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Internationalization Collaborative
Liberal Arts Institutions
Kalamazoo College
Located in southwestern Michigan and established in 1833, Kalamazoo
College (a four-year, private liberal arts college, Carnegie
category IIB) is among the 100 oldest colleges and universities in the
United States of America. It has long been recognized as one of the
outstanding liberal arts colleges in the nation. The college is one of
only four institutions of higher learning in Michigan to earn an
entrance rating of "very difficult" in Peterson's Guide to Four-year
Colleges 2000.
Kalamazoo's 1,343 full-time students for the 2001–02 academic
year came from diverse backgrounds and many geographic areas of the
United States and abroad. Nearly all students live on campus, creating a
greater sense of community. Ninety-five percent of the college's 97
full-time faculty have doctorates or terminal degrees in their fields;
and with a student/faculty ratio of 13:1, students and their faculty
mentors are able to establish a rare intellectual camaraderie.
Fifty-five percent of the faculty and 57 percent of the college's
students are women, while 16 percent of the faculty and 9 percent of the
students belong to minority groups.
The Kalamazoo Plan (K-Plan) of experiential education is unique among
American colleges. In four years, students receive a broad exposure to
the liberal arts, sample a career, pursue an independent project, and
study abroad. During the past 36 years, 85 percent of Kalamazoo's
graduates have studied abroad. Kalamazoo is one of only 30 institutions
nationwide that belongs to both the International 50 and the Science
48. The college is also home to the only U.S. Department of
Education Title VI National Resource Center in Western European Studies
at a small liberal arts college. Kalamazoo College has a broad-based
curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree and offers 28
majors.
The Center for International Programs leads the college's
internationalization efforts through its management of the college's
study abroad program and the International Students and Scholars
program. Currently, Kalamazoo sponsors 28 programs in 15 countries on
six continents.
According to a recent Higher Education Data Sharing study, the
percentage of Kalamazoo College graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D.
places the college in the top 1 percent of the nation's colleges and
universities; the college is ranked ninth among private colleges and
14th when compared to all education institutions regardless of size or
type. Loren Pope notes in Looking Beyond the Ivy League,
"Kalamazoo is another gem which, if it were on the East Coast, would be
as selective as most any other college and a lot better than most of its
neighbors, whatever state it was in...Few colleges have as distinguished
a record of producing graduates who go on to get doctorates or achieve
mention in Who's Who."
To meet the changing needs of today's students and to prepare them
"to better understand, live successfully within, and provide enlightened
leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world" (to quote
the college's Mission Statement), Kalamazoo College continually revises
and introduces programs. Since the inception of the K-Plan in 1962, its
nationally recognized program in international and experiential
education has continued to build upon the philosophy that international
competence, knowledge, and cross-cultural understanding are absolutely
essential for the well-educated person.
Overview of Internationalization at Kalamazoo College
I. Vision and Goals for Internationalization
At Kalamazoo, internationalization is central to the college's
mission, academic and experiential activities, and desired outcomes for
its students. Internationalism is at the heart of the college's mission
to "prepare its graduates to better understand, live successfully
within, and provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and
increasingly complex world." The mission statement also specifies that a
Kalamazoo undergraduate education provides "opportunities for
experiential education in both domestic and international settings."
Internationalism figures prominently in the college's presentation of
itself in admissions and other materials and in communications to its
stakeholders.
In a recent letter to the college community, Dr. James F. Jones Jr.,
president of Kalamazoo College, wrote of the "farther journey" that
Kalamazoo students make in the course of their four years: "The
undergraduate experience at Kalamazoo College is indeed a farther
journey when compared to those offered at other colleges and
universities. The distance our students travel from matriculation to
graduation is simply greater, the transformation in their lives more
profound." In support of this farther journey, the college's upcoming
capital campaign, "Enlightened Leadership," includes a goal of
increasing the international programs endowment by $8 million. This will
support study abroad, international study and travel for faculty,
exchange of faculty and scholars with prestigious international colleges
and universities, and the inclusion of international students in all
aspects of academic and campus life.
