The Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA), with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, has awarded Denison University an “Internationalization Innovation Fund” grant in the amount of $103,546 to promote internationalization on campus by integrating and enhancing students’ international/global experiences and fostering faculty development in that area. The proposal, authored by Joanna Grabski, professor of art history and visual culture and Denison’s director for the Internationalization Innovation Project, encompasses three projects focused on capacity building, curricular innovation and the development of institutional resources.
One component of the grant is faculty development that includes a campus-wide workshop on internationalization and the liberal arts. Several Denison faculty will participate in the workshop. A primary goal of the workshop will be to draft a mission statement about internationalization, which will guide future campus efforts in supporting study abroad and incorporating those experiences into classroom learning. In addition, the workshop will address how to enrich instruction in the areas of international culture, history, science and more.
Another facet of the proposal seeks to increase the number of Denison students who study abroad by removing barriers to off-campus experiences, such as costs and time. As a part of this effort, the university plans to purchase and implement Terra Dotta software, a highly recommended tool for study abroad program management.
In addition, the funding will augment Denison’s efforts to maximize study abroad integration through increased support for students in their off-campus study experiences and their home campus reentry.
“We are thrilled that the GLCA has funded this remarkable opportunity to expand and enhance internationalization at Denison,” said Denison Provost Kim Coplin. “We remain committed to fostering well-rounded, globally minded students through a wide range of international opportunities and supporting academic curriculum.”
Denison is uniquely poised to implement this proposal because of its many globalization efforts, such as a new global commerce major and relationships with sister colleges in 17 countries. In addition, this fall, the GLCA awarded Denison a Global Crossroads Initiative/Mellon Foundation Grand Challenge grant. The proposal, “Challenging Borders: Refugees, Displacement and Migration,” is a series of 11 collaborations between Denison University and Allegheny, Hope, Kenyon and Wooster colleges, the American University of Beirut and the Ashesi University of Ghana.