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Comprehensive Institutions
Park University (MO)
www.park.edu
Contents
General Institutional Overview
Established in 1875, Park University is an independent,
private institution, accredited by the North Central Association of
Colleges and Universities. Park
University’s flagship
campus is located on its historic site in Parkville, Missouri, high on the bluff above the scenic
Missouri River. Park University’s core values
are:
- Commitment to commonalities and differences.
- Commitment to community among all peoples of the world.
- Commitment to lifelong learning.
Park
University
currently enjoys a distinguished position in higher education as a
growing entrepreneurial institution, serving more than 28,000 students
at 42 campus centers in 21 states in addition to an extensive online
program. For many years, serving ethnically diverse student populations
and nontraditional adult learners has been central to Park’s
educational mission.
More than 60 percent of Park’s student population is active
military, military dependent, retired military, or Department of Defense
personnel. Aside from being repeatedly honored as one of the top-100
American colleges and universities in the nation graduating Hispanic and
African-American students, Park University was most recently
recognized for Institutional Excellence in Military Education by the
Commission on Military Education and Training.
Overview of
Internationalization Efforts
Internationalization is a vital part of Park University’s identity. In
2004–05, Park hosted 403 students from 98 countries. Park is also
home to 16 international faculty members, and boasts three Fulbright
scholars in the last four years. Many of Park’s administration,
faculty, staff, and students are demonstrating the importance of
internationalization by participating in the ACE Internationalization
Laboratory and Internationalization Task Force (ITF). ITF is charged
with leading a campus-wide discussion about internationalization and
using that information (contained in two reports) to produce an
internationalization action plan that supplements and supports
internationalization efforts spelled out in the strategic action
plan.
In January 2000, Park University established an Office
of International Education and Study Abroad, and in 2001 appointed a
faculty director for the office. The Office of International Education
and Study Abroad offers programs and services that educate Park University students about world
issues and events. The office is broken into five distinct areas, all
providing a unique view of international education. They are
Internationalization of Curriculum, International Students, Scholar and
Faculty Exchange, Study Abroad, and Community Outreach
Programs.
Study Abroad
Currently, Park has partnerships with Oregon
State Consortia, American
College of Thessaloniki (Greece), Denmark International Study
Program/University of Copenhagen,
Ming Chuan University (Taiwan),
and other foreign universities. These partnerships allow students to
study abroad for a semester or year in 28 programs throughout the world.
Park University also offers short-term, faculty-led
study abroad programs in Greece, Italy, Brazil,
and other countries.
One of Park University’s four
fundamental principles is service learning. Faculty and administration
have already begun planning and executing service learning projects and
classes in Brazil,
Costa Rica, and
Pacific Rim countries.
Faculty Research Abroad
Park faculty members have won three Fulbright Scholarships (Moldova,
Ukraine, and Benin) in the last three years and several have spent time
in other countries (Brazil, China, Morocco, Portugal, and Senegal)
conducting research or participating in conferences. The faculty
development fund supports these projects and encourages staff to report
on their experiences during faculty conferences, faculty meetings, and
brown bag lunches on campus.
Park
University is
forming a partnership with Pacific Resource for Educational Learning
(PREL) in 2005 that will serve as the bridge for the future. This
partnership will offer the university collateral through
PREL’s satellite coverage of Asia and the Pacific; assist PREL
staff in their distance learning; provide Park University credits for
teachers and others in the PREL region as they pursue credit, programs,
and certificates; and collaborate on institutes (for example, the
institute that Park held in 2005 and in previous years.)
Community Outreach Programs
Park University is proud of its cooperation between
local and foreign students through extracurricular programs, including
the Global Future, Youth World Trade Center Satellite, Coming to
America series, International
Classroom Partnership, and the Model United Nations.
In collaboration with the Kansas City World Trade Center, Global Future: Bridge Between
Students and the International Business Community was
created to provide an understanding of international business and
international business leadership skills through interaction with
international business leaders and class projects and discussions,
educational opportunities on business culture and the role of equality
in economic globalization, and networking opportunities for students. In
the past four years, Global Future has formed partnerships with seven
universities and colleges, including Johnson County Community
College, Rockhurst University, University of
Missouri–Kansas City, Benedictine College, William Jewell College, St.
