2024 MCCIEC Conference Proceedings
Maryland Community College International Education Consortium (MCCIEC) 2024 Conference
Belize | January 4-9Conference Digest | Abstracts
Rebekah de Wit
Director, Global Education
Community College of Baltimore County
rdewit@ccbcmd.edu
Robin Minor
Director, Center for Professional & Organizational Learning
Community College of Baltimore County
rminor@ccbcmd.edu
At the turn of the new year, the Maryland Community College International Education Consortium (MCCIEC) offered its first international conference since 2020 for faculty and staff members across the state in Belize. MCCIEC is open to all Maryland community colleges with an interest in international education and seeks to be inclusive across disciplines. The 2024 conference location was on-site in Belize and the theme was Fostering Sustainable Partnerships, reflecting an interdisciplinary focus on environmental, social, and public health matters. Another key goal of this (and all MCCIEC conferences) is creating and fostering lasting relationships among Maryland community colleges as well as with institutions, organizations, and individuals in conference host countries such as Belize.
One topic that conference sessions explored in depth involved the decades-long connection the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) and the University of Belize at Belmopan, as well as a new relationship that MCCIEC has formed with the Center for Engaged Learning Abroad (CELA) in Belize. Sessions by Ann MacLellan and Marguerite Falcon highlighted student programs that CCBC organized to Belize in the early 2000s to promote literacy. Azar Etesamypour-King and Melissa Chambers explored CCBC's virtual collaboration in instruction with the University of Belize and with other university partners around the world. Peggy Hlibok, an Interpreter Preparation faculty member at CCBC, visited a local school for deaf children in Cayo State during the conference and presented on the feasibility of developing partnerships with it and other similar schools in Belize to support their educational goals while enhancing the teaching and learning experiences of Maryland students and educators. Other core sessions were led by faculty members Kathy Brooks and Shemica Sheppard from Frederick Community College, who have done excellent work curating a study abroad program in Ghana set to run in January 2025, and Jennifer Haydel, a department chair from Montgomery College, who highlighted globalized projects she has infused into learning communities and her individual political science courses.
The conference’s academic sessions were enhanced by on-site experiences over the course of several days in the vicinity of San Ignacio, Belize. The city’s western location in Belize has a rich history as a Mayan site and its tropical forest environment is home to several conservation centers. Tours of the Xunantunich archaeological site, Belize Botanic Gardens, and Belize Zoo added context while giving participants insights into opportunities available for learning experiences on future student programs to Belize and logistical strategies required for successful group travel. Additional experiences that showcased Belizean preservation of cultural heritage included several musical heritage sessions starting even on the arrival day with a lecture and drum presentation by a local group who seek to maintain the local Maroon Creole culture, and a marimba performance by another local ensemble.
The conference abstracts below reflect the event’s valuable academic presentations and the ongoing efforts of Maryland community college faculty and staff to foster positive student learning outcomes through global education. MCCIEC thanks all of the presenters for sharing their expertise at the conference and in this publication, as well as the leadership of TALES for facilitating this publication. We hope you will find the proceedings to provide insight into the work Maryland faculty and staff are doing in international education and will consider incorporating global aspects in your own courses and co-curricular initiatives. You should also plan to join us for MCCIEC’s 2025 conference, which will no doubt be another engaging and inspiring opportunity for faculty and staff to learn about global education firsthand. We hope to see you there!
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Abstracts
Friday, January 5, 2024
Pathologies of the Human Body Systems in Other Countries
Ewa Gorski
Professor of Biology
Community College of Baltimore County
egorski@ccbcmd.edu
In this session the presenter shared a new approach to improve students’ awareness of health problems and issues that cut across national boundaries. In this approach students complete a group project based on discussing pathologies unique to countries outside the US. In this assignment, the students apply their knowledge of anatomy and physiology and explain how environmental, socio-economic, religious, and cultural issues relate to the pathologies’ occurrence. A critical part of this project includes group discussion about ways to resolve health problems in the chosen countries.
