College of Social Justice and Human Service ISLA: International Summer Leadership Academy

What is ISLA?  ISLA is an international travel educational experience organized for Master’s and Ph.D. students in the Higher Education Program  Each ISLA takes place in several countries and at several decision-making levels  Combines knowledge acquisition and know-how training with intercultural immersion and exchange of best practices

College of Social Justice and Human Service  Belgium  Netherlands  United Kingdom  China

College of Social Justice and Human Service  The International Summer Leadership Academy takes place over a two-week period in the summer  The Academy consists of two parts: Module 1 Module 2

College of Social Justice and Human Service Modules of the Academy Module 1 - Europe/China – Summer 1 1.Visit supranational/nat’l/local governing bodies of higher ed 2.Visit colleges and universities in different regions 3.Offer workshops with peers, present in seminar/conference 4.Network with peers 5.Explore cultural marks and immerse in the local customs and traditions Module 2 – The United States - Summer 2 1.Visit federal/state/local governing bodies of higher ed 2.Visit colleges and universities in different regions 3.Offer workshops with peers, present in seminar/conference 4.Network with peers 5.Explore cultural marks and immerse in the local customs and traditions

College of Social Justice and Human Service  Students who participate in ISLA are able to gain up to 6 hours of class credit per summer  ISLA is a required component of the Ph.D. program, but is open to all Master’s and Ph.D. students in the Higher Education Program

College of Social Justice and Human Service Is funding available for participation in ISLA?  There are several different types of scholarships available for students participating in ISLA:  Departmental Scholarships  Travel Grant from the Center for International Studies & Programs  European Union program grant  Hanban

College of Social Justice and Human Service Why is ISLA important?  ISLA helps students learn of other cultures, educational practices, and leadership ideas  International exposure increases students’ awareness and appreciation of cultural and educational differences  It enhances students’ appreciation of their own heritage, their values, and beliefs  ISLA helps master skills and abilities higher education professionals need to be effective in a multi-cultural environment

Understanding the Influence of ISLA on Students’ Multicultural Competence College of Social Justice and Human Service

Pope and Reynolds’ Framework for Multicultural Competence (1997) “in student affairs, multicultural competence may be defined as the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to work effectively and ethically across cultural differences”

We collect and analyze information from: -Students’ journals -Field notes and observations -Institutional documents, audio-visual material -Discussion sessions -Workshops and conference/seminar presentations -Focus groups

We try to understand: What students learned about: -how the higher education system works in each of the countries we visited -how a country’s culture is different from ours Did students figure out how to: -connect with individuals from a different culture and communicate well -design initiatives that are culturally-appropriate -remain professionally in a different culture Did students become aware of: -the value of the cultural differences we experienced -their own beliefs and biases -the variety of ways to stimulate and embrace differences + +

For more information or questions about ISLA please contact, Dr. Snejana Slantcheva-Durst Coordinator, Higher Education Master's Program Department of School Psychology, Higher Education, and Counselor Education Health and Human Services W. Bancroft Street Toledo OH (419)

Thank You!