By Andrew Jimenez
On October 3rd, 1990, one year after the fall of the Iron Curtain that separated East and West Berlin, Germany became officially reunified – a day now celebrated as the Day of German Unity.
For UCI alumna Kendra Mirasol ‘88 (B.A. German Literature), recipient of the 2025 UCI Lauds & Laurels Distinguished Alumni Award, reunification day was more than history; she had been there. Mirasol’s life has been shaped through her experiences traveling abroad, and she has dedicated her career to providing those same opportunities to as many people as possible.
The 11th-hour change
When Mirasol informed her economics professors in her junior year that she would be changing her major to German, she was met with a question that many in the humanities have heard some variation of: “What are you going to do with a German literature degree?” Mirasol laughed as she recalled how late into her degree she made the change, “This is sort of the 11th hour, you know? That’s crazy.”
After all, when Mirasol initially transferred to UC Irvine in 1984, she did so as an economics major. She recalled how Germany’s culture had always played an important role in her life. Memories of her grandmother speaking German during Mirasol’s childhood encouraged her to sign up for the German studies classes her high school offered instead of the typical Spanish or French.
At UCI, she continued taking German studies courses on the side, where she felt a connection with many of her German professors. German studies professors John Smith, Jane Newman, Helmut Schneider, Ruth Klüger and even her TA, Peter Pfeiffer (now a professor at Georgetown himself), were all influential for Mirasol when deciding to pursue a German literature degree. Mirasol’s passion for her courses was obvious; her professors suggested she pursue the new major much earlier than she did.
The final push happened when a friend questioned why Mirasol was sticking with economics when she was excelling in and was passionate about German studies. “It gave me courage to recognize that the path I want to take is different from the mainstream,” Mirasol reflected. A path that would often take her far outside the borders of Irvine.
Going abroad
The first time Mirasol traveled abroad wasn’t to a major city, but instead to a small town surrounded by pine trees, mud baths and the mountains of Bavaria, where she worked at a hotel over the summer. “It was really incredible,” Mirasol summarized. “Post-summer, I came back to UCI as a very different student. I was able to really communicate in the language (German)”. This experience and the trip she took to Switzerland the following summer – both through the UCI travel abroad program – would open doors for her beyond graduation.
Once Mirasol began applying for jobs, it was clear her experiences abroad made her stand out from the rest of the crowd. Beyond novelty, engaging with different people and communities strengthened her communication skills. Her ability to converse and understand where people were coming from was invaluable when she started working in sales, as she brought a fresh perspective to team meetings.
This uniqueness culminated in Mirasol’s selection by the German American Chamber of Commerce as one of just six individuals funded to work abroad for a year, where she worked at Siemens AG, a German tech company, as a Marketing Analyst. Siemens AG was in the midst of preparing to launch a global marketing campaign. Once again, she offered a novel perspective and communicated how some details of their campaign may not translate well when going worldwide.
This year spent in Germany was a historic year for the country and the world as a whole. The Berlin Wall, and subsequently, the entire Iron Curtain, had fallen the previous year. Mirasol recalled having to wade through demonstrations just to get to work. “I was there on reunification day,” she shared, “I witnessed an incredible moment in history, with the kind of change that is hard to put into words.”
These experiences abroad fundamentally shaped Mirasol’s worldview. She wishes that working or studying abroad were more strongly encouraged for students. “I think it’s really crucial to experience moving, living and working in a community that has a different set of values,” she maintains. “A lot of the time, we find that the values that are underneath are the same, but the behavior looks different.”
Coming full circle
Upon returning from Germany, Mirasol earned a master’s degree in finance and accounting at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. As her career continued to move towards marketing and sales, she reflected that it was crucial to develop the hard skills necessary to go with it. It wouldn’t be long before life took her overseas once again – this time to Japan.
In a full-circle moment, she began working with the College Women’s Association of Japan, a non-profit focused on giving opportunities to women attending college in Japan to travel overseas to work or study. For the first time, Mirasol found herself on the opposite end of being able to give others the same opportunity she had to travel abroad.
When Mirasol again returned to the States, her search for similar opportunities would lead her to the SIETAR (Society of Intercultural Education, Training and Research) conference. “I was looking into intercultural training and language training,” she explained, “to support people who are going abroad.”
Everything changed, however, when she met Noel Kreicker, founder of IOR Global Services, a company that was built to support professionals and families relocating abroad for work assignments. Mirasol joined the company as part of Kreicker’s exit strategy, eventually becoming president and co-owner. Under her leadership, IOR became the leading provider of global relocation support, impacting over 2,000 families annually.
“My experience abroad was key in the growth of our business because I was an advocate for working in liaison, building relationships with companies to collaborate with us in Europe,” explained Mirasol. Now retired, she continues her dedication to giving back as the Chair of Finance and Auditing for Cultural Vistas, a non-profit dedicated to facilitating internships and professional exchange programs.
Supporting Anteaters abroad
In everything Mirasol has accomplished, she has always striven to give back to the world. Even when she had just graduated from UC Irvine, she made yearly donations with what money she had at the time.
Now, decades later, Kendra Mirasol has generously donated to the German Program, money which will be used to establish the Mirasol German Program Travel Endowment. The program will continue to provide students with the funds needed for future travel abroad opportunities. “I would like to have the impact be in perpetuity,” she explained. “I want this opportunity to be there for students who don’t necessarily have the funds to purchase a flight to go abroad.”
“Kendra’s support has made a big difference for countless German students going abroad since the early 2000s,” shares Anke Biendarra, chair and associate professor of European Languages and Studies. “The German program is extremely grateful for her giving over the years, and now her establishing an enduring endowment. Kendra’s tireless efforts at promoting learning languages, building intercultural literacy and championing the value of a humanities education are admirable and extremely valuable, especially in these difficult times.”
For her lifelong dedication to expanding global opportunities for students and professionals, UCI awarded Mirasol the 2025 Lauds & Laurels Distinguished Alumni Award. One of the university’s highest honors, the award recognizes alumni who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities and professions.
Reflecting on the recognition, Mirasol expressed feeling “fulfilled to be able to make an impact on students’ lives by broadening their perspectives.” For her, the award means something larger; it’s the hope that, through deeper understanding, people in different societies will be able to collaborate and coexist productively and peacefully.
Her advice to students interested in studying abroad is simple: “Lean into those opportunities and see what resonates. Continue to go in the direction of what you really feel in alignment with and what your beliefs and interests are.”
About Andrew Jimenez
Andrew Jimenez is a freelance writer and aspiring journalist. He wishes to use his lifelong passion for writing and research to inspire and inform others through his works. Jimenez graduated from UCI in 2024 with a B.A. in History.
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