The Unique History of Enslavement in Belize
Michelle Diane Wright
Associate Professor of History and Africana Studies
Community College of Baltimore County
mwright3@ccbcmd.edu
Belize is unique with regards to the history of enslavement in the region as it is the only Central American country that was ultimately colonized by England rather than Spain. Although originally forbidden by treaty, enslavement existed in Belize from the 1720s through 1838. During that period, enslaved Africans were used by both British and Spanish for a myriad of purposes ranging from basic agricultural labor to the coveted mahogany industry and everything in between. This session explored how chattel enslavement in Belize was similar to and different from practices in surrounding areas. The distinction between the Kriol and the Garifuna peoples of African descent was also an important consideration in understanding the history. The session ultimately explored ways the region’s unique history has impacted the lives and culture of African-descended individuals living in Belize today.
New Beginnings, Belize Collaboration: New Options for sustainable partnerships in Belize, key elements for success
Ann Merck MacLellan, PhD
Professor/Coordinator, Sociology, Global Studies
Community College of Baltimore County
Amaclellan@ccbcmd.edu
The collaboration between Community College of Baltimore County faculty and students and educators in Belize began in 1999 in Big Falls, Belize. This presentation described the 9 year-long Belize project that provided community college students the opportunity to co-facilitate an English language literacy camp with elementary teachers in the Mayan region of Punta Gorda, Belize. After the discussion of the learning from the past success of the Belize program and renewal of a University of Belize partnership during the pandemic, participants discussed new collaboration ideas that may be sustainable at their own colleges.
Leading a Faculty-Led Group in Belize
Jane Stine, JD, MEd
Managing Director
Community College of Baltimore County
jane@loopabroad.com
When leading a faculty-led group in another country, it is important to work with local organizations and individuals in order to help participants to see from their perspective. One goal of our faculty-led study abroad programs is to help students reflect on the idea that culture is not something that belongs to other people; rather, we all have cultural influences that affect our perspectives. In this session, we discussed from a US university group perspective some of the highlights of choosing Belize as a study abroad destination, as well as some of the challenges relative to other locations. We reviewed some information on the government, size, and business culture of Belize, as well as some of the culturally and environmentally diverse opportunities that are available. We also talked about strategies for a successful faculty-led group abroad, including using a third party provider, setting student expectations, and being flexible. We reviewed best practice strategies for getting the most out of working with a third party provider.
Saturday, January 6, 2024
Enhancing Student Engagement in Global and Comparative Politics Introductory Courses Through Interdisciplinary Projects
Jennifer P. Haydel
Acting Chair, Humanities Department, Germantown
Montgomery College
Jennifer.haydel@montgomerycollege.edu
The field of Political Science can be theory- and concept-heavy. Students encountering Political Science in Global Politics and Comparative Politics courses for the first time often find this aspect of the field particularly challenging, sometimes resulting in disengagement and frustration with the courses and the field. This session introduced examples and models of interdisciplinary approaches to teaching. Examples included a learning community that brings together Comparative Politics and World Literature, creative projects that share Transitional Justice ideas and concepts through art and literature, an example of an International Relations class using art and literature to understand the global politics shaping responses to genocide and forced migration, as well as samples from student analyses of Comparative Politics concepts through novels like Half of a Yellow Sun and The Hanging at Union Square. Participants in the session participated in an interdisciplinary mini-lesson, exploring how the concepts “state” and “nation” appeared in two Belizean poems written at the time Belize gained its independence. These interdisciplinary classes and assignments help students to understand the impact of political systems and concepts on individual human lives, deepening student learning and encouraging nuanced reflection.
Globalized Courses & Virtual International Engagement
Azar Etesamypour-King
Professor of Psychology
Community College of Baltimore County
AKing@ccbcmd.edu
Melissa Chambers
Instructor of History
Community College of Baltimore County
mchambers2@ccbcmd.edu
This session explored opportunities for globalizing the curriculum – incorporating cultural elements into courses across a range of disciplines, even those traditionally seen as challenging to infuse with global perspectives, such as mathematics. The session also examined strategies for incorporating virtual international engagement into classes and study abroad pre-departure sessions. These tools help bring global experiences to wider audiences of students and help to break down barriers that may limit opportunities.
