UNO, UNMC Faculty Get Global Engagement Grants

Three University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and two University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) faculty members were among the recipients of five faculty grants announced by the University of Nebraska in the fall 2019 competition for "Global Perspectives in the Curriculum" funding.

The grants are awarded to faculty from across the university who increase global perspectives in their on-campus courses and programs. Five faculty members from the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) also received awards.

More than 70% of NU students do not participate in a formal education abroad program, and it's important that they be exposed to global themes, regional histories and perspectives, foreign languages and literatures, and disciplinary insights from different regions of the world. This exposure helps students to develop a global mindset and the skills they need to contribute to a rapidly changing and globalizing world.

"Each of these awards reflect thoughtful and innovative ways to bring global perspectives into curriculum," said Jane Meza, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for global engagement at UNMC and UNO. "These are examples of initiatives we are implementing to achieve the University of Nebraska Strategy for Global Engagement to strengthen global engagement and build on a tradition of success with international activities to improve educational outcomes."

UNMC and UNO grantees in the fall 2019 funding cycle included:

• Kerry-Ann Escayg, Ph.D., in the UNO Department of Teacher Education was awarded $5,000 to revise TED 8260, "Advanced Curriculum in Early Childhood Education." The revised course will include assessment of non-European-Western curriculum models (such as Caribbean curricula guidelines) and analysis of how culturally relevant curriculum facilitates students' social and emotional development.

• Shelly Cooper, D.M.A., and Katrina Cox, Ph.D., in the UNO School of Music were awarded $3,500 to revise MUS 8686, "Pedagogy of Multicultural Music." The revised course will require students to interact with and learn from community members who have experience with different musical and cultural traditions and to perform music from six different continents. The University of Nebraska's Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost has held grant funding competitions since 2016 to encourage faculty to increase global perspectives in their courses. Since 2016, 17 awards have been made to faculty at all four University of Nebraska campuses.

• Nancy Krusen, Ph.D., and Shaun Horak in the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions were awarded $5,000 to develop a new course entitled "Introduction to Interprofessional Global Health." The new course is expected to be offered in spring 2021.

A second round of competitive grant awards in this area is anticipated during the 2020 spring semester. An RFA document will be posted in the announcement section of the University of Nebraska Global Engagement page and will be made available through each campus' Assistant/Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement in January 2020.