Meet the EPIC fellows: Christopher McBride

Christopher McBride

The Education Partnership for Internationalizing Curriculum (EPIC) Fellowship program brings together community college faculty and academic staff to work collaboratively with colleagues at Stanford on projects aimed at internationalizing course curricula and producing innovative curricular materials for use in community college classrooms.

Christopher McBride, English and humanities instructor at College of Marin and Solano College, is one of 10 fellows participating in this year's program. McBride teaches courses in both English and humanities. His training is in American literature, composition and liberal arts. His specialty is nineteenth-century American literature and culture. His current interests include interactions between history, literature, film, and culture. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and biking in the Bay Area with his family. He is a native of Connecticut where he attended the University of Connecticut, and has earned graduate degrees from the Claremont Graduate University and Stanford University. 

Why did you decide to apply to the EPIC fellowship program?

I have been a participant in many Global Studies workshops and the annual EPIC conferences. I was intrigued by the possibility of participating more full as an EPIC fellow.
 

Why do you believe it is important for college students to develop global competencies and learn about different cultures? 

Because we live in a society that is increasingly interconnected globally, understanding various cultures is critical for addressing world problems. Moreover, given the increasing xenophobia and outright violence that has been visible in the U.S. during recent years, I think the classroom must continue to be a place for discussion and understanding of global cultures; I hope to make film one of the educational vehicles in this critical process.
 

What was your favorite part of the 2021 summer intensive? What presentation(s) did you enjoy?

I think every element of the workshop was helpful. Because I am working with film, Usha Iyer's presentation on film resonated with me. I also thought Kären Wigen's mapping materials were fascinating and have applications to may courses.
 

What are you looking forward to accomplishing and learning about over the next year as an EPIC fellow? 

I am hoping to build curriculum that gives my students and others a broader view of the world. My project should be portable and applicable for classes in many disciplines. I am also excited to continue working with Stanford faculty and my fellow fellows.