The School of Education’s Global Engagement Office (GEO), launched by Dean Diana Hess in 2018, is a home for connecting faculty, staff, and students with resources, knowledge, and support to engage in and carry out globally focused initiatives. These efforts are inclusive of work with immigrant and refugee communities, as well as tribal nations. Overseen by Li-Ching Ho (Director, Associate Professor of Curriculum & Instruction) and Adam Nelson (Co-Director, Professor of Educational Policy Studies and History ), and managed by Kate McCleary (Associate Director), the GEO is currently involved in expanding study abroad, one of the office’s six strategic priorities.
Study abroad is a major initiative under the SoE’s Impact 2030 Campaign’s transformational and innovative learning experiences pillar. As a high impact practice, study abroad benefits undergraduate students in many ways during their time here at UW-Madison, and beyond. The School of Education is looking to align study abroad more closely with students’ majors by developing more faculty-led programs for the 15 SoE academic majors, and creating Major Advising Pages (MAPs) for the seven departments with undergraduate programs. The School currently has a grant call out for faculty and instructional staff to develop short-term courses in an overseas locale. These $8,000 grants award funding for faculty summer salary and a travel stipend.
Major Advising Pages (MAPs) are intended to assist students and advisors in planning for study abroad within their respective degree program. Students can use them to “map” out their 4 year plan while simultaneously integrating a study abroad experience into their plan. MAPs have been completed for Art, Education Studies, and Special Education. They are actively in the works for Curriculum and Instruction, Dance, Health Promotion and Health Equity, and Exercise and Movement Science.
The Global Engagement Office is indebted to the International Academic Programs Office for their support and expertise. GEO is also grateful for the opportunities available through and collaboration with the International Internship Program Office.
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Written by Kate McCleary and Kate Hamoonga.