Press release from UNC Asheville:
UNC Asheville’s study abroad program, “Discover Ghana 2015,” received the 2017 Best Practices in International Education Award for Study Abroad Programming from NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The award was presented to Agya Boakye-Boaten, “Discover Ghana” program director and associate professor of Africana studies and director of interdisciplinary, international and Africana studies at UNC Asheville; and Robin Hamilton, community director in residential education; at the NASPA International Symposium in San Antonio, Texas, on March 12, 2017, on behalf of the program and UNC Asheville.
The “Discover Ghana 2015” was a one-month faculty-led study abroad program, which was an inaugural collaboration between the Interdisciplinary, International, and Africana Studies Program and Residential Education within the Division of Student Affairs. The synergy of this intentional partnership resulted in a positive living and learning environment for student learning and development in a study abroad locale. The program allowed students from different academic disciplines to enroll in two courses, Science in Ghana and Humanities: Individual in the Contemporary World, taught by UNC Asheville faculty Charles James, associate professor of chemistry, and Reid Chapman, lecturer in education, respectively. These courses focused on helping program participants become globally informed citizens, and to understand the importance of developing intercultural competence through an interdisciplinary perspective while studying abroad.
Two additional learning components were offered as part of the “Discover Ghana 2015” program. A service-learning component gave students, faculty, and staff, the opportunity to pre-plan, engage, and reflect on mutually beneficially service projects with Ghanaian children in local schools and villages. Additionally, a Living-Learning Community framework allowed students and program leaders to live and learn together in a house designated as the official program site located in Koforidua, Ghana. “Discover Ghana” is an annual summer study abroad experience offering students the opportunity to explore, study and interact with the people of Ghana. It is offered through UNC Asheville’s study abroad office, and is facilitated by Boakye-Boaten; Charles James; Dee James, professor of English; Chapman; and Hamilton.
Also at the NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education annual conference, Melanie Fox, UNC Asheville’s associate dean of students, was appointed to Board of the NASPA Center for Women, and Bill Haggard, UNC Asheville vice chancellor for student affairs, was recognized for completing a two-year term as the national Chair of the Campus Safety and Violence Prevention Knowledge Community.
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