Mary College, and the University of Kansas.
Youth World Trade Center (YWTC) is an organization dedicated
to the education of students and faculty on international culture and
business operations, and creating networking opportunities that can lead
to mutually beneficial relationships between students and the business
community. Established by the 2002–03 Global Future participants,
it offers graduates of the Global Future Program a lifetime
membership.
The Coming to
America Series features six different regions of the world:
Africa, Asia, South and Central America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe,
and the former Soviet Union.
Three times per semester, international students from one of these
regions present their home countries to an average audience of 30
people.
The International
Classroom Partnership is a group of Park University international students
who volunteer their time to speak to local elementary schools. This
program, run in connection with the International Relations Council,
provides elementary students with insight into the cultures, traditions,
languages, geography, and conditions of the international
students’ home countries.
The university’s Model United Nations Club was reintroduced in
October 2003 by George Belzer and Olga Ganzen. This club offers
students an excellent opportunity to learn more about how the
world’s nations act together to solve global problems and reduce
suffering around the world. By competing in model UN simulations against
teams from other colleges and universities from around the world, team
members gain valuable skills in large-group problem solving, decision
making, and consensus building. Park University Model United
Nations (MUN) is a one-year program for U.S.
students, international students, university faculty, and area high
school teachers and students. Fifteen local high schools have already
been selected for this program. The project takes place on the Park
University campus in Parkville, Missouri, and involves activities such
asa networking session and recruitment of high
school teachers; training for high school teachers and coordinators; an
information fair for teachers, coordinators, and students; a training
summit for high school students and Park University MUN members; school
visits by Park University international students; the Park University
Model United Nation Simulation; and a final retreat.
I. Vision and Goals for
Internationalization
In 2002, Park University began a strategic
planning process that resulted in a new mission and vision that
incorporates aspects of internationalization for all campuses:
- Vision Statement: Park University will be an
internationally recognized leader in providing excellent innovative
educational opportunities for learners in a global environment.
- MissionStatement:
Park
University’s
mission is to prepare learners to be literate, articulate, creative, and
critical thinkers who possess a lifelong commitment to learning and to
making a positive difference within their local and global
communities.
One important outcome of the strategic planning process was the
creation of a Global Education Taskforce. The taskforce, which includes
faculty, administration, staff, and community leaders, has defined a
vision and mission for international education and set the following
five goals:
- Continue internationalization of curriculum and faculty
development.
- Increase and improve study abroad and international exchanges.
- Attract higher numbers of international students, faculty, and
scholars.
- Create a strong outreach and extracurricular program in
international education under the Center for Global Cultures, Economics
and Understanding.
- Establish a strong foundation for future growth and development of
study abroad programs and international education.
II. Progress
Internationalization of Curriculum and Faculty Development
The Global Education Taskforce and International Education Committee
have defined and prioritized Park’s goals for international
education and continue to have institutional support for their efforts.
In addition to working to meet the five goals detailed above, they are
particularly interested in ensuring that traditional as well as
nontraditional students benefit from internationalization. Increasing
the number of majors and minors with an international focus will benefit
Park students worldwide as more and more courses are being offered
online. The university also launched the English as an International
Language program in fall 2003 and developed two new international majors
to be introduced by 2005.
Study Abroad
Park is working to increase dramatically both the number of students
who incorporate study abroad into their degree programs and the number
of faculty who seek international opportunities for teaching and
research. Park students can now choose from two international courses
taught abroad each summer by Park faculty and numerous study abroad
courses in foreign languages. Park is actively seeking scholarship
funding through national and private foundations to make study abroad
possible for more students and currently offers financial, sabbatical,
and flexible leave incentives for faculty to participate in the
Fulbright program.
Park University has partnered with Oregon State
University Consortia since 2003 to give students the opportunity
to study abroad for a semester or year in France, Germany, Mexico, Denmark, Japan, Korea, China, Thailand, or Ecuador.
