Your ticket to ride
At PLU there is enthusiastic support for educational travel for faculty and staff as well as for students. It's part of our commitment to life long learning.
Site Director
There are several opportunities to serve as the faculty site director for semester abroad programs. Locations include London, England and Granada, Spain (through the ILACA consortium) and PLU-run programs in Chengdu, China; Oaxaca, Mexico; Hedmark, Norway; and Trinidad and Tobago. The site director typically teaches one course, serves as the local liaison with the program director, and guides the students’ educational and co-curricular experiences. Site directorships are paid at one’s regular PLU salary, with applications and appointment decisions generally made 18 to 24 months in advance of the assignment start date. Qualified candidates will typically be PLU tenured or tenure-track faculty with knowledge of the host country's culture and proficiency in the local language. For more details contact Amy Fox at foxae@plu.edu or 253-535-8754.
J-term Faculty Assistant
As part of the university’s expanding global and cross-cultural education initiatives, PLU articulated a commitment in 2003 to send a second faculty or staff member, when possible, on short-term off-campus programs. This is done both to support the faculty leader and to further the internationalization of the campus community. This is a unique professional development opportunity for faculty and staff and a meaningful way to become active in PLU’s many global opportunities. Staff assistants are chosen based on the need of a particular course for an assistant, and relevance of participation to advancing the university's global education goals.
Staff members wishing to pursue this opportunity must have clearance from their supervisor and unit head to apply. To begin the process, schedule an appointment for conversation with your immediate supervisor to determine whether this is an opportunity they are willing to endorse. If you are a faculty member, please initiate a conversation with your Chair, as opportunities to participate must also fit department and school or division staffing needs during J-term. Letters of interest are due by May 2 in the Wang Center, Attn: Charry Benston. For more information, contact Charry Benston in the Wang Center at 253-535-7628 or benstocl@plu.edu.
Professional Development
This list of selected professional development and study/travel programs noted are typically available at reasonable rates. While most are geared towards faculty, some are appropriate for university administrators. Some may qualify for Wang Center grants, Regency Advancement Awards, or other university funding. Application processes and department or other approvals may be required. Please contact Amy Fox in the Wang Center foxae@plu.edu or 253-535-8754 if you are interested in these opportunities.
CIEE - http://www.ciee.org
Considered one of the leading U.S. non-governmental international education organizations, for over 50 years CIEE has been creating and administering programs that allow high school and university students and educators to study, volunteer, work and teach abroad.
International Faculty Development Seminars
CIEE offers approximately 20 study trips annually to all parts of the world, each focused on an area of academic interest. Listings may be found on their web site at http://www.ciee.org/IFDS.aspx.
IES - http://www.iesabroad.org
Another leading provider of study abroad experiences for over 50 years, IES is a non-profit consortium to which PLU has belonged for decades.
Site Visits
IES offers site visits to IES Centers, providing study abroad administrators and college faculty the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of IES program details. These trips also introduce participants to an interesting aspect of current academic scholarship through a featured theme that is addressed in lectures and field trips.
Faculty Development Seminars
Each year, IES offers faculty seminars for members of the consortium. The seminars bring together U.S. faculty, international faculty, and local experts for an intellectual exchange of ideas. Recent examples include: Language Pedagogy in a Cultural Context; The State of U.S.- European Relations since 9/11 and the Iraq War; The Impact of Immigration on Western Europe.
School for Field Studies - http://www.fieldstudies.org
Since 1980, The School for Field Studies (SFS) has been teaching students to address critical environmental problems using an interdisciplinary, experiential approach to education. Students in SFS programs work and learn in research stations in Costa Rica, Turks and Caicos, Kenya, Australia, and Mexico, examining the interdependent cultural, economic, and ecological aspects of real-world problems.
Sabbatical Program
Through this program, SFS provides visiting faculty the opportunity to teach or conduct research at any of their field stations. No salary is paid, but there may be in-kind support in the form of room and board and use of our facilities in exchange for research collaboration or guest lecturing.