Susan O'Rourke | May 24, 2022
Nadine emphasizes to students how valuable a global mindset can be when entering the workforce. Nadine leads by example in this way. Before arriving at CPCC, Nadine’s career took her across the globe. Working for a company with international locations, Nadine flourished working abroad and living in new and among diverse cultures. Then, at Central Piedmont Community College, Nadine “led study abroad visits to China with a business focus.” She continues to teach students at CPCC how a global mindset—with its emphasis on cultural curiosity, appreciation for differences, and willingness to build bridges—can allow students to succeed in a global workforce and be a tool for building diplomacy and peace.
This month, UNC World View is honored to feature Nadine Russell, a leader in global education at Central Piedmont Community College and one of the founders of the Scholar of Global Distinction Program.
Nadine shares that Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is a hub for global programming in North Carolina. CPCC is the second largest community college in the state, serving over 42,000 students in eight locations across Mecklenburg county. Nadine celebrates the diversity of students in the CPCC community, from the ~3,000 international students with roots in 150+ countries and first-generation students to being a “majority minority-serving institution.” Nadine emphasizes that the diversity of the student body enriches learning that happens inside and outside the classroom as students are introduced to a wide range of perspectives and experiences.
Nadine also celebrates the opportunities for global learning presented by CPCC’s Scholar of Global Distinction Program. This program came about, in part, through collaboration fostered during the UNC World View Global Education Leaders Program. There, Nadine, Suzanne LaVenture (Davidson-Davie Community College), and Neil Bolick (retired Associate Director of UNC World View) brainstormed ways to provide students the opportunities to think critically about global issues across the curriculum, participate in enriching study abroad experiences, and create opportunities for virtual visits and programs. With origins in Davidson-Davie’s global learning program, the collaborative Scholar of Global Distinction program is now a flourishing partnership between 30 community colleges in North Carolina and Florida.
Nadine explains that CPCC infuses global perspectives into learning through a “combination of curricular and co-curricular activities.” Two central pieces of global learning at CPCC are study abroad and virtual exchange programs. Nadine explains that, in a typical (pre-COVID) year, CPCC hosts “seven to ten traditional study abroad programs. This summer [the school is] running four study abroad programs in Greece, the British Isles, France, and South Africa.” Additionally, students at CPCC interact with and learn from students across the globe through virtual exchange programs. Nadine notes that one early success was an exchange program in Peru with culinary students.” She explains that they had “equipment and cameras” ready so that students in the U.S. and Peru could “share recipes” and discuss culinary techniques. Nadine and her colleagues at CPCC collaborated to use the 360 Virtual Platform so that more than 1,000 students in the past year were able to participate in virtual exchanges.
One such enriching exchange program partnered with students in Cape Town, South Africa. Nadine explains that, as part of the first synchronous session, “‘Meet Mzansi,’ students were exposed to the culture, customs and history” of South Africa. Afterwards, students were placed into breakout rooms so that they could discuss their learning together. Second, students participated in “a book discussion of Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime…. [during which] students and community members …. [unpacked] themes…. [like] how to utilize humor in tragic situations [and] racial disparities in the U.S. in comparison to South Africa.” During the third synchronous session, the two school communities hosted “two speakers…. [to address] imprisonment in Cape Town,….including a former prisoner and former guard prison from Robin Island who was there with Nelson Mandela.” During the fourth and final synchronous session, students participated in “Fireside Stories,” a program centered on “student-to-student” dialogue on particular topics. These four sessions opened students’ minds to see the shared experiences and commonalities between their two communities while also increasing their appreciation for the unique and diverse features of each.
Nadine emphasizes to students how valuable a global mindset can be when entering the workforce. Nadine leads by example in this way. Before arriving at CPCC, Nadine’s career took her across the globe. Working for a company with international locations, Nadine flourished working abroad and living in new and among diverse cultures. Later, as an accounting professor at UNC-Charlotte, Nadine “led study abroad visits to China with a business focus.” She continues to teach students at CPCC how a global mindset—with its emphasis on cultural curiosity, appreciation for differences, and willingness to build bridges—can allow students to succeed in a global workforce and be a tool for building diplomacy and peace.
Nadine encourages other leaders in higher education to bring more global learning to their curricula and programming. She stresses that those new to the field can take comfort in the collaborative and open nature of the global education community. Many administrators are happy to “share [all kinds of] resources, [from] risk management [policies]” to “forms” to programming ideas “to enable students to participate in study abroad.” Fellow leaders are happy to share insights into how to “recruit” supporters (from faculty to fellow administrators), “market” these programs to increase study engagement, and support faculty as their “globalize their courses.”
It is clear how well Nadine infuses a spirit of collaboration, cooperation, and empathy into her work with students and with colleagues. We are grateful for Nadine’s leadership and know we will continue to celebrate her success as a global education leader!