​Dr. Kimberly A. Langenmayr
ROP Professor of "The Harlem Renaissance"

A Scholar of Roads Traveled

Dr. Kimberly Langenmayr started her career at the College shortly before the pandemic shut down international travel across the world. We were all impacted by COVID-19, but her role was probably the one most affected by the change in travel protocols. She is Molloy’s Director of International Education.

She knew at a young age that she wanted to be an educator, but she knew reaching her goal would be challenging. “Growing up in a small southern town, in a family of six children, you were expected to graduate high school, get a job and start a family,” shared Dr. Langenmayr. “You were not expected to go on to college.” The first-generation college graduate knew she wanted more for her future than she would likely find in her hometown, so she joined the U.S. Army to ‘be all she could be.’ She served in the military for four years. She was stationed in Germany, joined the Military Police, and received specialized training as a Protective Services Agent. She worked under General H. Norman Schwarzkopf during Operation Desert Storm and as an Agent for General Frederick Franks also during the Gulf War. “Traveling helped expand my horizons,” said Dr. Langenmayr.

Her passion for education was transformed by her love of travel and experiences with diverse populations. She earned her Ph.D. in Education while working for The Stamford Rites of Passage Program. The Program teaches primarily African-American students in the Stamford Connecticut Public Middle School District about the significance of African and African-American heritage. According to the Program’s website it is designed to build confidence and close the achievement gap.

The young people in the Rites of Passage Program were tasked with completing a 14-week literature review of African and African-American history. The Afrocentric curriculum also included guest speakers, mandatory readings, journal writing and various presentations. The Program culminated with a group trip to West Africa where the students visited Senegal, the Gambia, Ghana and Egypt.

As part of her Ph.D. studies, she analyzed the impact of the program on over 100 students. “The findings were clear, tying travel to the educational experience was impactful,” said Dr. Langenmayr. “The students carried what they learned with them throughout their lives.”

​Additionally, she volunteered for the Peace Corps in Namibia, Africa, where she worked for the Ministry of Youth and Sport. Her work there was focused on youth. She gave workshops covering such things as AIDS awareness and employment skills.

She also spent time in Florida, and Newark, New Jersey, working with at-risk youth. And she was the Dean of Students at an international school in India.

Clearly well-traveled and invested in the health and well-being of young people Dr. Langenmayr is an ideal fit for Molloy’s Office of International Education. “I am passionate about providing experiential opportunities to our students,” she shared. “The classroom can impact a mind, but travel opens the eyes to the world.”

The Office of International Education has scheduled its first trips since the pandemic halted all travel. This March students in New Media, Nursing and Social Work are looking forward to traveling to Rome, London and Belgium respectively.