Bernice Krakani

I was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa, and have spent most of my adult life in the United States—a journey that has shaped my perspective on education, belonging and the transformative power of global learning. I hold an HND in Marketing from Accra Technical University, a B.A. in General Social Sciences from the University of Oregon and both an M.S. and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Oregon. Throughout my career in advising, program coordination and teaching, I have found deep joy in guiding students through both academic and personal transitions.

Having navigated new cultural and academic environments myself, I believe in holistic advising that views academic success as inseparable from personal growth, identity and community engagement. I encourage students to set meaningful goals and to explore diverse pathways—through coursework, extracurricular involvement and community engagement—that can lead them toward those goals. My greatest satisfaction comes from seeing students discover not only their passions but also the confidence and resilience to pursue them.

Before joining UVA, I served as Senior Global Engagement Programs Coordinator at the University of Oregon, where I worked extensively with study abroad, international, nontraditional and first-generation students. My research focuses on equity in higher education, the experiences of female international graduate students who are mothers and strategies for fostering inclusive learning spaces across cultures. I am currently developing the Krakani Model, a framework for understanding the intersection of motherhood, graduate education and global mobility.

Outside of teaching and advising, I keep up with my two energetic boys, find creative ways to weave global perspectives into daily life and pursue initiatives that expand educational opportunities in both the U.S. and the Global South.