Susan O'Rourke | March , 20246
After WPCC faculty members expressed interest in reviving our partnership with UNC World View and restoring the Scholar of Global Distinction designation option for our students, I initiated contact with UNC World View,…attended the Scholar of Global Distinction program’s annual meeting,… [and] organized a small team of faculty who were interested in global education. Together, we determined the specific components of [and launched our new Scholar of Global Distinction] program.
This month we are excited to feature Ann Marie Radaskiewicz of Western Piedmont Community College and the Global Education Team there as our Global Educator Spotlight. Ann Marie is the Dean of Arts and Sciences, as well as a “proud graduate of Western Piedmont Community College.” She notes that WPCC is “a rural community college in Morganton, NC, serving Burke County that serves 1,748 [enrolled students, and] about 2,700 students in continuing education courses.” WPCC connects with many students in the community since “about 45% of Burke County high school students dual-enroll in at least one Career & College Promise course at WPCC.”
Ann Marie emphasized the importance of sharing this spotlight with and showcasing the work of the Global Education Team at WPCC, which includes, Mark Pellatt, Assistant Dean of Arts & Sciences Division; Erin Mendoza, Spanish Instructor and advisor to WPCC’s World View Club; Terry Doyle, Sociology Instructor; Matt Childres, English Instructor; and Cher Wheeler, English Instructor for Burke Middle College.
She shares that their collaboration reinvigorated global education programming at WPCC and helped bring about the campus’s chapter of the Scholar of Global Distinction program. Ann Marie shared her insights into the collaborative development of this program and encourages other educators and leaders to build global education programming through team-led initiatives:
After WPCC faculty members expressed interest in reviving our partnership with UNC World View and restoring the Scholar of Global Distinction designation option for our students, I initiated contact with UNC World View and attended [the Scholar of Global Distinction] annual meeting in 2023. I also organized a small team of faculty who were interested in global education. Together, we determined the specific components of our program. I worked with our Marketing Office to create a new webpage with a link to an application as well as marketing materials to distribute during campus events and information sessions, and I have informed faculty of the ways UNC World View supports globalization of our courses. Our division assistant, Ms. Ashley Wells, sends out information to students via e-mail and social media. Ms. Mendoza got the World View Club up and running, and Mr. Pellatt began working on reviving and expanding our study-travel opportunities for students.
Ann Marie further explained that the WPCC World View Club has been instrumental in developing programs and fostering a community of students invested in global learning. Ann Marie shared that “the program’s anchor is our World View Club led by Spanish instructor Erin Mendoza [who] meets weekly with a group of students who are interested in community involvement relating to culture, diversity awareness through ethnic groups, and educational experiences devoted to diversity expansion.” The Global Education Team at WPCC has also been involved in expanding the variety of global experiences, including study visits. Ann Marie shared that “[Mark] Pellatt is currently planning a trip to Quebec City and another to Ireland.” The team also works together to “promote the [Scholar of Global Distinction] program campus-wide” and seeks funding opportunities, as “[Mark and Ann Marie] also worked with the College’s grant writer to apply for an IDEAS grant from the U.S. State Department.” Ann Marie encourages other educators and administrators to keep seeking opportunities to expand global programming. She shared that, though their “first attempt [applying for the IDEAS grant] was unsuccessful,” they “will apply again.” Ann Marie and the Global Education Team are committed to developing and expanding the Scholar of Global Distinction program at WPCC!
Ann Marie and Erin Mendoza also emphasized the significance of their partnership with UNC World View in developing the Scholar of Global Distinction program at WPCC. Ann Marie explained that she received support through the 2023 Scholar of Global Distinction Annual Meeting and was happy to attend the UNC World View Community College Symposium, Preparing Tomorrow’s Global Workforce, in November 2023. Erin also attended “the UNC World View Community College Symposium this past year [as well as the UNC World View] Global Education Teacher-Leader Institute” held in June 2023. Erin shared her experience attending those programs:
I thoroughly enjoyed participating in dialogue with my fellow peers on multiple global topics that directly impact our students. I was able to take away several leadership and instructional strategies such as “story circles” that I could use to incorporate our global education initiatives into the classroom and the World View Club. I also gained valuable insight through the Working Across Cultures session with Dr. Flood. His activity with Culture Active helped me grasp a better understanding of the cultural lens through which I perceive the world.
These programs supported Erin as a leader in global education and an instructor who believes in the importance of “[fostering] an inclusive learning environment that emphasizes the importance of respecting diverse cultures.” Erin also encourages fellow instructors to collaborate with UNC World View and use our “resources and [Scholar of Global Distinction] curriculum grants available to help [educators] facilitate a smooth transition into globalizing a course.” These resources can empower educators like Erin who “believe that acknowledging and celebrating our cultural differences while promoting cross-cultural understanding is what will shape our students into well-rounded [members of the global community].”
We couldn’t agree more! We at UNC World View are so grateful for the dedication and leadership of Ann Marie and the Global Education Team at WPCC as they collaborate to expand global programming and students’ worldviews!