In 1999, David Shulenburger, provost and executive vice chancellor, challenged the Kansas University staff to create more international educational opportunities for undergraduate students.

Hodgie Bricke, assistant dean of international programs, believes the new Global Awareness Program this fall answers that challenge.

“This program gives all students, regardless of their major, a chance to gain international experience without leaving the United States,” Bricke said.

In 2000 a committee was assigned to evaluate and research other schools and global proficiency programs to create criteria for an international experience certification program. The committee came up with criteria that used KU’s existing resources in classes and activities. Undergraduate students that complete the program will have their international experience included on their official KU transcript.

Bricke served as chairwoman of the committee responsible for developing the program.

Other institutions already developed similar programs. Bricke said Boston College was one of the pioneering schools in global proficiency but its program was more exclusive rather than inclusive.

“The Global Awareness program was designed to serve the student,” Bricke said. “We are looking to certify 1,000 students, not 100.”

The committee then created guidelines for completing the program. To complete certification students must fulfill two of three components: international experience, academic and cocurricular.

The international experience component includes participating in a study-abroad program or other program outside the United States. The academic component includes completing a year of foreign language study and taking three courses with “a significant modern international focus.” The cocurricular activities component requires students to be involved in at least 60 “units” of cocurricular activities, including service activities or attending lectures that relate to international issues.

Currently enrolled students that participated in study-abroad experiences, course work and some volunteer and co-curricular activities can send a petition to the program to include these past activities in their quest for certification.

Jane Irungu, Global Awareness Program coordinator, hopes this will encourage juniors and seniors as well as incoming freshmen to take advantage of the program.

“Students have been asking questions about requirements and are showing a lot of interest in the program,” Irungu said.

Irungu, who came to KU in 1997 from Kenya, teaches Swahili and is working toward a master’s degree.

“The World Wide Web is bringing people together,” Irungu said. “The world has become like a large village; we have to start thinking global. Diversity in workplaces is common and employers in today’s job market are looking for employees with international experience.”

KU’s resources, programs and clubs are ways students can fulfill the requirements necessary for certification.

From the Africana Club to the Vietnamese Student Assn., all of KU’s clubs and organizations provide another way to get international experience without studying abroad.

“KU has a wealth of international related activities to participate in; these clubs and organizations are a great way to meet people and learn new cultures,” Irungu said.

– Kansas University journalism student Mike Mostaffa can be reached at 832-7254.