SGS fellowship programs offer support to community college educators committed to global education

2022-23 EPIC fellows

“Community college students typically have multiple obligations with few opportunities to broaden their academic and personal horizons, especially international experiences. Whether they later transfer to a university or enter the workforce, it has become increasingly important that they have a global perspective and skills in any discipline they choose,” says Thomas Chen, professor of cell biology at Santa Monica College, one of the community college educators participating in Stanford’s Education Partnership for Internationalizing Curriculum (EPIC) fellowship this year.

The EPIC fellowship began in 2015 as a collaboration between Stanford Global Studies (SGS), the Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis, and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education to support community college faculty interested in developing global competencies among their students. This year, SGS also launched a leadership program in partnership with the Center to Support Excellence in Teaching for administrators at community colleges and minority-serving institutions who seek to build and expand institutional capacity for international education at their home campuses.

EPIC fellows admire the view at the top of the Hoover Tower.

Fifteen educators participating in these two programs come from more than a dozen schools across California and represent a wide range of disciplines spanning the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, business, and engineering. Their projects delve into topics such as decolonizing the U.S. food system, globalizing the personal finance curriculum, and expanding intercultural awareness through engineering and entrepreneurship.

I believe it’s important for all educators to engage in global education. It helps our students to gain empathy and perspective. Community colleges serve the most diverse student populations, from high schoolers to returning non-traditional students,” says Allison Tripp, an anthropology instructor at Chaffey College. “We have large populations of military students, parents, undocumented students, and low-income students. Engaging in global education helps us to better serve and meet the needs of our student populations and to grow as educators.”

Tripp, whose project focuses on integrating cross-cultural storytelling to increase global competency, equity, and engagement in the classroom, says she applied for the fellowship because she was looking for a way to grow professionally and network with other like-minded educators. “The program seemed transformational, and I want to be able to share what I learn with my campus community,” she added.

I believe it’s important for all educators to engage in global education. It helps our students to gain empathy and perspective. Community colleges serve the most diverse student populations, from high schoolers to returning non-traditional students. We have large populations of military students, parents, undocumented students, and low-income students. Engaging in global education helps us to better serve and meet the needs of our student populations and to grow as educators.
Allison Tripp
Anthropology Instructor, Chaffey College

The educators began their fellowship with a three-day workshop in August at Stanford, where they explored key university resources including the Hoover Institution Library and Archives, the Cantor Arts Center, and the David Rumsey Map Center. They also heard presentations from Stanford faculty, including Christine Win Wotipka, associate professor of education, who discussed global perspectives on gender and diversity in higher education. On day two, Rose Gottemoeller, the former Deputy Secretary General of NATO, talked about the nuclear dangers of the Russia-Ukraine war. Additional sessions invited EPIC fellows to collectively reflect on their global experiences and brainstorm ideas for meeting the opportunities and challenges of global learning at community colleges.

EPIC fellows view an exhibition, "The Faces of Ruth Asawa" at the Cantor Arts Center.

“I really loved building a relationship with the other participants in this program and talking about ideas on how to incorporate global education at our institutions,” says Debbie Lee, dean of intercultural and international studies at De Anza College. “I also loved the presentation on the archives at the Hoover Institution—the presenter was able to tell stories behind the archives and bring history alive.”

Throughout the workshop, the fellows discussed the importance of broadening students’ perspectives, adapting to community college students’ unique needs, and amplifying marginalized voices through teaching. Those participating in the leadership program met in breakout sessions with staff from CSET, where they explored leadership practices and institutional pathways and obstacles in internationalizing education.

Next, the fellows will attend monthly online seminars as they work on their projects, which they will present in the spring at the annual EPIC Symposium. During the academic year, they will receive continuing support through coaching and mentorship and have ample opportunities to engage with leading Stanford faculty and scholars.

“I’m looking forward to networking with my fellows and sharing my project with my campus community,” says Tripp. “I’ve already started to make new and meaningful connections in both areas and am excited to see how much I’ll grow over the course of the project.”

Read more about the community college faculty participating in the EPIC faculty fellowship and leadership programs.


The Education Partnership for Internationalizing Curriculum (EPIC) provides professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers and community college educators and is partially funded by U.S. Department of Education Title VI grants. Collaborators include the Stanford Global Studies Division, the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), the Stanford Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis (CESTA), and the Stanford Graduate School of Education's Center to Support Excellence in Teaching (CSET).