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Expand local to global learning

The Office of International Education and Global Initiatives, in Old Champlain, administers education abroad and international exchange programs and supports the University’s internationalization efforts.
The Office of International Education and Global Initiatives, in Old Champlain, administers education abroad and international exchange programs and supports the University’s internationalization efforts. Image Credit: Jonathan Cohen.

is home to partnerships with some of the best universities in other countries; faculty leading student groups for hands-on experiences in a variety of destinations; and courses emphasizing global issues, language learning and intercultural relationships.

A new Global Impact Experiential Grant will expand these opportunities and ’s comprehensive approach to internationalizing the educational experience.

Katharine Krebs signs documents Oct. 12 in the Old Champlain Atrium, establishing the new Global Impact Experiential Grant.
Katharine Krebs signs documents Oct. 12 in the Old Champlain Atrium, establishing the new Global Impact Experiential Grant.
Katharine Krebs, who retired in 2015 as vice provost for international affairs after more than two decades with the University, made a generous commitment through her estate to establish the grant. Her support extends her dedication to advancing global engagement and will make it possible for students to undertake high-impact learning with a global, international or intercultural (GII) focus.

The cost of travel, research materials, lost wages and living expenses can be prohibitive for students seeking GII experiences. Opportunities for the grant recipients, designated Global Impact Scholars, could include education abroad as well as internships, civic engagement experiences and research projects, in the United States or overseas.

“We face daunting challenges related to public health, war and climate, for example,” Krebs said. “Whether each of us operates in a local, national or international context, these kinds of problems have cultural dimensions as different individuals and different societies frame the issues from their perspectives. … But intercultural work takes experience and practice. The high-impact learning opportunities are excellent opportunities for such practice.”

It is one thing to learn about another country’s peoples, places, cultures and histories, but it is extraordinary to become immersed in them. Generous donor contributions like Katharine’s enable our students to transform theories and concepts they learn in the classroom to life-altering memories.

— Trisha Bello, assistant provost for international education and global affairs at