Goals for Student Learning
The goal for student learning at Kalamazoo is whole person education
in a whole world context. The most concise statements of student
learning goals are found in the five outcomes (Lifelong Learning, Career
Readiness, Intercultural Understanding, Social Responsibility, and
Leadership) expressed in the curriculum and in the K-Plan. Following a
recent review of its international education programs and a
re-articulation of the skills and competencies the next generation of
global leaders will need, the college is moving its international
programs beyond the language and culture models developed in the early
1960s to embrace new paradigms that will allow students to develop the
cross-cultural analytical and communication skills they will need to
work with local people on local projects in a variety of local cultural
settings. These skills include:
- A broad-based understanding of the world and of one's place in that
world.
- Specific knowledge of one's own culture.
- Knowledge of peoples, customs, and cultures in one or more regions
of the world beyond one's home.
- The development of individual skills and facilities in:
- Interpersonal relations.
- Cross-cultural understanding.
- Leadership.
- Multi-perspective analysis of information and situations from a
variety of sources.
- Specialized knowledge in a particular discipline.
Over the past 44 years, Kalamazoo College has achieved these goals
through the on-campus curriculum, experiential programs (especially
study abroad, career development internships, and the Senior
Individualized Project), the international quality and character of its
faculty, and an emphasis on relationship building and mutually
beneficial international partnerships.
II. Progress
Along with the centrality of internationalism in its mission and
presentation is the college's practice of emphasizing the development of
mutually beneficial relationships with international partners. Over the
past four decades we have worked hard to build relationships that will
nurture and sustain the entire institution. Through these relationships,
we have been able to forge the curricular and interpersonal linkages
that unite us with our partner colleagues in a common educational
mission. Also vital to the internationalization of undergraduate
education is the ongoing support of all the college's stakeholders,
including the president and the vice presidents, the faculty and
administrators, trustees, coaches, grounds crew, residence hall staff,
parents, alumni, and friends.
To achieve our internationalization goals, we have employed a number
of strategies. These include: a nationally recognized study abroad
program in which more than 80 percent of the college's graduates have
participated; a strong effort to internationalize the curriculum;
programs to provide an international dimension to the experiential
education offered on campus; and programs to provide support to faculty,
administrators, and staff who wish to engage in international activities
related to their areas of responsibility.
Our progress in achieving these goals over the almost four decades
the K-Plan has been in existence has been extraordinary, but we must
guard against complacency. We have 40 years of enviable participation in
study abroad. We have a Title VI National Resource Center for Western
European Studies (the only such center at a primarily undergraduate
institution, http://www.kzoo.edu/regist/depts/cwes/). We have received
funding to establish a Luce Professorship in Global Technological
Innovation as well as for our new Freeman Center in Asian Studies. We
have included intercultural understanding and a "cultures requirement"
in our general education program requirements. The faculty at Kalamazoo
have active international interests, and the college's senior
administrators are champions of Kalamazoo's internationalization
effort.
But there is still work to be done. Participation in study abroad
does not in and of itself guarantee that an individual student has
achieved an acceptable level of intercultural competency. There are
still areas of the curriculum that need internationalization. We need to
increase the amount of support available to faculty, administrators, and
staff to pursue international projects. And there remains the often
daunting task of pulling all of these efforts together in a coherent
manner within the college's academic and experiential program.
III. Successful Strategies
Internationalizing the Curriculum
International themes and experiences are woven throughout the
various components of the K-Plan ("Foundations," "Explorations," and
"Connections"); they are found in the five "Outcomes" (Lifelong
Learning, Career Readiness, Social Responsibility, Intercultural
Understanding, and Leadership) and three highly experiential pieces:
Career Development Internship, Study Abroad, and Senior Individualized
Project. These activities and opportunities lead students to gain
competence in knowing, doing, and most important, synthesizing their
experiences and new-found knowledge.
