by Elizabeth Boyd
Susan M. Barone, an expert in applied linguistics and global education, has been named the executive director of global learning and education at Vanderbilt University, effective July 1. Barone will report to Cynthia Cyrus, vice provost for learning and residential affairs.
Barone is the director of the English Language Center at Vanderbilt, where she administers internationally recognized English-language programs to help international students realize their academic potential and successfully integrate with the Vanderbilt University community. In her new role, Barone will continue to serve as the director of the English Language Center while assuming leadership for Vanderbilt’s Global Education Office, the university’s hub for providing study-abroad experiences to prepare students for global citizenship.
“Susan’s depth of knowledge in global education initiatives in higher education, coupled with her appreciation for developing robust support networks to facilitate student academic success, will help all Vanderbilt students with an interest in cultural immersion to flourish — whether they are studying abroad or embarking on scholarly pursuits at Vanderbilt,” Cyrus said. “As the executive director of global learning and education, Susan will capitalize on the natural synergy between the English Language Center and the Global Education Office, positioning the university to ‘ensure diversity of all forms’ as identified in the strategic plan.”
Barone’s scholarly research investigates the intersection of applied linguistics and narrative medicine and the connection between clinician elicitations and patient narratives in intercultural health care contexts. In her 23 years at Vanderbilt, she has been instrumental in developing discipline-specific language programs at Peabody College, the School of Engineering, the law school, the School of Nursing, the School of Medicine and the Owen Graduate School of Management. Her professional interests include needs analysis, program design and medical discourse analysis. Barone presents at international conferences, and her publications include articles, book chapters and the textbook American Legal English.
“I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to work in concert with Vice Provost Cyrus and colleagues across campus to implement international initiatives,” Barone said. “Language and cultural immersion are central to the work of both the English Language Center and the Global Education Office, regardless of whether students are studying at Vanderbilt or abroad. My vision for global learning and education aligns with the university’s priorities to foster varied perspectives and cultivate problem-solving approaches informed by a wealth of experiences and identities. I look forward to partnering with and learning from students and faculty across campus and abroad as we work to enhance global learning and education at Vanderbilt.”
For more information on the English Language Center and the Global Education Office, please visit www.vanderbilt.edu/elc and www.vanderbilt.edu/geo.