The Storm Report, a newsletter produced by Nathanael Gough, Phil Tietjen and Dori Lloyd
April 7, 2022 | Issue 11

Suzanne LaVenture Publishes
Suzanne LaVenture
Suzanne LaVenture co-authored an article with Melissa Whatley this week in Wiley Online Library (pages 37-48, 30 March 2022). The article, Expanding access to international education: The case of North Carolina community colleges, contains the following abstract:

"The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of US community college international education programs along with specific examples that can be implemented at community colleges wishing to establish similar offerings. This article explores especially how community colleges incorporate international education into the fabric of their institutions, providing access to global opportunities to students and members of the communities they serve. We focus our analysis on recent survey data, collected from 42 of North Carolina's 58 community colleges. These data provide insight into how community colleges are expanding educational opportunities and providing access to the multiple populations that they serve. Key international opportunities offered to students at community colleges include on-campus international events, study abroad, internationalized curricula, North Carolina's Scholars of Global Distinction Program, and international student services. This article closes with specific recommendations for community college leaders aiming to establish or grow international programming on their campuses."

Congratulations, Suzanne!

Pet Pandemic Hero of the Week: Emily McKinney's Cat Bella
Bella
Bella the cat
"Bella was found almost 5 years ago here at DDCC weighing only 9 ounces and close to death. Now, she definitely rules our roost. William and I have a total of 5 cats and 1 dog. They are all rescues or shelter pets. Bella demands the water be turned on in the sink each time we go to the bathroom, has her own basket of bottle caps and "nurses" on my husband, William. He works here at DDCC and is the one who found her. She can be very loving, but will let you know at a moment's notice when she is "DONE"!

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If you would like to have your pet featured in the Storm Report, please send a photo and any text you want included to Nathanael_Gough@davidsondavie.edu.
LaQuoia Johnson Reflects on International Education Conference
Laquoia Jackson
LaQuoia Johnson is a faculty member in the Pharmacy Technology Program. She recently attended the Community College for International Development (CCID) Conference in early March. She shares her reflections on her engagement in this professional learning experience below.

Why are you interested in international education?
I've been interested in International education since I studied abroad my last year of college. Studying abroad in South Africa changed the entire trajectory of my life. I see the world and people in it differently than I would had I not had the experience of living in another country and being exposed to a culture so different than mine. International education opens a whole new world of possibilities for students, it fosters empathy and a growth mindset as they learn that we all share the same basic needs regardless of our location and/or culture.

Overall, how did the conference go for you? 
I thoroughly enjoyed the CCID conference. It was my first conference of this type as I am both new to academia and international education as a faculty member.

Did it change your perspective?
The experience solidified my perspective in that people who have studied abroad themselves have had life-altering experiences. Many of the faculty I met were passionate about international education because of their shared experience of studying and/or teaching abroad.

Did it challenge or excite you? 
I was challenged to widen my own experience and seek out a possible Fulbright Experience as a faculty member.

New Orleans always excites me because I grew up there. Well, I graduated from Xavier University actually, but when you leave your home state of NC at 17 to attend college in Louisiana, you have to grow up. But in all seriousness, I was excited when I left to continue to support the opportunities for other students to have similar experiences such as I had in college to either physically study abroad or at a minimum participate in a virtual exchange.

Did it surface questions that you want to explore further? 
The keynote speaker gave a great talk that left me with a lot of further questions to explore about the transformation and deep learning that occurs during an intercultural experience.

What small actionable ideas did you take away from the conference that you could implement tomorrow?
I will reach out to some of the faculty members I met for further conversations around the amazing programs they are involved in.

Are there any long term ideas that you are excited to develop and work on?
I'd love to co-host a study abroad experience at some point.

What great idea(s) were shared at the conference that inspired you to think outside the box (and could possibly inspire others)?
One community college is offering an Equity and Justice certificate program for their faculty members that has a project component. This work has made several improvements on the campus.

What collaborations or partnerships are you interested in pursuing in regards to international education?
I will continue to partner with IREX.
LaQuoia conversing with another CCID participant.
photos by Paul Campbell

International Night
International Night is Tonight, April 7 from 4:00-7:00pm in the courtyard! It's the first time it's ever been held outside and the first time it's ever been free. We encourage every DDCC employee to drop by for this amazing event. We have activities for kids and adults from face painting to a cake walk. And don't forget the belly dancers! Emceed by former Irish FLTA Jason Finnerty.

Share Your Thoughts!
Do your students do “Think-Pair-Share” activities in your class?
Frequently
Periodically
Never
I'm not familiar with that learning activity
Center for Teaching and Learning
Hello, Colleagues! Here are this week’s updates from the CTL.

