Steve Bell

Dr. Steve Bell serves as an International Programs Specialist in the Education Program at the East-West Center. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing, planning, and organizing the Center’s Graduate Degree Fellowship; Obuchi Student Scholarship; Student Affiliate program; and emerging scholarship offerings from individual or institutional donors. Steve plays a leading role in working with the Dean of Education and senior team members on core experiential/educational components for EWC students, including development and implementation of the Center’s Community Building Institute, Exchange program, and International Graduate Student Conference. Additionally, Steve serves as staff advisor to the EWC Participants Association board as well as plans and supports EWC student leadership development and community service initiatives.

Steve was born and spent his early childhood in the Mānoa Valley. Growing up in Hawai‘i provided Steve’s introduction to multiculturalism and fostered his lifelong interest in and connection to the Asia-Pacific region. Steve’s 25+ professional career has been dedicated to the development, promotion, implementation, and expansion of global higher education, including management and operation of intercultural and academic assimilation, mentoring, and leadership programs for international and US students.

Prior to joining the East-West Center, Steve directed the offices of Study Abroad and International Programs at Old Dominion University; coordinated student and professional programs at the University of Texas at Austin International Office; led study abroad programs for the School for International Training; headed a Quaker social action center; served as the Cross Cultural Coordinator for Peace Corps Yemen’s Pre-Service Training; and taught ESL internationally and in the US. Moreover, Steve has been a Fulbright Scholar in Japan, a Rotary Scholar in Mexico, a Baden-Württemberg Scholar in Germany, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Yemen.

He received is PhD in Education from Old Dominion University in 2015, a Master’s of International Administration from the School for International Training in 1993 and a Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College in 1986. He published "Taking longer, but finishing just as strong: A comparison of Pell and Non-Pell study abroad participants.” in 2019.