Meet the EPIC fellows: Edward R. O'Neill

Edward R. O'Neill

Photo courtesy of Edward R. O'Neill

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.

Edward R. O'Neill, senior adjunct instructor at Lake Tahoe Community College, is one of 10 fellows participating in this year's program. O’Neill has taught cinema and media studies in the California Community College system since he was a Ph.D. candidate at UCLA Film School. He’s taught online for Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) since 2007. For LTCC, he developed courses in world cinema history, screenwriting, and film appreciation and analysis. Dr. O’Neill’s other professional work centers on instructional design and technology and faculty development. He has mentored online instructors from New England to North Carolina, and he’s partnered with French language and English composition instructors to implement learning technologies from ebooks to videomaking. Edward also sings, writes music, and makes photographs and videos.

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

I had been teaching World Cinema Since 1965 for many years, and I thought it would benefit from an infusion of new ideas and insights. Also, I was drawn to the idea of developing materials that could be shared with other community college instructors. 

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

I think understanding each other and reducing hate is one of the most important efforts we can make in education in the U.S. today—this and understanding basic science.
 

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

It was exciting to hear from past recipients, as they were bubbling over with ideas and excitement. Still. Two years later.
 

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

I just want a new perspective on something very familiar to me. And I want to find ways to share my teaching practices. Teaching in higher ed is still very insular: you rarely learn what anyone else is doing in her classroom.