Southern becomes 1st HBCU selected for internationalization lab group
Southern University has become the first Historically Black College to be named to the American Council on Education's 12th International Laboratory Cohort.
Southern, along with 12 other colleges and universities were recently named new members to cohort or group of schools in the program.
The ACE inclusion will give Southern greater avenues to develop strategies for providing its students with a wider array of opportunities for international education.
According to an ACE press release, over the next 20 months, Southern will develope strategies for campus internationalization by: forming leadership teams to work on strategic planning and students outcomes; attending community meetings in Washington, D.C., participating in site visits and peer reviews; and participating in monthly phone calls with ACE staff.
"We are excited to be the first-ever HBCU to participate in this program," said Dr. Michael Stubblefield, vice-chancellor for Research and Strategic Initiatives at SU. "As Southern develops its new strategic plan, our participation in the ACE effort will assist us in infusing internationalization in an institution-wide manner thereby creating a platform for a globally engaged SU student."
The on-campus effort will be lead by Dr. Francesca Mellieon-Williams, project director in the Office of Research and Strategic Initiatives and assisted by Kristan Gordon, assistant to the Dean of the Center for International Education.
Their focus will be to integrate the best practices of ACE to enhance and expand the opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom for all students at Southern.
Barbara Hill, senior associate in ACE's Center for Internationalization and Global Engagement, said in the release, "The 12th cohort is the largest we've seen so far, and hosts the first HBCU ...It represents a tremendous opportunity for these institutions to share lessons and challenges as they undergo what will represent cultural transformation over the coming months."
Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations nationwide.