VCU Global

For more information regarding today's Weeks of Welcome events, visit: https://news.vcu.edu/article/2024/08/new-student-convocation-moved-to-virtual-event-format-spirit-walk-canceled

The Global Education Office is excited to welcome Paulo Zagalo-Melo, Ph.D., senior internationalization strategist, as a consultant to support international student enrollment and partnership efforts in collaboration with VCU’s Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success (SEMSS).

Read more about Dr. Zagalo-Melo and the expertise he brings to the team at https://global.vcu.edu/newsroom/2024/zagalo-melo/.

Today we welcomed to VCU more than 250 new international students during our International Student Orientation! We were excited to provide our new students with information to help them succeed during the 2024-25 academic school year.

Students spoke with our global learning and immigration specialists and VCU English Language Program staff during GEO's Open House and had questions answered about immigration and IT issues. In addition, they played a few games and even "pinned the dot" on their home countries on our world map.

Thanks to all who assisted with welcoming these new VCU students to campus, including VCU Technology Services and VCU University Counseling Services.

We welcome you all to VCU!

VCU English Language Program

International Student Orientation is underway as we welcome our new international VCU students to campus!

Join us for the first workshop of the 2024 Fall Global Initiatives Master Class Series: Global Engagement Strategies, on Sept. 10, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Grant Chapman, associate vice provost for international programs at Kansas State University, will highlight the innovative global engagement directory project and provide context on how a university can portray and measure global engagement. Using the global engagement directory project as an example, the workshop will provide a global engagement blueprint or guideline for VCU to use.

This workshop is the first in a series presented throughout the fall semester. Please view details of all workshops and register for any you are interested in attending at global.vcu.edu/master-class-series.

Virginia Commonwealth University

The Global Education Office is always happy to provide assistance to refugees in the Richmond area seeking to continue their educational journeys. Thank you to Rachel Aziz, admissions coordinator in our English Language Program, for collaborating with area organizations such as ReEstablish Richmond and World Education Services to help students like Asad Afzali and Sajia Afzali from Afghanistan, with submitting transcripts from previous universities through the World Education Service Gateway Program.

Read all about these students' stories in an article featured in VCUNews at:
https://news.vcu.edu/article/2024/08/vcu-partnership-helps-refugees-resume-their-academic-and-career-paths?fbclid=IwY2xjawEoqVJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTNtQyuiwS_DUdJbaoRF6aQuIZNNyAlxMu_skiACIT5YPmkMkMteVdkrsw_aem_QrlikesRnsBkaJBmm58avw

VCU English Language Program World Education Services

VCU partnership helps refugees resume their academic and career paths The Global Education Office and the nonprofit ReEstablish Richmond are a conduit for newcomers to have their foreign credentials evaluated and to develop their language skills.

The Global Education Office is excited to hold its second Global Initiatives Master Class Series intended to provide VCU deans, associate deans, faculty and staff support, recommendations, guidance and data-informed approaches to increasing global engagement, beginning in September of the 2024 fall semester.

The upcoming workshops will be facilitated by leaders in international education, Grant Chapman, MA, JD, associate provost for international programs of Kansas State University; Cheryl Delk-Le Good, executive director of EnglishUSA; and Casey Dinger, Ed.D., executive and academic director for internationalization of the University of Denver.

Those interested in attending, view the full workshop schedule and register at global.vcu.edu/newsroom/2024/master-class-fall-24/

Read all about the Master Class series at
https://global.vcu.edu/newsroom/2024/master-class-fall-24/

Virginia Commonwealth University

2024 Global Initiatives Master Class Series focuses on global engagement strategies Contact: Nicol TinsleyVCU Global Education Office(804) [email protected], VA (August 8, 2024) — The Global Education Office will hold its second Global Initiatives Master Class Series beginning the fall 2024 semester to provide VCU deans, associate deans, faculty and staff support,...

The Global Education Office is excited to open registration for the VCU Family Cultural Exchange Program during the fall '24 semester!

The VCU Family Cultural Exchange program provides Richmond community members and international students and scholars the opportunity to develop cross-cultural relationships that stimulate curiosity, increase cultural understanding and provide insight into a world beyond personal perspectives. FCE families meet up with their assigned international students at least once a month to participate in activities, family events, or local exploration.

