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Going global without leaving the walls of a UD classroom might sound unlikely, but it is exactly what a few UD faculty members are making possible for their students. 

In past years the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Fellows Program and the Global Education Seminar (GES) program have been institutional commitments to support faculty to advance internationalization on campus. 

In COIL, UD faculty dedicate a semester to working with a faculty member at an institution abroad, to design a project-based curriculum for their students to work collaboratively on in an online environment. Although COIL projects are integrated into a portion of the semester, they still create meaningful experiences for everyone. For faculty, projects help build an international network. For students, they gain practical, real world experience working with people from a different country, culture and perspective. The Fellows programs help to prepare UD faculty to successfully build understanding about COIL design and implement into their courses.

Congratulations to our 2024 COIL Fellows faculty cohort who are committing the next year to advancing COIL efforts here on campus.

Corinne Brion (educational administration)

Autumn Lockwood Payton (political science)

Satang Nabaneh (Human Rights Center, School of Law)

Phu H. Phung (computer science)

Cassandra Secrease (communication)

Stephanie Sweet (communication)

As these faculty embark on their COIL projects, the Global Education Seminar group is wrapping up their seminar experience before embarking on a two-week immersive trip to South Africa. The Global Education Seminar program has been at UD for over a decade and is committed to exploring regions underrepresented in UD’s curriculum and align with university priorities for advancing internationalization.

 Faculty often bring back perspectives that help shape and expand their courses, spark new scholarly projects, and foster international collaborations.

This year’s group includes:

Sharon Bommer (engineering management, systems, and technology)

Corinne Brion (educational administration)

Simanti Dasgupta (sociology, anthropology and social work)

Haimanti Roy (history)

Kelly Vibber (communication)

Julius Amin (history) (Faculty Facilitator)

While these programs take different approaches, they contribute to fostering internationalization on campus. COIL Fellows program prepares faculty for a virtual approach with hands-on interaction from students, whereas GES provides a hands-on experience for faculty members, translating into global and intercultural learning for their students as faculty integrate newfound knowledge into their classes. 

Nonetheless, both programs are made possible by individuals who recognize the value of community-based global learning and are dedicated to expanding opportunities on campus. Ultimately, these initiatives empower faculty members to help their students take flight without leaving the walls of UD.

To learn more about COIL and the Global Education Seminar, visit udayton.edu/international.