Europe.
Park University has had a partnership with the
American
College of
Thessaloniki (ACT) since 2001. ACT was a program provider for
short-term, faculty-led trips to Greece
in the summers of 2001, 2002, and 2003. These trips were led by
professors of international business, theatre, history, and
communication.
Park University has had a partnership with
Denmark’s
International Study Abroad Program (DIS) in Copenhagen,
Demark, since 2003. This cooperation was developed to enhance
international student exchange of high academic quality. This
partnership allows for Park
University students to study in
Copenhagen for a semester or year-long
term.
In summer 2005, two faculty members from different disciplines (art
and history) and 16 students studied abroad in Italy
through Park’s partnership with the Center for Academic Programs
Abroad (CAPA).
Park University is forming a partnership with the
Istituzione di Alta Cultura in Lucca, Italy, to establish a
university cooperation to facilitate the exchange of students majoring
in music in 2005.
South America.
Park University has been developing a partnership
with Faculdade de BoaViagem (FBV) in Recife, Brazil, since 2003. The
university is in the process of forming additional agreements with FBV
after two visits to Brazil by Park professors
(Olga Ganzen, Michael Fitzmorris, Steven Youngblood, Sapna Gupta, and
Laura
Lane). The new agreements would allow
students to take courses in Brazil in the areas of social
sciences and education.
Pacific
RimCountries. Park University has been developing a partnership
with the Japanese American Society, People to People,
Japan, Nagaya University, Oregon State University Consortium, and
Association for International Practical Training (AIPT) since 2004, and
is currently forming a Global Education Program in Japanese Studies at
Park
University. The
four-year program will provide a broad understanding of the world and
America’s and
Japan’s place in the
global community. This program will allow students to participate in a
learning experience that emulates Language Across Curriculum programs.
Students will spend one to two years studying Japanese and their subject
of choice, one year or a semester studying abroad in Japan, and a final year at an internship
in Japan. Students who choose to
study under this program will gain specific knowledge of their own
culture as well as knowledge of the peoples, language, customs, and
cultures of Japan.
Park University is forming a partnership with
Ming Chuan University in 2005 that will allow students
the opportunity to attend Ming Chuan University’s International
College (IC). Ming Chuan University students will be
offered the opportunity to learn English in Park’s EIL (English as
an International Language) program for one semester or one year. The
partnership also will allow for faculty exchanges anywhere from three
weeks to one year. This agreement was made possible after two separate
trips to Taiwan by
Park
University’s
faculty and staff (Olga Ganzen, Michael Droge, Tom Peterman, and Carol
Getty).
International Students and Scholars
Park
University has a
total full-time enrollment of 997 students. Park’s 403
international students make up a significant portion of the
university’s home campus population. Students come into regular
contact with people from different countries and cultures in the
classrooms, extracurricular activities, and on-campus housing.
Park University also started the Visiting Global
Scholars Program by bringing Phillips
Kargopoulos from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in
Greece to teach a
summer semester in 2005 at Park University’s home
campus.
Outreach and Extracurricular Programming
Park re-established the Model United Nations club during fall 2003
and plans to expand its Global Future program to eventually offer it for
credit. The university also will develop an annual International Career
Fair and explore the concept of offering executive MBA and
bachelor’s degree training/internship programs on campus.
Financial Foundation
Because these internationalization principles are the foundation of
the university’s strategic action plan, they are being used to
guide virtually every major decision being made at Park University. For example,
internationalization is fast becoming a catalyst for the institutional
advancement staff. As plans and goals are being implemented, fund
raisers are shifting their focus to procuring financing for
international efforts.
ParkUniversity International Centerfor Civic
Engagement
The International
Center for Civic Engagement has
been established to advance the university’s global mission,
establish linkages with international efforts across campus, and provide
innovative educational opportunities for learners within the global
society, while establishing an outlet for channeling community outreach
efforts in the Kansas
City metropolitan area.
Placed within the Hauptmann School of Public Affairs (HSPA), the
center will build on the historic vision of HSPA to serve the common
good by graduating leaders who exercise authority responsibly, make
ethical decisions, act with moral courage, and advance human dignity
worldwide.
