Seneca Ryan

As Admissions and Student Affairs Coordinator, Seneca serves as a main point of contact for prospective and current graduate students at the Bren School. She helps prospective students navigate the admissions process as well as advises Bren students on academic, professional, and personal matters, helping to ensure their successful journey toward becoming leaders in the field of environmental science and management. Some of Seneca’s responsibilities include managing admissions and student affairs databases, evaluating applications, coordinating outreach efforts, creating and maintaining web content, facilitating events and activities and connecting students with campus resources among other duties. 

Seneca brings a unique perspective to her role at Bren with a background in Education and International Development. Prior to working at the Bren School, she taught as a university lecturer and teacher trainer in Kazakhstan, Oman, Ukraine and South Korea. Most recently Seneca received her second Master’s degree from Cambridge University in the UK where she specialized in diversity, equity and inclusion in education, with a focus on educational access for women and girls in developing and transitioning countries. As part of her graduate work, she explored school curricula and education policy in the Middle East, seeking research-based solutions to promote policy change. Each of these professional and academic experiences make Seneca well-equipped to work with the diverse student population here at Bren.

Seneca is thrilled to be back in her hometown where she enjoys hiking, ocean swimming and continuing her ongoing quest to find the most authentic tacos in Santa Barbara!