The School of World Studies nurtures strong links to its surrounding communities that enrich our research, teaching and service missions. Faculty contribute their professional expertise to a variety of endeavors, and students bridge the classroom to community through experiential learning.
In the School of World Studies, we are constantly engaging with our communities through special events, training programs, and other community projects and initiatives that touch on global and educational issues.
Pictured right, Dr. Tatyana Thweatt leads a workshop on cultural competence at the Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross. |
 Dr. Tatyana Thweatt leads a workshop on cultural competence. |
Events
Events such as the Crossing Boundaries lecture series, the French Film Festival, the Arabic Film Festival, the Human Rights Film Series, and the Grace Street Festival provide a unique stage for interaction between the School of World Studies and our surrounding communities.
Another event co-sponsored by the School of World Studies, the Life Sciences and Religion Community Forum of Central Virginia, provides a structured forum for citizens to educate themselves through dialogue about science and religion.
K-12
Dr. Kathy Murphy-Judy coordinates FLEX, the Foreign Language Educators' Exchange, a regional network of K-12 language teachers that enables information and resource sharing. VCU students preparing for language teaching careers participate in this program and gain valuable experience in the field. The New Communities Internship, an iniative coordinated by Irayda Ruiz, is one of our many internship opportunities available to World Studies Students. It combines training in global and educational issues with direct experience involving instructional assistance to ESL students in nearby public schools.
In addition, hundreds of high school students from across the state of Virginia study at VCU each summer in the highly successful Virginia Governor's Foreign Language Academies program.
Dr. Mark Wood initiated Community Gardens, a collaboration with the Office of Community Programs, the African-American Studies Department, and the Richmond Boys and Girls Club, that involves VCU students with local youths in an educational program for healthy living.
Professional Development
Through our Office for Language and Cultural Competence (OLCC) World Studies faculty experts provide timely, targeted and relevant training in language, culture and religion in a variety of settings and formats designed to meet specific needs. Whether it’s a 2–hour workshop or a 15–week course, your organization will benefit from professional training in:
• Cultural Competence
• Global/Area Studies
• Language Instruction
• Religious Diversity
• Translation & Interpreting
The Interpreter Training Program conducted by Refugee and Immigration Services is supported by the World Studies Media Center through an on-line screening for applicants. The interpreter training is designed for bilingual individuals who work for health care organizations and uses the Bridging the Gap curriculum under license to its originator, the Cross Cultural Health Care Program, Seattle, WA.
The School of World Studies helps bridge the language and cultural barriers to health care access through courses in Spanish for Health Services on the Medical Center campus, partly through collaboration with a grant-funded project in the VCU School of Nursing.
The Summer Language Immersion Program is a special summer language immersion program directed by Patricia Cummins for teachers of French, German and Spanish withinstruction in the target language both inside and outside the classroom.
The Inaugural Central Virginia Latino Health Summit: Latino Cultures & Beliefs in Health Care was held November 16-17, 2006. Sponsored by the VCU Center on Health Disparities and the School of World Studies, this conference provided the knowledge and skills needed to address the health care needs of the Latino populations in the Central Virginia Region: Hands on skill-building, tools for providers and support staff, networking opportunities, learned from local and national experts in the delivery of culturally-relevant health care services to Latino populations. For more information, see the flier.
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