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Wilson College

http://www.wilson.edu/

Contents

General Institutional Overview

1. Vision and Goals for Internationalization
2. Progress
3. Successful Strategies
4. Future Plans

General Institutional Overview

http://www.wilson.edu/

Wilson College is an independent college, founded in 1869 and dedicated to the education of women, rigorous study in the liberal arts and sciences, and strong career preparation. Wilson is committed to the life of the mind and spirit, to environmental sustainability, and to preparing articulate, ethical leaders who will serve their communities and professions effectively in an increasingly complex, interdependent, and global world.

The college is distinguished by its supportive, diverse, and close-knit community and is guided by the Wilson Honor Principle that has held students, employees, and trustees to high standards of behavior since 1905, when it was established.

Affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), Wilson is located in Chambersburg, an historic and charming town in south-central Pennsylvania. Wilson's beautiful 300-acre campus is safe and secure and includes gracious lawns and rolling hills on the banks of the Conococheague Creek.

Its rich curriculum offers flexibility and challenge in a small-class environment. Wilson's approximately 800 students include women of all ages and adult men, with students representing nine states and 12 foreign countries. Wilson is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Wilson College is also known nationally and internationally for two distinctive programs: The Women with Children program and the Fulton Center for Sustainable Living. Wilson's Women with Children program was one of the first in the nation to provide on-campus, residential year-round housing to single mothers and their children so that mothers can pursue a bachelor's degree full time and enjoy the full support of campus residential services. The Richard Alsina Fulton Center for Sustainable Living is an endowed program dedicated to the sustainable use of natural resources and protection of the environment. The program promotes these principles through education, research, community outreach, and consultancy, using the resources of its 100-acre organic farm, environmental studies program, and the Robyn Van En Center, which serves as the National Center for Community-Supported Agriculture.

Wilson's small student to faculty ratio (10:1) fosters a personalized learning environment that stimulates individual growth and academic excellence. The college is privileged to be one of only 262 colleges in the United States with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter—the nation's premier honor society. Academic offerings include more than 40 areas of study in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences.

Overview of Internationalization Efforts

I. Vision and Goals for Internationalization

Wilson's mission statement directly speaks to the college's values and purposes, including global issues and diversity. In addition, Wilson College's strategic plan supports internationalization under the direction of its new president, Lorna Duphiney Edmundson. In 2002, Edmundson engaged two consultants, Madeleine Green of ACE and Rita Arthur, RSHM, of Fordham University, to assist in establishing strategic initiatives to internationalize the college's curriculum and co-curriculum; diversify its faculty, staff, and student body; strengthen and increase its partnerships abroad; and encourage its students to pursue cross-cultural exchanges. Wilson's 2002-07 Strategic Plan includes the following goals:

• Establish a President's Council for International Education.
• Expand the number of partnerships with institutions abroad from two to five.
• Bring in native speakers of French, Spanish, German, and Japanese to help with conversation sessions and cultural and social activities.
• Advertise the Korean exchange program to attract students who may want to go to Korea.
• Launch additional English as a Second Language summer programs.
• Add additional exchange programs.
• Develop and implement program enhancements in English as a Second Language and the Learning Resource Center.
• Establish a Multicultural Center/Language Lab.

These are ambitious but obtainable goals for the college over the next five years. In order to enhance its relationships with colleges abroad, Wilson College plans to strengthen existing ties, build new international connections, and expand awareness of Wilson's offerings. The college plans to increase international student enrollment from 26 in 2002-03 to 100 by 2007-08. If achieved, this 2007-08 projection will account for approximately 20 percent of full-time enrollment of the College for Women.

II. Overall Progress

Goal: Establish a President's Council for International Education.
The first meeting of the President's Council for Multicultural/Intercultural Education met in spring 2003, with members from all areas of the college represented. Current students discussed campus issues with staff, administrators, and faculty. The Council seemed to agree on the importance of internationalization and diversifying the campus. The Council is charged with drafting a comprehensive plan for internationalizing the campus and making it more welcoming to peoples of all cultures and backgrounds.

Goal: Expand the number of partnerships with institutions abroad from two to five.
In November 2002, President Edmundson traveled to Japan to introduce Wilson College to other women's colleges with which she had worked when she was a Fulbright Scholar in the early 1990s. She also met with the presidents of Ewha and Seoul Women's Universities in Korea, with which Wilson already had existing articulation agreements, in an effort to identify common objectives and expand the ways in which the colleges could collaborate. Ewha is the largest women's university in the world, with more than 20,000 students, and sends six exchange students to Wilson annually. Seoul Women's University also sends six exchange students per year, allowing Wilson to host a minimum of 12 Korean students each year. As a result of her meetings, discussion of a Visiting Artist program, faculty exchange, and more Wilson students studying in Korea are underway.