Preparing to Explore Africa
Dr. Kathy Brooks
Department Chair
Frederick Community College
Kbrooks@frederick.edu
Shemica Sheppard
Associate Professor
Frederick Community College
ssheppard@frederick.edu
In January 2020, four Frederick Community College (FCC) professors embarked on an exploratory trip to Ghana to prepare for a subsequent student trip planned for 2021. While COVID, unfortunately, forced the cancellation of the student trip, this initial journey provided invaluable insights into Ghanaian culture and laid the groundwork for a future student experience in January 2025. Through extensive engagement with local communities, the presenters delved deep into Ghanaian traditions and perspectives. Visits to historical sites like slave castles and the "last bath" offered powerful and immersive encounters with the legacy of the slave trade. Immersions in culinary delights and encounters with wildlife, including playful monkeys, enriched the understanding of Ghanaian life. This transformative experience allowed the team to develop a culturally responsive curriculum for the upcoming student trip. The curriculum aims to provide students with authentic engagement with Ghanaian culture, fostering mutual understanding and intercultural learning opportunities. The 2025 trip will offer invaluable insights for students eager to broaden their worldview and connect with a vibrant and diverse community.
International Perspectives on Instructor-Centered and Learner-Centered Practices
Marguerite Falcon, MSW, LCSW-C
Assistant Professor of Human Services Counseling
Community College of Baltimore County
mfalcon@ccbcmd.edu
Sustainable partnerships begin with collaboration and the amalgamation of ideas from a diverse group of students and faculty. There are strategies to employ that nurture learners who have basic needs insecurities, low self-esteem, or learning differences, all of which can benefit from adult learning theory strategies. In the presentation, the importance of learning through travel and global experiences, even virtual ones, fulfills the needs of adult learners. Some of these experiences can be life-changing, including gaining perspective from other cultures related to teaching strategies and experiences that deepen an understanding of skills and traits that enrich a global workforce. This presentation included a then-and-now visit to Belize through CCBC and the outcomes of students who participated in a service-learning trip 20 years ago. One of the students from the past, because of the service-learning experience, pursued holistic medicine and returned to Belize to learn more about medicinal plants. Another student from 20 years ago transferred to a four-year college in California with confidence to move away from home in Maryland after traveling abroad without his family. These experiences, whether virtual or involving a trip abroad, increase cultural awareness, self-esteem, and opportunities that may not be evident when daily living is centered around staying within a small community.
Belize in Transition as a Small Nation
Pio Saqui, PhD
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
University of Belize
psaqui@ub.edu.bz
Belize is a young, multicultural, democratic country with a rich biodiversity and an economy that is heavily dependent on tourism and agriculture as the main drivers. The education system is still very young and laden with former colonial teaching and learning principles which are aimed at western education systems. This session provided an overview for the general development trends in Belize as it pertains to its people. The historical context was laid out starting with the discovery of the Americas, presuming that there were no legitimate owners of the land at that time. The growth of Belize unfolded with arrival of European (colonial era) groups, and much later the sporadic migration of other ethnic groups into Belize over the centuries. Post-independence the population of Belize has increased through migration from regional civil wars, the welcoming of economic-migrants, and national rapid birth rate. This has lent to the rapid exploitation of Belize’s forests that threatens the rights of Maya people. Commercial agriculture and tourism enclaves both have expanded, without much regard for the indigenous or local cultures, and mainly employs locals as basic labor providers. The Maya Land Right case of Belize discussion was focused of the “traditional land rights” as it is prescribed in the 2015 Caribbean Court of Justice ruling. The discussion ended in summarizing the importance of refocusing learning to create an education system that enhances wellbeing that recognizes the diversity of Belize’s cultures and traditional knowledge systems.
