By Pedro B. Davisson, Recruitment Manager, Latin America and Caribbean
November 2, 2026
My path to international recruitment didn’t start in an admission office. It started on a tennis court.
I played Division I tennis at the University of North Florida, and when I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sport management, I wasn't picturing a career in higher education recruitment. My first job out of college was with the Ross School's external tennis academy program. That role turned out to be more formative than I expected—it was the first time I was ever introduced to a boarding school. Slowly, without fully realizing it was happening, I found myself pulled into the world of admission and recruitment.
The move to St. John's came through a combination of timing and mentorship. I had applied to a different position, one that would have required relocating. It wasn’t the right fit logistically. But our Director, Amy Arcario, was kind enough to point me toward a role that was a much better match: Recruitment Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, done remotely. It was exactly what I was looking for, and I've been grateful for that conversation ever since.
Today, my job is split almost evenly between two worlds. Half of my time is spent online— reviewing applications, hosting webinars, connecting with students and families across time zones. The other half is spent in person, traveling to student fairs and visiting schools throughout the region. I travel about six weeks out of the year, which is enough to keep me connected to the students and counselors I work with, without pulling me away from the remote flexibility that drew me to this role in the first place.
Of everywhere I travel, Brazil is my favorite territory. There’s something about the energy, the warmth of the students and families I meet, and the relationships I’ve built there over time that make it stand out among the countries I cover.
This job has taken me to more than 65 countries and introduced me to students from an enormous range of backgrounds. Helping them navigate the process of studying in the US, and eventually seeing them arrive at St. John's, is genuinely fulfilling work.
If there’s one thing I wish more of our domestic students understood, it’s how much they stand to gain from our international students. I’d love to see more intentional interaction between the two groups—opportunities for domestic students to learn about different cultures, perspectives, and ways of seeing the world directly from their classmates. That kind of exchange doesn’t just enrich a student’s four years at St. John’s; it shapes how they think and move through the world long after graduation.
It’s a long way from where I started on a tennis court in Florida, but every step along the way has made sense in hindsight.
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