In 2002, President Edmundson and a trustee participated in the AMIDEAST Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco. As a result, Wilson is building on recruiting contacts in five Middle Eastern countries, has formed a partnership with Effat College in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and is one of a small number of colleges to be invited to send a faculty member to a three-week seminar in Jordan. In November, a high-ranking delegation—including the president and trustees from Effat College—visited Wilson, and the partnership was officially announced in a signing ceremony on campus. Edmundson, three Wilson Cabinet members, a trustee, and the international student adviser will accompany a Wilson student to Effat in February 2004, when the Wilson student will begin a semester of study at Effat—the first American student to do so. Wilson is also working on articulation agreements with institutions in Japan and Singapore and has made expanding overseas contacts a priority in the upcoming years.

Goal: Bring in native speakers of French, Spanish, German, and Japanese to help with conversation sessions and cultural and social activities.
Through a partnership with the now defunct organization Exchange: Japan, Wilson brought Japanese student-teachers to its campus. Although Exchange: Japan has closed its doors, Wilson's dedication to bringing native-speaking language teachers to campus has not ended. The new international/multicultural council discussed this issue at its inaugural meeting and plans to explore teacher exchanges are underway with Japan Women's University and Tokyo Women's Christian University, institutions with which Edmundson has worked for many years.

Goal: Advertise the Korean exchange program to attract students who may want to go to Korea, and add additional exchange programs.
Wilson College has in the past sent staff and students to Korea for summer programs, an opportunity that is open to all Wilson staff, faculty, administrators, and students. Participants return with an understanding of multiculturalism only available to those who have lived in another culture, even temporarily. The English as a Second Language coordinator/international student adviser also participated in the Bahrom International Program, the summer exchange program hosted by Seoul Women's University, where she had the opportunity to get to know all the incoming Korean exchange students, learn more about Wilson's partner institutions, and strengthen existing ties. Meanwhile, to gauge interest in study abroad, a study abroad survey was distributed to all Wilson students, and the responses are being compiled.

Wilson is now developing plans for a six-week summer exchange program to bring together Wilson College and Effat College (Saudi Arabia) students, possibly as early as summer 2004. Furthermore, in a recent all-campus forum, President Edmundson opened a discussion with faculty, administrators, and staff concerning study/teach abroad opportunities. As a result of this discussion, a survey was sent to all Wilson employees asking such questions as, "What can the college do to help [you spend time abroad]?" The renewed drive for study and work abroad opportunities is expanding exponentially, especially because all elements of the Wilson campus have been receptive—students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The college is taking advantage of this interest, not only by adding international partner institutions, but also through building relationships with local community colleges in order to extend the opportunity to nontraditional, adult, and international learners.

Goal: Launch additional English as a Second Language summer programs.
Besides efforts to internationalize the campus itself, it is important to consider the needs of the community. The recent development of noncredit English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to address the immediate needs of those learning English in the greater Cumberland Valley has helped alleviate a noticeable lack of programming for the local international/intercultural population in south-central Pennsylvania. Currently, basic classes are offered through the Chambersburg Literacy Council; however, many intermediate students have no advanced placement options. A second session, with a visiting instructor, was added in summer 2003. To ensure that all Wilson students interact with students from other countries, the college plans to build on the noncredit ESL program in the future and develop a strong Intensive English Program (IEP) for residential and commuting students.

Goal: Develop and implement program enhancements in English as a Second Language and the Learning Resource Center, and establish a Multicultural Center/Language Lab.
The Learning Resource Center and Language Labs are both open to all students. The current language learning support laboratory has been relocated to a large two-room suite in the center of campus. The college plans to provide a multicultural lounge that celebrates both a variety of cultures within and outside the United States and students of the languages spoken in these cultures. The lounge will include reference materials and non-English language newspapers, books, and television programs, as well as provide a casual meeting place for discussion groups.

III. Successful Strategies

ESL Enhancements
The English as a Second Language (ESL) program has undergone major revitalization. Last spring, the faculty approved changes to the ESL curriculum that better serve the needs of credit-seeking students. Students can choose from among three academic support classes, in addition to receiving individualized help from the ESL coordinator and the Learning Resource Center. Noncredit offerings, such as those previously described, have been a major asset to the Wilson community. Not only have they benefited the ESL noncredit students tremendously, but they also have piqued the interest of Wilson students. Several Wilson students have asked to observe or assist within the classroom. Through helping the ESL students, native-speaking students have found future career paths and a few have decided to pursue ESL teaching. All participants have learned more about other cultures and languages.

Recruitment and Retention
The Admissions Office and the ESL coordinator have formed an enrollment team that works with counselors at local community colleges to share programs, activities, and resources that enhance the experience of adult, part-time, and minority students in the region. Wilson has made great efforts through its admissions practices and exchange programs to diversify the student body so that it includes students from a number of countries. This offers an advantage to students, especially those from rural areas that are relatively sheltered from different cultures and people. In addition, international students are required to have American roommates their first semester, providing extensive opportunities for student interaction. The Conversation Exchange program also pairs international students with volunteer American students for casual conversation and fun. All participants go through an awareness-raising orientation. This program has been extremely successful, as students enjoy the opportunity to develop worldwide friendships. For their part, local families in the Chambersburg area participate in the Friendly Families program, which matches international students with families for a small taste of American home life.

