"Jessica Francis" Archive

Wake Forest represented at inaugural Global Senior Leadership Symposium

Wake Forest University Associate Provost for Global Affairs Kline Harrison, Director of Global Abroad Programs Jessica Francis and Assistant Dean of Global Study Away David Taylor were recently selected from a competitive applicant pool to participate in the inaugural Global Senior Leadership Symposium on Dec. 15 and 16. The forum is hosted by EF Education First, the Forum on Education Abroad and the Association of International Education Administrators, in partnership with EF’s educational partner, the Nobel Prize Museum.

The Global Senior Leadership Symposium is a unique opportunity for higher education leaders to collaborate with a global network of peers, explore international strategies from various cultural perspectives and discuss the role of education abroad and global mobility within higher education. Participants will engage in peer learning circles to discuss the future of internationalization and global learning, and they hear from eight Nobel Laureates and other thought leaders throughout the symposium.

“In this moment of unprecedented challenges that face our nation and our world, we at Wake Forest are actively reaffirming our longstanding commitment to international education and the essential role that global understanding—in all of its forms—occupies within our institution,” said Harrison, Francis and Taylor.

More information about the Global Senior Leadership Symposium is available here.

Categories: Faculty NewsStaff News

Wake Forest community invited to WISE Conference 2018

This is a guest post from the Center for Global Programs and Studies:

The Center for Global Programs and Studies encourages members of the Wake Forest community to attend the 2018 Workshop on Intercultural Skills Enhancement, or WISE Conference, celebrating its 10th anniversary, Feb. 8-9. Wake Forest faculty, staff and students may attend at no cost, although registration is required.

WISE is the pioneering conference for faculty leaders, program coordinators, and administrators to develop the knowledge and skills needed to help students advance their intercultural skills and awareness during abroad experiences.

Farzana Nayani, a nationally-recognized Diversity & Inclusion Specialist and Intercultural Trainer, will present the keynote address on Thursday morning. Nayani, who has extensive experience working with academic institutions, Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations, will speak on Being Inclusive: Creating an Environment Where Authentic Selves Thrive.

The conference features a number of Wake Forest faculty, staff, and student presenters, including the following sessions:

  • Bridging the Communication Gap: Script-Based Language and Culture for Non-Language Programs with Rebecca Thomas
  • Inclusive Excellence: Including the On-site Team with Jessica Francis and Shayla Herndon-Edmonds
  • International Student Adjustment to U.S. Universities: The Role of Intercultural Skills with Nelson Brunsting, and student presenters Megan Mischinski, Frank Fang, and Wenjin Wu

The full schedule and session descriptions are available on the WISE website.

Registration is open through Jan. 27. WISE 2018 will be held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Winston-Salem, located at 425 North Cherry Street.

WISE 2018 also features pre-conference workshops on February 7. Topics include Mindfulness & Intercultural Teaching and Learning, and Global Service-Learning Pedagogy and Partnerships. Paid registration is required.

Please contact wiseconference@wfu.edu or 336-758-5938 with any questions.

Categories: Events

Francis and Sauerbry selected as members of task force

Jessica Francis, associate director of the Center for Global Programs and Studies (GPS) at Wake Forest, and Kristy Sauerbry, senior study abroad advisor, have been selected as members of Diversity Abroad Task Force.  Diversity Abroad Task Force members provide critical guidance and support to Diversity Network initiatives, and contribute to the development of new and valuable resources for Network members.

Francis will serve as chair of the First Generation College Students Task Force for the second year in a row.  Sauerbry will be serving on the Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Disciplines Task Force for the first time.

The Diversity Abroad Network (“Diversity Network”) is the leading professional consortium of education institutions, government agencies, for-profit and non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusive good practices that increase access, achieve greater diversity and foster inclusive excellence in international education. Details of their awards can be found here.

Categories: Staff News

Francis selected to attend study abroad summit

20101109francis0003Jessica Francis, assistant director, study abroad, has been selected to attend the Diversity Abroad Future Leaders Summit on March 30 in San Diego.

Francis is one of 20 future leaders who will participate in a full-day, hands-on workshop led by experts in the field of international education. Fully funded by Diversity Abroad and CIEE, the Summit will allow participants to learn concrete ideas for driving change at their home institutions while enjoying an opportunity to share best practices.

Francis was nominated based on her work at in supporting diverse student populations throughout the study abroad process.

Last year, Wake Forest University was awarded an  IIE Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education in recognition of its Magnolia Abroad Access Program (MAAP) for study abroad. The Institute of International Education (IIE) awards honor the most outstanding initiatives in international higher education among its 1,100 member institutions.

MAAP is a collaboration between Wake Forest’s Center for International Studies and the University’s Magnolia Scholars Program for first-generation college students.

Categories: Staff News

Faculty, staff hit the bricks

Staffers Carol Benford and Anita Hughes hit the bricks.

Staffers Carol Benford and Anita Hughes hit the bricks. Click the photo to see a gallery from the event.

Faculty and staff helped the Wake Forest community “Hit the Bricks” hard this year, joining with students to run 25,396 laps around Hearn Plaza and to raise close to $30,000 for cancer research and the Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund.

Overall, more than 950 students, faculty and staff participated. Click to view a photo gallery »

The top five teams in the faculty/staff division were:

  1. Crusaders: Charlene Buckley, Kevin Cox, Ryan Scholl, T.J. Peele, Sean Daly, Keaton Lee, Phil May, James Buckley, Kevin M. Smith, Rachel Cook
  2. Provost Elite: Susan Edwards, Angela Masarise, Lori Messer, Deborah Snyder, John Champlin, Andrea Ellis, Tomma Gustafero, Melissa Clodfelter, Pam Moser, Brenda Knox
  3. Center for International Studies: Jessica Francis, Steve Duke, Mike Tyson, David Taylor, Vini Sharma, Andrew Smith, Sandra McMullen, Elizabeth Miller
  4. ZSR Library: Susan Smith, Rebecca Petersen, Mary Beth Lock, Joy Gambill, Hu Womack, Peter Romanov, Travis Manning, Patrick Ferrell, Craig Fansler, Derrik Hiatt
  5. Residence Life & Housing: Ashley Jones, Andrew Imboden, Frank Shelton, Matt Clifford, Greg Moreau, Lisa Harris, Denise Willard, Donna McGalliard, Stephanie Ganser, Heath Greene

“Hit the Bricks” is part of a series of student-run events and activities to honor the former Chicago Bears running back, Brian Piccolo, who attended Wake Forest in the 1960s. The 1971 film, “Brian’s Song,” was based on the real-life relationship between teammates Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers and the bond established when Piccolo discovers he is dying of cancer at the age of 26.

Categories: Events

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