Dear Friends:
More than ever before, it’s important that we engage with diverse voices and collaborate with partners across Wisconsin and around the world.
While global connectedness is a cornerstone of our School of Education, over the past two years we have deepened our commitment, leading to the launch of a new Global Engagement Office (GEO) in September 2018, and naming faculty members Li-Ching Ho and Adam Nelson co-directors this past summer.
The GEO is a home for connecting faculty, staff, and students with resources, knowledge, and support to engage in and carry out globally focused initiatives across the arts, health, and education.
In this issue of Learning Connections, you can learn how we are reaching beyond campus to make connections, gain insight, and form partnerships.
A great example of this took place over the summer, when 16 UW–Madison students traveled to Colombia for a two-week study abroad course. Led by Educational Policy Studies faculty members Diana Rodríguez Gómez and Lesley Bartlett, this class deepened students’ understanding of the intersection between human rights, armed conflict, and education.
Of course, one can stay right here on campus to learn about diversity of perspectives or hear about a variety of experiences. During the fall 2019 semester, there were 25 international visiting scholars within the School of Education, while 291 international students were pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees within the School.
These connections allow us to learn with and from a range of people so we can better conceptualize and seek solutions to problems that we face right here in Wisconsin — as well as on the other side of the world.
No single issue of Learning Connections can highlight even a good percentage of the important work taking place across every unit and all 10 of our departments. But we hope this magazine gives you a sense of our efforts.
The remarkable support we receive from so many talented and engaged alumni and friends propels this work. We are grateful.
— Diana Hess