All About Opportunity: Dawn Wood Talks Dissertation on International Ed at Community College

Assumptions are often made about the types of students who participate most in international education, mostly regarding background and income. Many colleges assume that students more active in family and employment have less capacity for or interest in global education opportunities. Dawn Wood, Dean of Global Learning at Kirkwood Community College, has found in her career experiences and through her conducted research that international education programs are valued and positively impactful when made accessible and available to students of all backgrounds. Key Insights & Timestamps: [00:00] Podcast begins [01:23] Farm to College: How Dawn found international education & returned to Iowa [04:59] Exploring Interculturality: Student data-driven study for Dawn’s PhD dissertation [12:24] Media Circus: Colleges impacted by policy uncertainty & media confusion [17:23] Rapid Fire Questions: Dawn talks traveling, visiting Ghana, & VISA requirements Guest Spotlight Dawn Wood: Dawn Wood is the Dean of Global Learning at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dawn is passionate about community college internationalization and the importance of global learning for all students. She has published her dissertation and many journal articles about the positive impact of global learning on all students. She strives to create opportunities for all to engage in intercultural dialogue that will lead to a more peaceful world. Key Takeaways: International Ed, Local Impact: “You can see the immediate impact. So many of our students are integrated into the community and can take what they learned immediately into what they do everyday.” At Kirkland, Dawn sees firsthand the impact of international education in all its forms and feels as if community colleges are open to taking full advantage of global education opportunities beyond just study abroad programs. Demographics in International Ed: “If the opportunity is there for them and it makes sense for them, [students] are going to take it.” For her PhD dissertation, Dawn surveyed and spoke to students across demographics on their international education and study abroad experiences (including virtual exchange) at Kirkwood. Shockingly, even those thought to be in disadvantaged demographics (i.e. low income) took advantage of global learning and felt its impact positively. Managing Media Confusion: “I would say the media and how things are being portrayed, you just feel like, ‘What’s coming next?’” In the midst of massive policy changes in the US, Dawn is concerned with how the media portrays international education and higher education. She feels as if many outlets aren’t talking to those working in the education industry and are portraying issues without a well-rounded perspective. Resources Mentioned: Kirkwood Community College | kirkwood.edu Connect with Dawn: LinkedIn For More Information: Learn more about the Association of International Education Administrators at AIEAworld.org. Visit ViaTRM.com to learn more about Via TRM and access to additional resources. Stay Connected: Support Via Voices by subscribing on YouTube: youtube.com/@viatrm Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/via-voices Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/3R0BcoxUC6Xzr1SW7CCT2t