The Wang Center for Global and Community Engaged Education continually strives to do better and be better for students.  Through continual pursuit of new opportunities, the Wang Center is able to complete critical self-reflection to encourage growth for stronger programs tomorrow.  PLU has been recognized for its efforts to expand global education on and off campus, as well as improve programs, and care for the environment.

2019

 

 

2019

 

 

2014

 

 

2012-2013

 

 

2009

 

2009

 

 

January 2006

Recognition from the Forum on Education Abroad for being in substantial conformity with the Standards of Good Practice by successfully completing The Forum’s Quality Improvement Program (QUIP).  The Forum’s Quality Improvement Program for Education Abroad is a rigorous process of self-study and peer review that recognizes institutions and organizations for meeting the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad while offering suggestions and recommendations for quality improvement.

Top producer of Peace Corps volunteers by the Peace Corps’ Top Colleges 2019 for small colleges and universities.  PLU is currently ranked 5th in the nation for producing volunteers, and was first recognized in 2013 as 18th for the same category.  14 Lutes are currently volunteering with the Peace Corps all around the world (2019).  PLU has a long history with the Peace Corps; since 1961 the university has produced around 260 Peace Corps volunteers.

First place in its category of Master’s Institutions in the Second Nature Climate Leadership Awards for its “off and onsetting” educational program for study away air mile carbon mitigation. In addition to purchasing carbon credits to offset the negative effects of air travel, student fees will go toward addressing the social cost of carbon through “onsetting,” funding sustainability projects here on campus and in our study away program sites around the world.

Top producer of U.S. Fulbright students for 2012-13 as a master’s institution by The Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2014, five new Fulbrights brought PLU’s total to 100. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright program was established in 1946 by the U.S. Congress to “enable the government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between people of the United States and the people of other countries.” It is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.

PLU matched a $1 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create a $2 million dollar endowment to assist low-income students to participate in study away programs. The Global Scholars Awards began assisting students to study away in the Fall 2009 semester.  Applications are due in the spring each year and are available here.

Received the prestigious Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization.  PLU is the first university in Washington state as well as the first private university on the west coast to receive this award, recognizing the decades of hard work that staff and faculty across campus have contributed towards global education. A profile of PLU appeared in the publication, Internationalizing the Campus, published in Fall 2009 by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

PLU became the first higher education institution to have students studying simultaneously on all 7 continents, an achievement that was subsequently repeated in 2008 and will also occur in 2010. The course in Antarctica that makes this achievement possible is a class in Environmental Literature, taught by Dr. Charles Bergman, Professor of English.