C. Angell. IXO began as a small unit with only seven international study abroad students and a few parttime student workers. 

IXO’s first advisor was Anna Ray, who worked at IXO from Fall 2010 to Fall 2012. IXO’s first student workers were Shahin Hoda, an AUS student who studied abroad before IXO was even
born; Khadija Mahmood, who came with Dr. Angell from the School of Business Administration; and IXO’s current advisor Osama Mafraji, who was one of the first students to study abroad through IXO.

The beginning of IXO

“Over the past five years, IXO has become an integral part of the university, providing a wide range of opportunities across the entire AUS community. We have developed hundreds of exchange partners around the world,” said Dr. Angell.


“I feel very fortunate to work with such a passionate and diverse team that values customer satisfaction and quality service above all else; and to be able to contribute to international educational experiences that hugely impact our varied customers in so many different ways. The past five years at IXO have been amazing, and I look forward to equally fantastic future developments! Happy Birthday, IXO,” Dr. Angell added.

IXO advisors Anna Ray and Osama Mafraji also had a few words to say.

IXO Director Linda Angell & IXO Advisor Osama Mafraji

“I remember my first meeting with Dr. Linda Angell, she was the only person working at IXO. IXO helped me a lot. I was finally able to go abroad and become one of the first study abroad students. I saw this as a wonderful and exciting opportunity to meet new people, make new international friends, and feel a sense of belonging all over the world. I had an amazing experience studying abroad in California. Upon my return, I immediately applied to work for IXO as a student advisor and continued to work as a full-time student after graduation. I am really happy to continue working with IXO as I consider it as my second cool diverse home,” said Osama.

Former IXO Advisor Anna Ray

“My years at IXO were the hardest, most fulfilling of my life. Linda and I put our all into building that office because we knew we were changing lives. We wanted every student who came through our office to finish their time abroad with a whole new world open to them. The immense growth in the last five years tells me that’s what the students want, too. In the beginning the office was little more than a dark, isolated—kind of scary—hallway. Now that hallway is a gateway to new worlds,” said Anna.

Congratulations to IXO on their many adventures and Happy 5th Birthday!