Another program, the Business Education Initiative (BEI), is a selective exchange program with four universities in Northern Ireland through which students learn about international business practices and procedures. Wilson College also hosts two students from the Republic of Georgia and Ukraine through a Freedom Support Act grant administered through the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX).

Wilson currently has transfer articulation agreements with Harrisburg Area Community College, Hagerstown Community College, Central Penn College, Luzerne County Community College, Lehigh-Carbon Community College, and Harcum College. Students transferring to Wilson from these colleges are eligible for scholarships earmarked for partner institution students. Both traditional-age students and adult learners take advantage of these linking programs. Wilson also has begun collaborating with Penn State Mont Alto on conducting short-term study trips abroad.

Curriculum
Wilson College has a curriculum dedicated to a solid liberal arts education and maintains a strong belief that all students at Wilson should be exposed to, honor, and be educated about diversity. Current students take at least three courses in the general education curriculum that focus on international knowledge, attitudes, and skills: Non-Western Culture, Cultural Diversity in the United States, and Women's Studies. Furthermore, one week of the First-Year Seminar focuses on multicultural issues, with activities planned by the international student adviser, the multicultural adviser (who is a student), and the previous year's multicultural adviser. All residential students participate in multicultural nights sponsored by their resident assistant, in addition to a special simulation activity led by the international student adviser. These requirements demonstrate Wilson's strong conviction that all students should be knowledgeable about and accepting of diversity in many forms.

The college's official goals and objectives statement provides further examples of this commitment to diversity. For instance, the following learning goals are included:

• To promote understanding of ways in which social forces influence the development of knowledge, ideas, and experiences through the comparative exploration of beliefs and cultures.
• To consider how economic, political, and social factors influence U.S. culture and society, and how the United States influences other cultures and societies.

The goals and objectives, and the values contained in the college's mission statement, have shaped the curriculum. Goals for international learning embedded in requirements for all students in bachelor's degree programs include:

• Requirement of a foreign language (two semesters).
• Requirement of one course in non-Western culture. This course is selected from disciplines such as literature, fine arts, political science, economics, and sociology.
• Requirement of one course in foundations of Western culture that focuses on historical treatment of countries other than the United States.

Wilson College offers a major in international studies and has recently approved a minor in the subject, currently before the Board of Trustees. There is also very strong interest in supporting opportunities for groups of students to travel abroad with faculty. This year, faculty members have planned two separate summer trips for students to visit France and Spain. A number of exchanges between the college and institutions abroad have been approved, allowing students or faculty to go abroad to take courses or teach.

International conferences are another way that Wilson is internationalizing its activities. In June 2003, Wilson held an international conference addressing the issue of single mothers in higher education, drawing speakers and participants from six countries and many U.S. states. In March 2004, Wilson will host an international conference on sustainable living, drawing on its Fulton Center for Sustainable Living, which includes the Robyn Van En Center for Community-Supported Agriculture, which regularly draws visitors from as far away as Japan. Wilson also was featured in The Japan Agricultural Times in 2002.

IV. Future Plans

Recruitment
Wilson is refining its recruitment plan and will focus on opportunities around the world with students from all economic, language, and cultural backgrounds.

Partnerships
Wilson College would like to improve the quality of its existing partnerships, emphasizing the relationships with Effat College, Ewha University, Seoul Women's University, Japan Women's University, and Tokyo Christian Women's University.

Alumni Plans
Wilson is working to strengthen its connections with alumnae around the world and utilize its alumnae base to identify countries in which Wilson has no presence or its presence is limited.

Development of Noncredit Offerings
Wilson College recently added noncredit English as a Second Language and Spanish for the Workplace classes to its offerings and is cooperating with the Chambersburg Hispanic Center and local congressman's office to serve the community. These programs will serve as a building block for its intensive summer program in ESL and American culture.

The President's Council for International/Multicultural Education
The Council will continue to meet regularly, complete its strategic plan, evaluate progress, and suggest improvements. With members from all areas of campus, the Council has the unique ability to advise the president and the college as a whole.

Study Abroad
The ESL coordinator/international student adviser has begun an active campaign to increase student participation in study abroad.

Multicultural Center
Wilson is investigating possible grants to fund the new multicultural center and has plans for a curriculum review with an eye toward internationalizing.

Integrating Material on the Middle East into the Curriculum
The selection of a Wilson College faculty member as one of a small group of U.S. faculty to participate in a seminar in Jordan on public policy in the Middle East will give Wilson an additional resource for curriculum revision.

 Last updated: April 27, 2005