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.