Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of education and human development has formed a new partnership with neighboring educational institution Lipscomb University. Lipscomb will serve as an associate campus to Vanderbilt’s Humphrey Fellowship program through its English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program, housed in the College of Education.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program focuses on leadership development, professional development and mutual exchange for mid-career professionals. Vanderbilt’s 2016-17 cohort is comprised of classroom teachers, professors, policy makers and department heads of educational initiatives hailing from Pakistan, South Sudan, Morocco, Jamaica, Lesotho, Malawi, Botswana, Venezuela, El Salvador and Russia.
The journey to partnership between the two universities began last year when a Vanderbilt Humphrey Fellow, Soe Than from Myanmar, completed his professional affiliation through Lipscomb’s EAP program. During this encounter, EAP program director Todd Beard recognized the natural affinity between the two programs and reached out to solidify a mutually beneficial relationship. It was made official this fall. Lipscomb’s involvement complements the Vanderbilt Humphrey program’s other associate campus, Volunteer State Community College.
Lipscomb has hosted Vanderbilt’s Humphrey Fellows twice so far. The first was a networking event with community partners Nashville Center for Empowerment, Conexion Americas and the Islamic Center of Nashville. The second gathering provided professional development and the mutual exchange of ideas with faculty and staff at Lipscomb’s School of Education. The Fellows will participate in additional events at Lipscomb throughout the spring, including a literacy professional development conference.
When their fellowship is complete in June 2017, they will return to their home countries with plans to implement positive changes in education and government.
Program Director: Nancy Dickson (615) 390-0812; nancy.j.dinunzio@vanderbilt.edu