Before arriving in Costa Rica in 2019, Jeff Belnap helped to lead U.S. and U.S.-influenced universities in three countries and two U.S. states. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of California-Irvine in comparative literature and critical theory. He has written and presented works on global learning and internationalization, and his long-term research analyzes links between the United States and Mexico, especially in fine arts and literature.