Dimeji Togunde, Ph.D., associate provost for global education and professor of international studies at Spelman, has joined the Diversity Abroad Network Advisory Council.
In his role at Spelman, Dr. Togunde oversees global travel programs and their assessment, international student services, internationalization of the curriculum, and building strategic partnership agreements to enhance faculty and student research. Under his leadership, Spelman’s study abroad participants have increased from less than 100 in 2010 to 402 in 2016, and 22 internationally focused courses have been added to the curriculum during the past six years. A record-breaking 277 students traveled to 18 countries during summer 2016.
The success of Spelman’s global education has been recognized in the 2016 Open Doors report by the Institute of International Education, showing Spelman ranked 29th among the top 40 baccalaureate institutions leading in study abroad in the United States.
“As a champion of international education, I am honored to be invited to the Diversity Abroad Advisory Council,” said Dr. Togunde.
“Supporting the mission of Diversity Abroad by offering strategies that would break barriers in order to increase study abroad among minorities, a group that is underrepresented in study abroad, is critical to my role on the Council.”
Five Reasons Spelman Excels in Study Abroad
- The College is committed to breaking down the barrier of cost by financially supporting students with study abroad scholarships drawn mostly from the proceeds of a $17 million endowment for international initiatives.
- There is a strong infrastructure in place to coordinate all of the elements of the program due to the support of the College’s senior administration.
- The Center has forged mutually beneficial relationships with international partners, including the Council on International Educational Exchange, to help reduce costs and support the infrastructure of the program.
- The College incorporated a goal in its 2010-2017 Strategic Plan to provide an opportunity for every student to have an international travel experience, which supports Spelman’s Quality Enhancement Plan, a centerpiece of the College’s reaccreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
- There is a high level of faculty engagement in integrating study abroad into course materials, fueling growth of faculty-led programs. As a result, 22 study-travel programs have been created through collaboration between faculty members and the Center over the past five years.
Read more about why Spelman excels at study abroad.