Meet Darcy York, Barcelona SAE’s Director of Programs (overseeing our Academics, Internships, and Customized Programs teams).
Tell us a little about your background.
I was born and raised in Maine, USA. When I was 13, I participated in a two week exchange program to Japan and I fell in love with travelling. I studied at Bates College in Maine and during my time there I participated in a short term faculty led program to London and Stratford-Upon-Avon to study Shakespeare, spent a summer in Aix-en-provence taking French classes, and did a semester program in Ecuador studying volcanology. Once I graduated college, I really wanted to get into study abroad as a career. I spent two years working for Bates College planning reunions and alumni events before finding a job as an event planner at CIEE (The Council on International Educational Exchange). My first job there was running the orientations for students from around the world that were coming to the USA as part of their Work & Travel program. After three years there, they transferred me to their Barcelona office where I spent 5 years as the CIEE Cultural Activities Coordinator before coming to Barcelona SAE.
Any hobbies or fun facts about you?
As far as my hobbies, I love reading, hiking, scuba diving, backpacking, and playing board games. I also love a good Escape Room! Two fun facts about me are that I grew up in a small lobstering community and I have three older brothers.
Why did you choose to work for Barcelona SAE?
I met Rich (Founder & CEO of Barcelona SAE) when I first moved to Barcelona and I’d heard about his new program. I was looking for a program that would allow us to make real decisions and change things up when we wanted to, rather than having to follow rules that apply to many countries at once. I was excited to have the opportunity to really adapt the program to Barcelona specifically.
What do you love most about your job at Barcelona SAE?
I love the team we’ve built and the fun we have as a team. I think back to some of the weekend trips, the afterworks (Spanish happy hour), and the 10 year anniversary event – there is a lot of fun to be had with this group! I also love being able to design programs like CFLPs (Customized Faculty Led Programs) and having a hand in SIS (Barcelona SAE’s School for International Studies) where we can really have a major impact on the experience of our students.