If you are interested in participating in this semester-long program that fosters intercultural connection right here in the local Richmond area, find out more information and how to become a volunteer at global.vcu.edu/students/community/fface/.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Maya Aboulhosn, a VCU senior majoring in marketing in the School of Business with a minor in psychology, discusses her adventure as a marketing intern this summer at the Pagoda Lifestyle Hotel on the island of Ischia in Italy. Read all about her exciting month-long experience featured in VCUNews at:
https://news.vcu.edu/article/2024/07/summer-internship-on-italian-island-offers-a-bit-of-la-dolce-vita-for-vcu-undergr

VCU Education Abroad Department of Marketing / VCU School of Business

Summer internship on Italian island offers a bit of la dolce vita for VCU undergrad Maya Aboulhosn The marketing major spent a month working on social media content for a hotel while completing her minor in psychology.

Recently, VCU international students gave presentations to elementary-aged students at the Peter Paul Development Center during Kid's Country Day. Thanks to Luz Rodriguez from the Dominican Republic, Demah Almesbah from Kuwait, Abigail Adade from Ghana, Mahmoud Kaid from Egypt, and Chineme Onukwughara from Nigeria for sharing their countries with the students attending this summer.

In addition to hearing about the various countries from the VCU students, the children learned about the students' countries and traveling abroad from Kelly Richard, GEO's global learning specialist, as they enjoyed engaging and getting their "passports" stamped at each presentation.

Both the VCU and Peter Paul students enjoyed the activity!

The VCU Foundation highlights the opportunities for Virginia Commonwealth University students to engage in life-changing experiences through the L & L Friendship Scholarship Fund, a generous anonymous donation given to increase students' ability to affordably study abroad.

Read about the scholarship and how it has benefited students like Cindy Vigil, a senior political science major with a concentration in international relations, as she was able to study abroad in the Dominican Republic during spring 2024, thanks to the scholarship. The story features Cindy's story and showcases other students' experiences at https://lnkd.in/gZW7RwSg.

VCU Education Abroad

The Global Education Office now offers two microcredential digital badges for its Global Zone Training and Peace Corps Prep programs. Read about the opportunities available for students and educators in this VCUNews article:
https://news.vcu.edu/article/2024/07/vcu-global-education-office-offering-two-new-microcredential-digital-badges

VCU Global Education Office offering two new microcredential digital badges Global Zone training for educators and Peace Corps Prep for students reflect international emphasis on campus and beyond.

As Virginia Commonwealth University continues to establish global partnerships, VCU leaders Srirama Rao, Ph.D., vice president for research and innovation, and Jill Blondin, Ph.D., associate vice provost for global initiatives, benefit from invaluable opportunities to visit the U.S. Embassy in Serbia. Hosted by Ambassador Christopher Hill, they strive to increase these efforts with the assistance of Ambassador (ret) Anthony Godfrey of the U.S. Department of State.

Happy National Mascot Day to our beloved Rodney the Ram! GEO students, staff and faculty love you, Rodney ❤️


VCU English Language Program
VCU Education Abroad
Virginia Commonwealth University

Jill Blondin, Ph.D., associate vice provost for global initiatives, and Srirama Rao, Ph.D., vice president for research and innovation, recently represented Virginia Commonwealth University at the House of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, meeting Ana Brnabić, president of the National Assembly of Serbia and the former Prime Minister of Serbia. This extraordinary opportunity was made possible by Ambassador (ret.) Anthony Godfrey.

GEO commends the dedication of Stephanie Tignor, director of Global Learning, who will serve a second term as a 2024-25 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program Advisor Ambassador. After serving during the 2023-24 academic year, Tignor benefited greatly from the experience, seeking to serve another term.

"Being part of the Gilman Advisor Ambassador community has been immensely beneficial to me, both personally and professionally. It has provided invaluable connections with Gilman advisors from diverse institution types across the country. Learning from them, particularly those from Gilman Top Producing institutions has offered valuable insights into their practices and has prompted me to think critically about VCU's strategies for increasing the number of Gilman awardees."

"As I enter my second year as a Gilman Advisor Ambassador, I will continue to increase awareness of the Gilman at VCU and support the Institute of International Education (IIE) by providing feedback on the program from an advisor's perspective. Additionally, I will assist in training and preparing Gilman advisors nationwide, which may include co-presenting at advisor workshops, training sessions, and other events. I have recently been matched as a mentor with a less experienced Gilman advisor at another institution and plan to visit a nearby institution (VSU, pending confirmation) to share my Gilman knowledge and experience with their campus, which lacks the same level of resources, staffing, or familiarity with the Gilman program."