Global Studies Minor
Park
University has
recently established a Global Studies Minor, which is a
multidisciplinary program that adds an international and cross-cultural
emphasis to any student’s major course of study, and will provide
students with the increasingly essential knowledge of global issues and
cultures. The program provides students with opportunities to understand
and adopt the perspectives and values of people from different
countries. The program is structured to expose students to components of
international politics, business, and history. Students will work
closely with an adviser in developing and serving in an international
internship. This could range from working side by side with
international businesspeople, artists, or musicians from another
country; in an honorary consul general’s office; or with social
service agencies providing support to new immigrants.
Global Solutions Service Project
The American Council on Education (ACE) recently awarded a mini-grant
of $5,000 to Park University to use in the learning
partnerships among institutional members of the Internationalization
Collaborative for initiatives to promote internationalization and mutual
learning on the campus.
Park
University, along
with St. Mary’s University, Kapi’olani Community College,
and The University of Kansas, will conduct the Global Solutions Service
Project. This project will enhance internationalization efforts at all
participating universities, provide invaluable service-learning
opportunities for their students and faculty, and foster future
cooperation among participating students, faculty, and institutions.
Each university already has service-learning components, but some are
more developed than others. This grant will permit all four universities
and their students to work cooperatively, leverage their strengths, and
produce more meaningful, better-developed service-learning projects.
III. Successful Strategies
Internationalization efforts at Park University are built on solid
foundations. The university’s Exploration and Transformation
document sets guidelines and goals for a clear path in the
internationalization of its campuses and education.
The Office of International Education and Study Abroad has been
implementing its internationalization efforts by dividing the office
into five distinct areas: Internationalization of Curriculum,
International Students, Scholar and Faculty Exchange, Study Abroad, and
Community Outreach Programs. Park University has been able to
renovate extracurricular community outreach offered by the Office of
International Education and Study Abroad. Global Future and Model United
Nations were offered as two three-credit-hour, upper-division
undergraduate college classes for all majors. Park is introducing many
new majors and minors with international experiences abroad required,
such as the Japanese Studies and Greece Preview. Park University will offer freshman
students the opportunity to enroll in the Japanese Studies program and
to earn a minor in Japanese culture and language. Through the
Greece Preview, the university also will offer high school students a
look at college life in Greece so students can better
understand the importance of diversity on campus.
Park University has a very diverse portfolio of
options for its students and faculty to study and research in other
countries through agreements with foreign institutions and a consortium
with Oregon State University. These agreements allow
Park
University students
to study in more than 20 countries around the globe. Park designed its
study abroad programs so that all students can benefit from them,
whether through short, faculty-led programs abroad, long-term programs
abroad, or both. Park University agreements also allow
faculty to broaden their horizons through faculty exchanges.
Park
University outreach
programs help the university be visible as an international institution,
and involve international and American students in activities that
educate them and the community in general about world issues and unify
cultures.
IV. Future Plans
- Park will increase substantially the number of majors and minors
with an international focus, and the number of international courses
across disciplines. Park will be involved in interdisciplinary research
across international boundaries by sponsoring faculty exchanges and will
endow a chair for one visiting professor from overseas. Park will
provide four short-term faculty exchange programs by 2012.
- Park will be a leader in innovative delivery models in international
education, such as language across the curriculum, immersion in language
study, distance learning in global community with international faculty,
and so forth). Park will increase the number of majors and minors with
an international focus by two additional majors and two minors by 2008,
and another two additional majors and two minors by 2012.
- Park will develop at least one new partnership each year that will
expand the university’s study abroad and other international
programs. A language immersion study will be provided by 2006.
- Park will conduct annually a Global Solutions conference. The
conference is planned to promote multicultural, multinational awareness
in the resolution of global challenges.
- Park
University will
provide a strong English as an International Language program
(EIL).
Please direct questions about this page to:
Beth Burris, Program Associate
E-mail: beth_burris@ace.nche.edu
This page last updated on 5/12/2006
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