Message

From the Senior International Officer

Internationalizing VCU takes many forms.

Whether it’s an academic unit aiming to develop an innovative program that supports VCU’s global priorities, a faculty member looking to enrich their research and teaching through an expanded global network or a student seeking a real world engagement with other cultures either abroad or on campus, the Global Education Office is here to help! Regardless of how you choose to be involved, we welcome your participation in GEO’s mission to increase the global impact of VCU’s research, teaching and service and to expand our role on the world’s stage.

R. McKenna Brown, Ph.D.

Priorities

GEO advances VCU’s three global priorities:

• improve the recruitment and retention of international students and scholars
  


• increase the global engagement of VCU students and faculty
  
  
• expand VCU’s global footprint through our research, teaching and service especially as they impact global health

This year the Global Education Office advanced these goals in the following ways:

Recruitment & Retention

Recruit and retain international students and scholars.

Highlights:

• Supported VCU’s international community of more than 1,700 students, scholars and faculty representing more than 110 countries through International Student and Scholar Programs


• Enrolled a total of 548 new English language learners in our English Language Program


• Engaged 1,605 international and domestic students and community members through the Friendship Family and Cultural Exchange, Conversation Partners programs, and Global Café

Engagement

Increase the global engagement of VCU students and faculty.

Highlights:

• Helped more than 641 VCU students study abroad and provided  $200,000 in financial support for study and internships abroad

• Enrolled 273 new students in VCU Globe, the university’s global education living-learning program, exceeding projections by 15%

• Achieved 92% completion rate from VCU Globe inaugural class

Global Footprint

Expand VCU’s global footprint through our research, teaching and service.

Highlights:

• Awarded $225,000 in grants to academic units to develop international collaborations, global virtual classrooms, study abroad programs, host visiting scholars and support faculty development
  

• Received $1.1 million in external grants and contracts from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Congress and Partners of the Americas

• Provided direct support to 142 VCU faculty members