Chris Cowan

Chris Cowan serves as the Business Coordinator for International Short Programs. Prior to joining the ISP team at KU, he served as a Program Analyst with the Department of Justice Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), where he helped administer U.S. government rule of law capacity building programs in Africa. He also previously served as a Program Officer with American Councils in Uzbekistan, managing implementation of State Department-funded English language and youth programs in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Between 2019 and 2022, Chris served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Uzbekistan, working with students and faculty at schools, universities, and American Corners across the country. He holds a Bachelor’s in International Relations and Middle East Studies and a Master’s in Geography from the University of Arkansas. Chris speaks conversational Russian, Uzbek, and Arabic, and limited Persian and Spanish. He has studied abroad in Jordan and Oman, conducted graduate fieldwork in Kyrgyzstan, and traveled extensively throughout Uzbekistan. Originally from Overland Park, in his free time he enjoys reading, cooking, and running.