- Stephanie Tignor, 2024-25 Gilman Advisor Ambassador

VCU Education Abroad
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to Study Abroad
Institute of International Education (IIE)

ELP summer and fall part-time evening courses are available!

GEO's English Language Program offers evening part-time courses for those interested in learning specific subjects throughout the summer and fall. Course offerings include Pronouncing American English, Test Preparation and English Grammar. All courses are available in person and online during three sessions for $480 per course.

Visit global.vcu.edu/ep for more information and to register for the evening part-time courses. Contact the ELP office at [email protected] with any questions.

VCU English Language Program

VCU alumni, Aisha Kamara and James "Calvin" Watson, studied abroad as students and gained invaluable experiences that gave them the love of traveling abroad as well as fulfilling international careers.

Read all about their study abroad journeys and exciting professional opportunities at
https://news.vcu.edu/article/2024/05/study-abroad-inspired-vcu-alums-to-pursue-global-careers?utm_source=VCUNewsNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=VCUNewsNewsletter&utm_content=https://news.vcu.edu/article/2024/05/study-abroad-inspired-vcu-alums-to-pursue-global-careers

Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Education Abroad

The Global Education Office, in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President for Research, is proud to recognize the two VCU faculty who are recipients of the University of Oxford’s Harris Manchester College Summer Research Institute (SRI). The fellowships are awarded to John Fife, Ph.D., associate professor of STEM Education and director of the VCU School of Education’s Center for Innovation in STEM Education; and Alena Hampton, Ph.D., associate dean for Academic Affairs and Student Success, and associate professor in rehabilitation counseling. Each recipient is awarded a grant to conduct research at Harris Manchester College in London, England, June 23 - June 30, 2024.

Read all about the SRI award recipients and their research projects at
https://global.vcu.edu/newsroom/2023/summer-research-institute-24/

Virginia Commonwealth University Harris Manchester College

Congratulations to the new VCU graduates!

We congratulate our nearly 200 international students who graduated on Saturday, May 11, during the VCU spring graduation ceremony! We wish you great success in all of your future endeavors.

Virginia Commonwealth University

We are so proud of our students who are awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship and the experiences it provides to them! The Gilman Scholarship Program allows recipients the opportunity to complete a follow-on service project to share a capstone of what they learned during their study abroad travels. Annabelle Starr, a recent Gilman Scholar and senior in the Painting and Printmaking Department, organized a pop-up art exhibition to showcase paintings she created from her experience studying abroad in Sydney, Australia in fall 2023.

From the artist:
"There And Back Again" is a collection of works expanded from sketches made abroad in Sydney. They explore themes of cultural adjustment and assimilation, distance, and how these concepts evolve personal relationships. Reflecting the wide breadth of piecemeal themes, this show includes varying different types of media, including painting, charcoal drawing, and digital printmaking. Informed by a sustained study in art history and Indigenous Australian cultures, these topics are explored through the vehicle of nature and bird motifs to communicate my changing perspective of the natural world and differing cultural views of it.

The native Australian bird, the kookaburra, features in the show through both plein air sketches and the painting "Cultural Metamorphosis." Sometimes called the "bushman's alarm clock," this bird is believed in some Aboriginal folklore stories to have woken the world up when it was created; kookaburras are likewise referenced to show a symbolic awakening to both knowledge and cultural awareness.

We're still celebrating VCU students, staff and faculty recognized for program participation, scholarships and awards, honor society induction and graduation at the Global Initiatives Achievement Celebration. Congratulations to all of our honorees! Click to see some images from the celebration!

VCU Education Abroad VCU English Language Program

Global Initiatives Achievement Ceremony 24 The Global Education Office recognized Virginia Commonwealth University students, staff and faculty for outstanding achievement, participation and graduation during the 2023-24 academic year.

GEO's Global Learning department prepared more than 160 students to study abroad in upcoming programs during its Pre-departure Orientation today. The nearly 300 students going abroad this summer, 85 in the fall and five in a year-long program, will have the opportunity to experience life-changing adventures in countries such as Greece, Germany, Spain, England, South Korea, Scotland, Italy, Uruguay, Cyprus, Costa Rica, Australia, Thailand, Morocco, France, Japan, Qatar, Argentina, Colombia, Ireland, Poland, Kyrgyzstan, Brazil, Botswana, and China!