It’s 2022 Summer Institute application time!
This is a reminder that Thursday, 14 April, is the deadline for applying to join the 2022 Summer Institute on Universal Design for Learning and Digital Accessibility. If you are interested in participating as an attendee or peer coach, apply through the 2022 Summer Institute Application form. Please submit your application on or before Thursday, April 14. Feel free to contact Gloria Johnson or Emily Dietrich with any questions.

CTL Lending Library Book Recommendation
One of the new books available in the CTL lending library is McKeachie’s Teaching Tips. This book has a little bit of everything for the college teacher. Need some advice on how to get students to participate in class? Want to try a new grading method? Interested in experiential learning? McKeachie’s Teaching Tips will give you the information you need to get started and provide resources for further investigation. The book is divided into short, quickly read sections and is formatted so that you can skip around, read what you need, and move on.
The CTL Library is located in Briggs Technology 225. You can check a book’s availability using the CTL Library Catalog. If you’re on the Davie campus and would like to borrow a book, feel free to make a request via email. We can send your library book through campus mail.  
Happy reading, everyone.  
2021 - 2022 CTL Advisory Board

At Large: Michael Liu (michael_liu@davidsondavie.edu) (FT), Arts, Science, Business, and Technology: Grant Jolliff (grant_jolliff@davidsondavie.edu) (FT), Aaron Prillaman (aaron_prillaman@davidsondavie.edu) (PT), Davie: Dee Edwards (dee_edwards@davidsondavie.edu) (FT), Katrena Wells (katrena_wells@davidsondavie.edu) (PT), Health Sciences: Datra Delk-Patrick (datra_delkpatrick@davidsondavie.edu) (FT), Teaching, Learning, and Global Engagement: Nathanael Gough (nathanael_gough@davidsondavie.edu) (FT), Faculty Chair: Gloria Johnson (gloria_johnson@davidsondavie.edu) (FT)
The First Women of Davidson-Davie Panel: Eileen Hammond Reflects
Eileen Hammond
I had the pleasure of presenting at first the Women of Davidson-Davie panel on March 23, along with Melissa Souther, Demetria Nickens, and Keisha Jones. This panel was the first of two virtual sessions hosted by the Equity Steering Committee in honor of Women’s History Month for the benefit of all students, staff, and faculty. One week after my presentation, the second panel featured LaQuoia Johnson, Julie Dillon, Jasmine Hargrave, and Laura Yarbrough. Each of us shared a bit of our personal stories – where we came from, what we’ve accomplished, and how we came to Davidson-Davie – and we each shared a tidbit of advice for other women in the audience.

I was selected to speak on this panel because I took a non-traditional path through academia that might resonate with our students. Before presenting, I would have called my path “unique,” but through this experience I learned that I have more in common with my colleagues than I previously knew. I earned my GED after failing my last semester of high school, spent 7 years working on my AA degree, then shot quickly through my BA and into a PhD program at UNC-Chapel Hill, which I left after 5 years and after earning my MA and passing the ABD milestone. I have prioritized and reprioritized my education many times over the years, sometimes because of factors out of my control, and sometimes to better align with my own values for my life.

My colleagues on the panel experienced many twists and turns in their journeys, as well. One thing that united all of our stories was the support it took from our families, mentors, and loved ones to get us to where we are now and to keep us moving forward. While it surely takes a ton of individual grit and perseverance to succeed in life, one big message I take away from learning about accomplished women in particular is that we are all woven into community with others, and we share in our successes with them.

From the Editors: Do You Have a Story to Share?
We are looking for faculty stories! We want to keep the focus of your newsletter on you, the faculty. Would you please help us find those stories? Here are the kinds of things we are looking for:

  1. Faculty who have globalized their courses.
  2. Faculty who are doing something creative in class
  3. Faculty who have received awards
  4. Faculty reporting out on what they got from their professional development (could be written, video, podcast, etc.)
  5. Faculty who have received a new degree
  6. Faculty who are retiring
  7. Faculty Division Chair / Program Director Bios
  8. Faculty sharing their experiences of teaching in an active learning classroom
  9. Faculty Senate initiatives
  10. Faculty who have led overseas trips with students

Please contact one of the editors if you have ideas or referrals for stories.

New and Improved TLG Website
Update
We are excited to share with you our new and improved TLG website! We hope that you will bookmark our site which includes great resources to support teaching and learning.

Visit our subpages to learn more about the program areas represented within our TLG team and how they can support you!


Newsletter Archives

Looking for a previously published article in The Storm Report? Access the archives to find an earlier Issue. Enjoy!

Teaching, Learning & Global Engagement