Stanford Global Studies announces newest cohort of EPIC fellows

Ten community college educators have been named to the newest cohort of the Stanford Education Partnership for Internationalizing Curriculum (EPIC) fellowship program. Over the next academic year, they will work on innovative projects that aim to develop global competencies among community college students.

“The ability to experience and learn about different cultures can have a transformative effect on a student’s academic career and can help foster understanding and curiosity,” said Lisa Vitela, associate professor of art history at Cerritos College.

“Because we live in a society that is increasingly interconnected globally, understanding various cultures is critical for addressing world problems,” added Christopher McBride, English and humanities instructor at College of Marin and Solano College. “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.”

The program, which was launched in 2015, is led by Stanford Global Studies, the Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis, and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education. This year’s fellows hail from nine community colleges across California and represent a wide range of academic disciplines, from business and political science to history and English. Their self-designed projects engage with topics such as global migration, free speech in the digital age, and virtual study abroad.

Edward R. O’Neill, senior adjunct instructor at Lake Tahoe Community College, is planning to redesign a course he has been teaching for several years called World Cinema Since 1965. “I thought it would benefit from an infusion of new ideas and insights,” he said. “Also, I was drawn to the idea of developing materials that could be shared with other community college instructors.”

In August, the fellows participated in a two-day virtual summer intensive, where they had the opportunity to meet one another for the first time, listen to presentations from Stanford scholars, and learn about several university resources.

“The whole workshop was stimulating for me,” said Holly Piscopo, history professor at Sacramento City College. “My favorite part of the workshop was that I was able to dream up ideas and consider new potential ways to approach my fellowship project, my teaching, and my leadership at my college.”

Other highlights from the summer intensive included guided tours of the Cantor Arts Center and Stanford Libraries, as well as lectures by Kären Wigen, Frances and Charles Field Professor of History, on using maps creatively in the classroom and by Usha Iyer, assistant professor of film and media studies, on globalizing and decolonizing the film and media studies curriculum.

The workshop concluded with a panel featuring three EPIC alumni, who discussed their experiences as fellows and offered advice to the incoming cohort.

“It was exciting to hear from past recipients, as they were bubbling over with ideas and excitement. Still. Two years later,” said O’Neill.

Next, the fellows will participate in online seminars throughout the year as they develop their projects.

“I'm excited to take advantage of Stanford's exceptional resources and bring back what I learn to my community college,” shared Vitela. “With access to Stanford's libraries, faculty, and staff, there seem to be almost too many possibilities!”

To read more about the fellows and their projects, visit this page on the SGS website. The fellows will present their final projects at a symposium in May.