The liberal arts education of a Kalamazoo College student begins with
the development and certification of foundation skills, which
include Proficiency in a Second Language as well as Written and Oral
Expression, Quantitative Reasoning, Information and Computer Literacy,
and Participation in Physical Education. Concurrent with the development
of foundation skills, students begin their exploration of the
various academic disciplines and co-curricular opportunities which
challenge, deepen, and extend their understanding of themselves and the
world they inhabit. In addition to satisfying the requirements for a
major and "Area of Study Requirements" in four broad disciplinary areas,
student must also satisfy a "Cultures Requirement." The Cultures
Requirement is meant to ensure that Kalamazoo students are open to and
grounded in the cultural complexity of the United States and the world
beyond.
Highlighting the students' exploration of the liberal arts at
Kalamazoo College are the college's premiere experiential learning
opportunities: the Career Development Internship and the Study Abroad
program. These experiential opportunities allow students to apply the
knowledge gained in the classroom to real-life situations and then to
return to the classroom able to use their experiences as guides for
further learning. In the semester and academic year study abroad program
sponsored by the college, Kalamazoo students are required to complete an
Integrative Cultural Research Project (ICRP) which gives them an
intensive experience of working with local communities on local
projects.
Making conscious connections among the various academic
components of the K-Plan as well as between academic and experiential
learning opportunities is the third major element of a Kalamazoo
education. The process of making connections is facilitated by the
"Liberal Arts Colloquium" series which students attend throughout their
four years and which often have an international focus. The
"Experiential College" which is currently being developed will offer
students increased structured opportunities to reflect on their time
abroad and to integrate their experiences into their academic programs.
The "Senior Individualized Project" provides Kalamazoo seniors a
capstone experience of an in-depth personal and intellectual exploration
of a particular interest. Finally, the "Kalamazoo Portfolio" serves as a
student's personal record of his or her academic progress through the
foundations, explorations, and connections of the K-Plan and provides a
critical opportunity for reflecting on the connections between the
seemingly disparate parts of the experiential and academic paths at the
college.
The awareness that there are many ways to experience and organize the
world and that no single cultural frame of reference is necessarily
privileged or superior (Intercultural Understanding) requires a thorough
grounding in the foundations, much exploration, and considerable
connective reflection. Likewise, the development of Social
Responsibility must be nurtured through many opportunities to explore
various service roles and social commitments both at home and abroad.
Students then must be guided through the reflective process as they
develop their personal ethical value system and a growing awareness of
their individual relationship to the larger community and the common
good within a global context. Finally, the Kalamazoo undergraduate
experience provides the basis for the highest outcome of any liberal
education: "enlightened Leadership of a richly diverse and increasingly
complex world."
Internationalization of the core curriculum extends to co-curricular
activities and programs at the college. International themes are
showcased and celebrated in events such as area studies weeks held
throughout the academic year (Africa Week, Asia Week, International
Week); international "living and learning centers" such as the Asia
House; lectures in the College's Liberal Arts Colloquium Series by
international speakers and on international topics; cultural events with
an international focus; a regular European and international film
series; and the Bach music festival. The CIP sponsors a number of
activities for students returning from abroad as well as campus
international students and teaching assistants, including the Spotlight
series that highlights various countries, regions, and international
issues.
In addition to the strength of European Studies in the curriculum,
the college's affiliations with universities in sub-Saharan Africa,
which extend to the early 1960s, are also evident in course offerings,
faculty research, and co-curricular programs. Asian Studies has seen
growth with the addition of an endowed chair and a grant from the
Freeman foundation to establish the Freeman Center for Asian Studies.
Latin American studies likewise is growing in response to faculty
interest and increases in both the number of students studying Spanish
and the number of study abroad opportunities available to Kalamazoo
students in Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America.
