Indiana University of Pennsylvania welcomed 21 educators from 14 countries, who will complete professional development coursework at IUP and be guest teachers in the Indiana Area School District and in the Pittsburgh Public School system, as part of the university’s selection as a host for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers.
This is the ninth year that IUP has been chosen for the program, which includes funding of $260,000 to IUP for the project; overall, IUP has received more than $2 million for the initiative.
For fall 2024, IUP is one of only two universities in the nation, and the only one in Pennsylvania, chosen as a host institution for the program, which is sponsored by the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and administered by the International Research and Exchanges Board.
The program brings selected international primary and secondary educators to the United States who have been selected as Fulbright recipients in their home countries. While in the United States, they take courses for professional development, observe and share their expertise with US colleagues, and take back what they’ve learned and share it in their home countries. The educators also complete individual or group inquiry projects, designed to be relevant to the educators’ education practice in their home country.
The visiting teachers, a mix of primary and secondary teachers, will be at IUP and the area schools from August 13 to December 11. They come from Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Finland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Senegal, Taiwan, Uganda, and the United Kingdom.
Since spring 2016, including the 2024 cohort, IUP has hosted 158 international educators through this program and its forerunner, International Leaders in Education Program. Ten scholars who participated in the program have returned to pursue graduate programs at IUP.
Michele Petrucci, associate vice president for International Education and Global Engagement and director of IUP’s Office of International Education, is the grant principal investigator. Sue Rieg, recently retired interim dean of the College of Education and Human Services (formerly the College of Education and Communications), is working with Petrucci on the program.
The program began as a joint initiative of the Office of International Education and the College of Education and Human Services, under Lara Luetkehans during her tenure as dean of the college; Luetkehans currently serves as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at IUP.
“Our local school district and the Pittsburgh Public School District continue to be great partners and collaborators for this project,” Petrucci said. “This could not happen without the support of the entire community.
“The administrators, teachers, and students have warmly welcomed our Fulbright educators, and the district leadership has worked very hard to provide opportunities for these teachers to interact with their teachers, students, and families,” she said.
Petrucci also recognized the ongoing support of community members who serve as Fulbright Friendship Hosts to the visiting educators.
“These community members have opened their homes to the visiting educators and host them for meals, take them to community events and to regional landmarks and destinations, and they are tremendous assets to this program,” Petrucci said. “Many of our Fulbright Friendship Hosts have been involved in the program from the first year, and we appreciate them so much. A semester is a long time to be away from your home and from your families, so these Friendship Hosts really help our visiting educators to feel welcome and to enjoy their experience here.”