UISFL Grant - Advancing International Studies Instruction, Second Language Instruction and Global Awareness at Wyoming's Colleges

Principal Investigators: Dr. Jean Garrison, Director, Global & Area Studies; Dr. Jim Thurman, Central Wyoming College

Grant Cycle: Year 1- July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010; Year 2- July 1, 2010-June 30, 2011 (Anticipated); Year 3 - July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012 (Anticipated)

Grant Participants: Erich Frankland, Casper College; David Marcum, Court Merrigan, Eastern Wyoming College; Laramie County Community College; Roger Davidson, Northern Wyoming College; Steve Walker, Northwest College; Bruce Anderson, Western Wyoming College

The UW Global & Area Studies Program and seven Wyoming community colleges (Casper, Central, Western, LCCC, Northwest, Northern Wyoming) received a Department of Education grant in July 2009 for the purpose of expanding the internationally-focused curriculum at the Wyoming colleges. The primary goal of the grant is to increase the number of students graduating from Wyoming's post-secondary institutions with a strong background in international studies and substantial proficiency in a second language. The specific objectives are to:

• Strengthen the Wyoming colleges' capacity to offer internationally-focused courses, including developing new on-campus and distance/technology-delivered courses to be shared across the colleges, in order to create a uniform Associate Arts (A.A.) degree track for international studies, and encourage development of new international studies degree tracks where there are none;
• Increase study abroad/internship and second language opportunities for students enrolled in the Wyoming colleges, particularly language opportunities in critical language areas like Chinese;
• Work with Wyoming secondary education teachers to develop a state-wide Model United Nations (UN) program which will provide opportunities for secondary education students in Wyoming to increase their awareness of global issues.
• Develop a visiting scholars and speakers' series which will raise awareness of global issues among Wyoming college students and the state's general population.

Three committees will oversee the administration of grant funds help achieve the objectives:

Course Development Committee - Funding is available for summer salary, travel, graduate assistant help, and course materials to UW and Wyoming Community College faculty interested in developing new courses or revising existing courses. This committee encourages and reviews course development proposals and offers guidance to faculty interested in course development.

Scholars Lecture Series Committee - This committee is responsible for recruiting speakers who will generate interest in international issues and focus on areas of potential curriculum development.

Language Committee - This committee evaluates the current status of language instruction at the colleges to determine how grant resources can best be utilized to increase and improve existing language offerings.

Link to the Wyoming State Department of Education