Lauren Jacobsen-Bridges

Ms. Jacobsen-Bridges previously served as senior director of International Student and Scholar Services at UNT since 2023. After more than five years as director, Lauren lead the department’s charge to provide immigration services for international students, visiting scholars, and faculty and staff throughout the UNT System.

With more than 15 years of experience in international higher education, Ms. Jacobsen-Bridges has dedicated her career to enriching campus communities through educational and cultural exchange. Since 2014, she has served in numerous regional and national leadership positions in NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the leading professional organization in her field. I look forward to partnering with her as we further UNT’s global initiatives, support faculty in expanding the impact of their teaching and research, and strengthen our commitment to helping students from all over the world transform their lives through education and opportunity.

Lauren is a native Texan and has spent most of her life in the Dallas area.  She graduated from the University of North Texas with a Masters of Arts in International Studies in 2016.  Lauren has been in the field of international higher education since 2010 and has previously served in leadership roles with NAFSA: Association of International Educators.  She strongly believes that international higher education develops lasting impressions on the campus community and advocates for a better cross-cultural understanding across the globe.  She enjoys learning new languages and has studied Arabic, French, and Spanish and is currently pursuing her PhD in History.