All students are required to fulfill a cultures requirement for
graduation and can satisfy this requirement with three courses chosen
from specially designated regular curriculum offerings (only one of
which can focus on the United States). The college offers courses in
five modern languages (Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish)
and two classical languages (Latin and Greek). Majors and minors are
offered in French, German, and Spanish; minors are offered in Chinese
and Japanese; and a major and minor are offered in Classical
Studies.
The Study Abroad Program
The most exemplary aspect of the international
experience at Kalamazoo College is its long-standing and
comprehensive Study Abroad program. Study abroad at Kalamazoo began in
summer 1958 with several non-credit language programs in France,
Germany, and Spain. With the adoption of the K-Plan in 1962, study
abroad became an integral part of the curriculum. Although study abroad
is not required, the overall participation rate of more than 80 percent
of all graduates since 1963 shows both the popularity and centrality of
study abroad to a Kalamazoo liberal education. For the 2001-02 academic
year, the Center for International Programs (CIP) anticipated that it
would offer 50 programs in 28 countries pre-approved for transfer of
academic credit. Most also allow for full transfer of Kalamazoo
financial assistance and merit scholarships. Of these study abroad
programs, 26 are directly sponsored by the college through the CIP. A
Kalamazoo program is one in which the CIP has a direct managerial role,
either by collaborating with the local partner institution in curriculum
or by designating a staff member at the partner institution to serve as
the college's in-country representative and resident director. When
considering which areas of the world and which countries should be the
focus for the development of programs, the CIP gives specific preference
to those that further the college's commitment to programs in the
developing world; have a clear relationship to the on-campus curriculum;
provide for instruction in the local language; provide academic and
experiential opportunities appropriate to the liberal arts mission of
the college; are mutually beneficial; can be operated within the current
budget and staff framework of the CIP; and offer reasonable assurance of
the participant's health, safety, and security, provided they behave
reasonably.
The center prides itself on the careful advising of students prior to
application. Last year, the center was able to place 90 percent of
applicants in their first program choice. Before departure, students are
required to attend a series of hour-long orientation sessions that cover
issues ranging from health and safety concerns to academics and home
stays. A special session on intercultural understanding and a session
with returnee students from the various programs round out the
orientation. At the end of the students' time abroad, academic
departments are furnished with lists of their returning majors and the
programs they've attended. At the reentry dinner, students are given an
opportunity to volunteer for a number of activities through which they
can share their experiences abroad with others. The center is especially
proud of Passage, a study abroad magazine written, edited, and produced
by returnee students. This magazine is distributed on campus as well as
to alumni, trustees, and friends of the college. The professional staff
in the CIP are assisted by a cadre of Peer Advisers, senior students who
have participated in study abroad through the college, have been
selected and trained by the CIP staff, and who agree to serve in the CIP
for ten hours per week during their final academic year. The Study
Abroad experience, though pivotal in the students' international
education, is grounded in and builds upon a curriculum strong in
international course offerings, as well as the support and contributions
of a faculty dedicated to internationalization of the undergraduate
experience.
Internationalization of the Kalamazoo College Faculty,
Administrators, and Staff
Also key to the successful internationalization of the undergraduate
experience at Kalamazoo College is the internationalization of the
pillars of the institution: the faculty. As important as the students'
educational experiences abroad are, and as rich as the international
content of the curriculum is, without the engagement of a dedicated
faculty with a broad range of personal and professional international
experiences, training, and research interests, no institution can
consider itself truly international. At Kalamazoo College, 95 percent of
the teaching faculty have the appropriate terminal degree for their
disciplines. Roughly 13 percent of the faculty have pursued graduate
study at a university outside the United States, and some 10 percent are
themselves international. During the 2000-01 academic year, the
college's faculty development program funded six faculty members to
attend foreign conferences or to conduct independent research abroad.