Upcoming faculty-led destinations include Ghana, Mexico and the Netherlands.

The Global Learning staff presented valuable information to help prepare the students before their departures such as academics, health and safety, money and other logistics, and culture and identity.

We are excited for our students as they embark upon this new avenue of global learning!

VCU Education Abroad

Earn a digital badge through GEO's Global Zone Training!

The Global Education Office is now offering a micro-credential allowing VCU faculty and staff to earn a digital badge through its Global Zone workshop. GEO’s Global Learning staff will offer knowledge, skills, and resources for teaching and supporting international students and scholars through this workshop. Digital badge earners will have completed training in entry-level intercultural communication theory and relevant strategies through this workshop. During the workshop, attendees will learn about:

- VCU’s international student community, including who they are, their concerns, and how best to support them
- cultural agility
- Global Education Office resources for students and faculty/staff

To find out more about the Global Zone Training workshop and to register, visit https://global.vcu.edu/students/faculty/globalzone/

To learn more about the digital badge, visit:
https://www.credly.com/org/virginia-commonwealth-university/badge/global-zone-training

James Vonesh, Ph.D., a professor in the Center for Environmental Studies in VCU Life Sciences, led a winter break study abroad trip this past December, accompanying a group of 10 VCU students for a 12-day expedition along the Usumacinta.

Read all about these students' extraordinary experience and the expedition preparation in this VCUNews article:
https://vcu.exposure.co/for-vcu-students-foreign-expedition-offered-a-river-of-knowledge-and-memories?source=share-vcu

VCU Education Abroad

For VCU students, foreign expedition offered a river of knowledge and memories by VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY In 2022, Virginia Commonwealth University professor James Vonesh traveled to Mexico to scout a lengthy stretch of the Usumacinta River. Stretching more than 600 miles from northwestern Guatemala to southeastern Mexico, the river is steeped in history and natural wonder, meandering past Mayan ruins a...

The Global Education Office recently recognized VCU students, staff and faculty at the annual Global Initiatives Achievement Celebration, when more than 400 people were recognized for achievement, program culmination and participation, award achievement and honor society induction.

GEO staff recognized students in areas such as the GEO’s English Language Program graduates, and award winners; VCU’s international student graduates;
founders of the Global Intercultural Association; various study abroad scholarship recipients; and many other areas of student achievement.

This year, the award recognition ceremony honored VCU staff and faculty in various areas including the Global Learning Program Development Award Recipients; Global Partnership Impact Awardees; and Harris Manchester College Summer Research Institute recipients.

Read more about the awards ceremony at:

Students, staff and faculty honored at Global Initiatives Achievement Celebration Richmond, VA (April 30, 2024) — The Global Education Office (GEO) recently honored the achievements of Virginia Commonwealth University students, staff and faculty during its annual Global Initiatives Achievement Celebration on April 15, 2024. During the celebration, more than 400 students, facult...

Give to the Global Education Fund until 11:59 p.m. today! Check out the two Global Education Office programs your donation will support today: The L & L Friendship Fund, and the English Language Program scholarship. Both are worthy recipients of your generous donation!

https://givingday.vcu.edu/o/virginia-commonwealth-university/i/giving-day-2024/p/global-education-office

Help students see the world! Give on VCU Giving Day!

Today is the day to show support for GEO by donating to the Global Education Fund! Support the our efforts as we strive to increase student access to study abroad opportunities and campus- and community-based global programming.

Give to the L & L Friendship Fund and expand access to global education.

Find out how to give at https://givingday.vcu.edu/o/virginia-commonwealth-university/i/giving-day-2024/s/ll-friendship-fund

VCU Education Abroad

GEO's Global Learning staff had a ball participating in the Giving Day Games today in support of VCU Giving Day! Playing the games allowed donations to be raised for various VCU groups such as Ram Pantry, Rams in Recovery, Student Life and Learning, Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Open and Affordable Course Content Initiative.

It's not too late to support the Global Education Fund! Visit our Giving Day webpage and select the program you wish to support!

https://givingday.vcu.edu/o/virginia-commonwealth-university/i/giving-day-2024/p/global-education-office

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