Baylor University Announces Participation in ACE Internationalization Laboratory

WACO, Texas (Nov. 20, 2020) – Baylor University today announced that the institution is one of 10 colleges and universities participating in the 18th cohort of the American Council on Education (ACE)  Internationalization Laboratory.

The ACE Internationalization laboratory provides customized guidance and insight to help colleges and universities achieve their internalization goals — to better prepare students to fully engage in an increasingly interconnected world, create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students, expand opportunities for collaborative research and scholarship, and be active participants in solving complex problems impacting our world.

“I am excited about Baylor’s participation in the American Council on Education’s Internationalization Lab,” said Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. “Strengthening internalization on our campus is a key component of our vision to become a tier-one Christian research university.”

The ACE Internationalization Lab is adapting to the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing learning modules with asynchronous activities for participants on ACE Engage®, ACE’s online learning platform, as well as conducting synchronous meetings. Campus site visits will be conducted virtually until it is safe to travel in person. Nevertheless, networking within and beyond the cohort will remain a core component of the Lab. Content will focus on crisis response and a future positive innovation framework to help institutions bounce back stronger than before after COVID-19 disrupted international mobility around the world.

Baylor Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., noted that she is “pleased to see Baylor joining this ACE collaborative of universities to develop a strategy for internationalization that is comprehensive in scope and that aligns with Baylor’s aspiration to be a ‘light to the world.’”

“From Ethiopia to Puerto Rico to California, higher education institutions recognize that although internationalization may look different during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is as important as ever to be strategic about their efforts,” said Kara Godwin, director for internationalization at ACE. “I look forward to working with these institutions as they build resilience and agility into their internationalization strategies.”

The members of Cohort 18 were given the opportunity to get to know each other during a virtual “meet and greet” in early September. As they begin their asynchronous work and develop their campus committees, the colleges and universities are holding regular discussions with their ACE advisors leading up to their next virtual meeting later in the semester.

The leadership team for the Baylor Internationalization Lab is composed of four co-chairs:

• Tiffany Hogue, J.D., Assistant Chair and Clinical Professor, Education Leadership, School of Education
• Ben Cox, Ph.D., Director of Institutional Planning and Assessment, Institutional Effectiveness, Academic Affairs
• Elizabeth Palacios, Ph.D., Dean of Student Development, Student Development, Student Life
• Jeffrey Hamilton, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Global Engagement, Jo Murphy Chair, Global Engagement, Academic Affairs

The four co-chairs will work with a Steering Committee drawn from across all 12 of Baylor’s primary academic units:

• Jared Alcantara, Ph.D., Associate Professor, the Paul W. Powell Chair of Preaching, George W. Truett Theological Seminary
• Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi, Ph.D., Professor, Roach Professor of Religion, Religion, College of Arts & Sciences
• Christina Chan-Park, Ph.D., STEM Coordinator, Central Libraries
• Jeremy Counsellor, J.D., Professor, Law School
• Steve Driese, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research of the Graduate School, Professor, Geosciences, College of Arts & Sciences
• Steve Gardner, Ph.D., Professor, holder of the Herman Brown Endowed Chair in Economics, Economics - Hankamer School of Business
• Adrienne Harris, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Modern Languages and Cultures, College of Arts & Sciences
• Monique Ingalls, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Music, Academic Studies, School of Music
• Sung Seek Moon, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Diana R. Garland School of Social Work
• Terrill Saxon, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Dean for Graduate Education, School of Education
• Lori Spies, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Louise Herrington School of Nursing
• Ken Van Treuren, Ph.D., Professor, Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering and Computer Science
• Nadine Welch, M.S. Speech Pathology, M.S.P. Communication Disorders, Clinical Assistant Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences
• Colleen Zori, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, Honors College

Since 2002, more than 150 institutions have participated in the ACE Internationalization Laboratory program. The other institutions in the 18th Internationalization Laboratory cohort are Albizu University (PR), Ball State University (IN), California Lutheran University, Fort Valley State University (GA), Jigjiga University (Ethiopia), Pratt Institute (NY), San Diego State University (CA), Southern Illinois University, and University of Kansas.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 19,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION

The American Council on Education (ACE) is a membership organization that mobilizes the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice. As the major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, our strength lies in our diverse membership of more than 1,700 colleges and universities, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad. ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions: two-year and four-year, public and private. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on Twitter @ACEducation.