Kalamazoo faculty and administrators have held or currently hold
leadership positions in such internationally focused organizations as
NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the Canadian Studies
Association. Faculty members are encouraged to conduct research and
publish on international topics, and such activities are considered in
tenure and promotion decisions.
The work of the faculty in the international arena has been supported
by recent grants, among them a grant from the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department (Colleges and Universities
Partnership Program with Africa University, Zimbabwe 1999-03, $118,000);
a three-year renewal of funding from the Department of Education Title
VI grant for a National Resource Center in Western European Studies; a
grant from the Henry R. Luce Foundation for a Professorship in Global
Technological Innovation (2000, $150,000); and a FIPSE grant to organize
an international collaboration among students from colleges and
universities in the United States and the European Community to study
the scientific and cultural aspects of the bicycle. In May 2000, the
College received a $5 million grant from the Arcus Foundation to
increase the endowment for the college's international programs, raising
the total in that endowment to more than $13 million. Finally, the
Freeman Foundation awarded its grant in December 2001 to support Asian
Studies and to establish a Center for Asian Studies at the college.
Because faculty support is critical to the success of the Study
Abroad program, the CIP works hard to maintain cordial and collaborative
relationships with the various academic departments. Faculty and
departments are regularly consulted and asked to collaborate in the
development of new programs and opportunities abroad. A program of
Faculty Study Abroad Grants administered and funded by the CIP has
allowed more than 20 faculty members to visit programs abroad over the
past six years. A faculty-student International Programs Advisory
Committee meets with senior CIP administrators throughout the year to
review current and future programs and to offer advice on pressing
issues. Recent committee initiatives have included recording study
abroad grades on student transcripts (a proposal adopted by the faculty
for the 2000–01 academic year) and the development of faculty-led
international study seminars during vacation periods (approved by the
faculty in fall 2000). CIP staff regularly visit each department, and
the director of the CIP is a member of the provost's academic council
(which includes the chairs of the five academic divisions). In January
2002, the provost established an "International Council" for the
college. Chaired by the Associate Provost for International Programs,
the International Council is charged with coordinating the college's
international and internationalization efforts.
IV. Future Plans
Certainly we will continue with the activities already underway.
Foremost among our priorities is ensuring the presence of sufficient
resources to support the college's international activities and
programs. The expansion and revision of Study Abroad programs to meet
changing student and departmental priorities remains paramount, as does
the development of articulated international master's degree programs
and international 3/2 engineering programs with overseas partners. The
Educational Policies Committee is currently considering an initiative of
the provost to establish an "experiential college" which will serve as a
forum and speaker's bureau for students returning to campus from study
abroad as well as from other off-campus experiential opportunities.
Under the aegis of the college's newly constituted Center for
Experiential Education (CEE), which houses both the Center for
International Programs and the Career Development Center, we have been
working to expand the internationalization of internships and Senior
Individualized Projects. Students wishing to pursue senior projects
abroad can apply to the CIP for funding to support their travel and
living expenses. Like the Study Abroad program, Career Development
internships have been a regular part of the K-Plan of liberal education
since 1962. While students often have done internships abroad or have
worked for international corporations in the United States, newly
endowed funds will provide more regular support. The CEE also has been
working with the college's Education Department to develop student
teaching internships in collaboration with international partners.
Through its upcoming capital campaign, the college is committed to
increasing the endowment for international programs in order to ensure
the continued availability of study abroad to all Kalamazoo College
students regardless of their financial circumstances.
In all of the international efforts of the college, care will
continue to be taken to strengthen the linkages between off-campus
programs and the on-campus curriculum. Internationalization is not a
separate program at Kalamazoo; it is the central mission of the college
as we educate new generations of enlightened leaders for this richly
diverse and increasingly complex world.
*Please contact the institution directly if you have
questions about their institutional programs.
Please direct questions about this page to:
beth_burris@ace.nche.edu |
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This page last updated on:
6/19/2006
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