Sunday, January 7, 2024
Outdoors for All?...Confronting Discrimination in While BIPOC in the Outdoors
Carla Parish Ward
Coordinator of Student Success Center-Catonsville/Owings Mills
Community College of Baltimore County
cpward@ccbcmd.edu
We are told spending time recreating and exercising in nature is good for the mind and body, and that the outdoors is free and available for us all. However, fewer Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) members participate in activities like camping, fishing, and hiking compared to whites. Drawing upon her personal experiences as an outdoor recreationalist and as a co-facilitator of the Great Smokey Mountain Study Away program at the Community College of Baltimore County, the presenter focused on how “representation matters” in outdoor recreation and education. During the presentation, images and experiences were shared, and the audience was engaged in an interactive discussion about the history of discrimination and microaggressions which influence why many African-Americans and other BIPOC communities may not feel the outdoors is for all to enjoy. The audience was invited to share their experiences and recommendations for confronting discrimination and promoting BIPOC student and staff representation in the outdoors, and other study away/abroad events.
Trip to Belize with MCCIEC through the Loop Abroad
Peggy Hlibok
Assistant Professor of American Sign Language and Deaf Culture
Community College of Baltimore County
phlibok@ccbcmd.edu
Prior to the Spring 2024 semester, the Maryland Community College International Education Consortium (MCCIEC), in partnership with Loop Abroad, gave me and CCBC an amazing opportunity to attend a conference in Belize, a beautiful and tropical country located in Central America. We facilitated a study abroad collaboration from the wonderful and educational presentations and learned lessons in leadership, global education programs, and gained support for college members. Being in Belize, in a different atmosphere, created new learnings and experiences across Maryland community colleges. The best part of the conference was that I, with a sign language interpreter, along with other community college members visited the Cayo Deaf Institute. The goal of this visit was for a prospective partnership and search for new ways to create a mutually beneficial study abroad program for the American Sign Language students. The deaf children inspired me to launch the study abroad program in the future. MCCIEC’s conference gave us a great chance to explore and support our potential study abroad program along with other global education programs.
College Bowl-Challenge Conversation
Meisha Grimes, JD
Professor
Community College of Baltimore County
mgrimes@ccbcmd.edu
Michelle Jones
Professor
Community College of Baltimore County
mjones@ccbcmd.edu
This presentation was given at the Maryland Community College International Education Consortium in Belize. The presentation, titled College Bowl-Challenge Conversation, discussed how two disciplines (Legal Studies and Criminal Justice) required their students to participate in College Bowl. The Unify Challenge College Bowl is a respectful, guided video conversation amongst two students from different colleges/universities with political, geographic, racial, and ideological differences. Together, the two students talked about a myriad of topics, such as mental health, climate change, policing, student loans, and immigration. They shared their opinions and were receptive, and open to a new perspective. Students reported that they loved the experience, it was awesome, they engaged in deep, meaningful dialogue, and they were able to hear views that were different. This experience transcended the classroom and had a tremendous impact on student learning and student success.
Belize: An Historical and Socio-Cultural Overview
Filiberto Penados, PhD
Associate Professor
Galen University
fpenados@galen.edu.bz
Every year I have the opportunity to welcome and speak to many international students and faculty from a variety of personal backgrounds, academic disciplines, and interests. Introducing them to Belize gives me great pleasure but at the same time I feel a sense of responsibility both to the students and the country. My goal is to present Belize in such a way that reflects its complexity and that Belizeans are recognized for who they are as creative human agents in a complex and changing world. It is easy for visiting students to consume Belize as a tourist destination, to exoticize, pathologize or deem as a place and people to be rescued. My aim is to provide a framework of sorts that allows students and visitors to engage with Belize and Belizeans in an ethical, open-minded, and critically reflective manner. I want to make sure that students learn a few things about Belize, and the world and perhaps most importantly about themselves, their own realities and their place in the world. In this spirit I provided an overview of Belize’s history and contemporary reality in this session.
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