Nov. 8, 2011
The week of Nov. 14, The Catholic University of America will highlight its increasing global engagement by celebrating International Education Week.
The celebration will feature a number of activities including a Nov. 14 reception in the McMahon Hall, Lobby, information sessions on international internships and education abroad programs throughout the week, and CUA's Cultural Thanksgiving Potluck on Nov. 17.
"Education is global nowadays and what is learned in one country is applied in another and benefits the world as a whole," says Tanith Fowler Corsi, assistant vice president for global education.
"The University's participation in International Education Week showcases our efforts to promote programs that prepare American students for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study and learn in the United States."
The number of Catholic University students who study abroad has increased by 13.4 percent in the past year. The number of students enrolled in education abroad programs for spring 2012 totals 144. That figure doesn't include students who will participate in short-term spring break and summer programs, Fowler Corsi notes.
In addition to the higher number of CUA students who study abroad, Catholic University has seen an increase in the number of international students and scholars who come to the University to study and do research, according to Fowler Corsi.
As it prepares for the week of special events, the Center for Global Education, which was created in 2008, is also celebrating its election last month as a full member in the IES Abroad Academic Consortium, notes Fowler Corsi.
Catholic University was one of three U.S. colleges and universities, along with Barnard College in New York City and the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, that were elected to full-member status last month by the consortium, which is based in Chicago.
Founded in 1950, the consortium comprises 200 top-tier U.S. public and private colleges and universities and offers nearly 100 academic study abroad programs and internship opportunities in 34 cities around the world, according to the organization's web site. Full consortium membership enables CUA to take a more active role in leadership decisions pertaining to the education abroad programs.
CUA participates in more than 20 of the consortium's programs, including one in Vienna for music majors and another in the German city of Freiberg for students interested in learning more about the European Union. The Freiberg program is "a great opportunity" for CUA students pursuing the University's Certificate in European Studies, says Ella Sweigert, director of CUAbroad.
Since Catholic University signed its affiliation agreement with the consortium in summer 2009, it has sent a "significant" number of students on IES Abroad programs in the past two years, says Fowler Corsi. In spring 2012, 30 of the 144 CUA students going abroad are participating in consortium programs around the world.
"Our full-member status in the consortium means that CUA has been recognized for its academic excellence and its ability to send large numbers of students to study abroad in a short amount of time," says Fowler Corsi.
"Clearly global engagement is strengthening at Catholic University," says Fowler Corsi. "I encourage members of the CUA community to help us celebrate International Education Week and share the University's commitment to a global education."
International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Labor to promote educational programs that prepare individuals for a global society. For more information about the week's events at CUA, click here . An R.s.v.p. is required for some of the events.