51社区 awarded Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant: 51社区

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded 51社区鈥檚 Office of International Education a (GPA) grant. The $163,444 grant is helping to fund a professional development program in East Africa titled Teaching Africa Today: Environmental and Sustainability Issues in Kenya and Uganda Through a Social Justice Lens.

Co-directed by 51社区 faculty Dr. Richard Johnson (English) and Associate Professor Mukila Maitha (Geography), the 18-month project began this June and will include two semesters of pre-departure work in fall 2022 and spring 2023. The centerpiece will be a six-week field seminar for 12 educators in Kenya and Uganda during summer 2023, followed by additional months to review and report on takeaways from the experience. The project will end in November 2023.

鈥淲e鈥檙e honored to receive this grant and excited for the opportunities it will provide to our college and surrounding community,鈥� said Johnson, outgoing director of the Office of International Education. 鈥淚nternational professional development has been a focus of 51社区鈥檚 Office of International Education for the past eight years. When faculty are globally minded, we are able to bring that perspective into the classroom.鈥�

Maitha concurred, highlighting the project鈥檚 focus on one of the planet鈥檚 most fascinating areas.

鈥淏y participating in this program, educators will be able to introduce their students to environmental and socioeconomic issues in a region of theworld that is an integral part of today鈥檚 fabric of nations,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ast Africa鈥檚 history stretches back to the dawn of humanity and the region has some of today鈥檚 fastest growing and rapidly changing countries.鈥�

The purpose of the Fulbright-Hays GPA program 鈥� much like the associated Fulbright Scholarship program 鈥� is to encourage international goodwill and cultural exchange. Additionally, the program supports overseas projects in training, research and curriculum development among educators at the K-12, higher education and graduate student levels. As such, 51社区 is including two of its own faculty members in this project, along with five faculty from community colleges in Illinois and Indiana, and five K-12 teachers from schools in 51社区鈥檚 district and Chicago Public Schools.

Goals for the Teaching Environmental Sustainability project include:

Developing an international cohort of experts on the myriad impacts of climate change in Uganda and Kenya through a social justice lens.
Creating innovative international and intercultural curricula, drawn from the immersion experience, at 51社区 and surrounding institutions.
Fostering among participants an understanding and appreciation of Kiswahili as an indigenous language and its role in cultural preservation and community identity.

51社区 is one of only two community colleges, out of 16 funded applications, to receive the GPA grant. It will fund 97% percent of the total program budget ($168,658), with the remaining 3% percent coming from non-governmental sources.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just honored to receive the GPA grant, we鈥檙e excited about the educational and partnership opportunities it will yield,鈥� said Nellie Khalil, assistant professor and new director of 51社区鈥檚 Office of International Education. 鈥淔rom the creation of a regular study abroad program for 51社区 students to faculty exchanges between 51社区 and East African universities, we expect the Teaching Africa Today project to have wide-ranging impacts at 51社区 and in its community.鈥