I am very committed to advancing international higher education and increasing professional development opportunities for diverse populations. I believe the integration of global perspectives throughout higher education and the comprehensive internationalization of university programming is pivotal to our students’ success. Global learning leads to a more engaged nation, intellectual growth, and economic advancements across all fields, therefore, the professional development of our international students is not only an integral part of their educational experience, it is necessary for our advancement as a nation.
Education is power. Power to be independent. Power to actualize your potential. Power to create the future you choose for yourself and to subsequently contribute to society in meaningful ways. International students enrich our classrooms, drive innovation towards job creation, and increase our opportunity to truly develop the cross-cultural skills necessary to be competent in a global economy.
I am a strong advocate for multicultural education reform; enhancing university programming so that diverse student populations may experience equal educational opportunities and access. But what are we really doing as faculty and staff to internationalize our efforts? Many services are tailored to a generic student, but these students possess a cultural identity and a past that requires personalized resources to enhance their possibility of success in the university system and beyond.
That’s why I am so excited about my professional development workshop series this semester. Each Global UCF workshop I lead is tailored to the specific issues international populations face and proposed solutions to overcome these challenges, as well as thrive in the US educational system. I truly believe a child’s education must be personalized to their identity, to their cultural reality and lens. Making even small changes that address the importance of diversity efforts on campus bring us one step closer to the advancement of international education. The customization of our classroom lessons, event programming, and a culturally-sensitive assessment of a student’s educational experience will inevitably lead us to a future of diverse contributions that will have multi-generational implications for our progression as a university and society.
I am looking forward to further infusing equitable pedagogy into my workshops to facilitate the academic success of students from diverse racial and cultural groups on campus. There is nothing more meaningful to witness than the advancement of a student’s self-efficacy, professional identity, and the empowerment that comes from actualizing their potential.
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