Dear Colleagues,

I hope your fall semester is off to a productive start!

The VPAA office is currently engaged in launching multiple initiatives in collaboration with both higher education and K-12 institutions, both within Michigan and internationally. In the coming weeks, we anticipate sharing a joint statement and outlining a process for a study abroad collaboration between UM-Flint and UM-Dearborn. As part of this effort, we are also working with the Center for Global Engagement and our UM-Dearborn counterparts on a joint education abroad program aimed at expanding global learning opportunities for our students. Additionally, we are partnering with the University of Greifswald in Germany to inaugurate a virtual research mixer focused on health, well-being, and prevention, involving their faculty and ours.

Below are some noteworthy updates from areas under the purview of the VPAA office:

Center for Global Engagement

As part of the Strategic Transformation, the Center for Global Engagement is launching a recruitment campaign in India to enhance enrollment and establish regional partnerships. $150,000 has been raised to support international students from conflict areas.

Two students, Keaton Reese and Alimatou Sarr, have received the prestigious Critical Language Scholarship. CGE’s mentoring program for international students continues to be highly impactful.

The Center for Global Engagement will be hosting an open house from 12-2 pm on Wednesday, October 9. Please come and meet the CGE staff and learn more about what they do to support internationalization efforts on our campus. In addition, the CGE is sharing a When do I go to the CGE? study abroad guide to provide helpful information about the types of campus efforts they commonly support.

Common Read

This year’s Common Read Kickoff event will feature a talk on the book, No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black and Free in America by Darnell L. Moore, focusing on the intersectionality of Black and queer identities. The talk will be led by local author and UM-Flint alumnus, Xzavier Simon, followed by a panel discussion of current UM-Flint. All are welcome to attend this event. Lunch will be provided! Free copies of the book will also be available!

Common Read Kickoff featuring Xzavier Simon, Creator of The Modern Queer

Tuesday, October 1

12:30 - 2:00 pm

University Center Michigan Rooms

General Education

In our final year of the teach-out of our previous general education distribution,

the program is ramping up its strategic transformation efforts with two kick-off workshops: A Mindset to Meet the Mission: How General Education Reform Can Spark Vision and Storytelling with Dr. Ashley Finley on October 4; and Why Do I Have to Take (or Teach) This Class? From “Checking Boxes” to Career Readiness and Lifelong Learning Through General Education with Dr. Kate McConnell on November 8. These will spearhead ongoing conversations and opportunities for a year-long rejuvenation process. The general education website is also being overhauled to add more resources to both the internet and intranet sites for faculty and advisors.

Honors Program

The Honors Program is excited to welcome 85 new students in the 2024 cohort, including 30 Junior/Senior students and 55 Freshmen representing all four academic units. The Honors Program is in the process of forming a partnership with the University of Greifswald, which will provide off-campus research and internship experiences for students, expected to begin in the summer of 2025. We remain grateful to our faculty partners who support students in their off-campus and thesis projects and are pleased to announce faculty stipends for this work will continue for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Michigan ACE

MI ACE aims to foster professional opportunities, leadership, and networking for

women on campus and nearby institutions. Our institutional representatives, Samara Hough and Michelle Silva, work with the steering committee to align campus programming with statewide and national MI-ACE initiatives. MI ACE Flint specifically addresses women’s issues and gender equality. For event updates or to join the steering committee, please contact Samara or Michelle.

TCLT

The TCLT has released the 2024-2025 Faculty Resource Guide, featuring a comprehensive list of available resources. Please check it out for more details!

As always, we are open to your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas. Please feel free to email me or Joyce Mudel and/or stop by at 234 UPAV. We would love to hear from you. Have a great semester!

Sincerely,

Sapna Thwaite