Our Story
Mosaic International grew from our own founder's experience
Meet Founder, Jas Schmirler.
At 17, Jas left home to take part in a five-week French immersion study program in Montreal. It gave her an early understanding of what it feels like to arrive somewhere unfamiliar, meet new people, and discover how much can be learned outside a traditional classroom.
From 2001 to 2006, Jas lived in Shanghai, China, where she taught and developed programs for children and youth. Since then, her travels have taken her throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.
After returning to Canada, Jas continued working in international education and eventually managed international student programs for a Canadian school division. She has worked directly with agents, schools, students, parents, and host families, and has also welcomed international students into her own home.
These experiences have allowed Jas to understand international education from several sides. She knows what students may be feeling when they arrive, what parents worry about when sending their child away, what agents have promised to families, and what Canadian schools and program providers are responsible for delivering.
Jas especially enjoys working with young people who are willing to leave what is familiar and experience something new. Over the years, she saw that the best programs were not always the ones with the busiest itineraries. They were the ones where students felt welcomed, became involved, and returned home with greater confidence, new relationships, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.
That belief became the foundation of Mosaic International.
A mosaic is made of individual pieces that remain distinct yet become part of something larger when brought together. Mosaic programs are built around the same idea. Each student contributes their own personality, culture, and perspective, while schools, host families, local youth, and community partners each add another part to the experience.
