CAS faculty are experts in American policies, society, culture

Sheena Butler | Apr 25, 2011 | 0 comments

Faculty members from SIUE’s College of Arts and Sciences will have the opportunity to travel across the globe as experts who interact with foreign audiences to discuss American policies, society and culture.

Twelve CAS faculty members have been selected by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Information Programs to participate in the U.S. Speaker Program.

According to the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Information Programs, every year, the bureau organizes “around 1,300 traveling and electronic events for American experts to engage with foreign audiences worldwide.”

Selected to participate this year are:

Olga Bezhanova, assistant professor of foreign languages and literature
Isaac Blankson, department chair and associate professor of speech communication
Richard Brugam, professor of biological sciences
T.R. Carr, department chair and associate professor of public administration and policy analysis
Denise DeGarmo, department chair and associate professor of political science
Rochelle Henderson, assistant professor of public administration and policy analysis
Mark L. Hildebrandt, associate professor of geography
Elza Ibroscheva, graduate program director and associate professor of mass communication
Samuel C. Pearson, professor emeritus of historical studies
Carolina Rocha, assistant professor of foreign languages and literature
Aldemaro Romero, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Chris Theodorakis, associate professor of biological sciences

Isaac Blankson, department chair and associate professor of speech communication, reached out to his CAS colleagues recommending that they participate in the U.S. Speaker program.

Blankson, who serves as the assistant to the dean for diversity and internationalization initiatives, learned about the U.S. Department of State’s program and reached out to his CAS colleagues recommending that they take advantage of the opportunity.

“As part of the Dean’s internationalization initiative, we have been exploring opportunities for CAS faculty to engage international audiences,” said Blankson. “We believe this is a great opportunity for SIUE/CAS faculty to share their expertise and knowledge with foreign audiences and also to create more awareness for the College nationally and internationally.”

The selected CAS faculty members each submitted a curriculum vitae in order to be considered for the program.

Past participants in the U.S. Speaker program have included Tom Wolfe, world-renowned American, fictional author, and Kathleen Marshall, Tony award-winning Broadway choreographer-director.

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