Dr. Sandra Jowers-Barber has been selected to participate in the CAORC-WARC 2024 Faculty Development Seminar in Dakar, Senegal, from January 3-21, 2024. This competitive seminar focuses on West Africa’s culture, history, and diaspora, and includes site visits and lectures. Participants will develop projects to enhance global perspectives on their campuses.
Dr. Sandra Jowers-Barber, Ph.D., serving as the director of the Division of Humanities and Criminology at the University of the District of Columbia’s Community College, has been chosen to participate in a prestigious two-week research seminar in Dakar, Senegal, from January 3-21, 2024. This opportunity highlights Dr. Jowers-Barber’s distinguished career as a historian.
The seminar, organized by the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) in cooperation with the West African Research Center (WARC), is a highly competitive program aimed at enhancing faculty development. Participants will visit significant locations including Goree Island, Toubacouta, and Saint-Louis during their stay.
CAORC provides fully funded seminars specifically for instructors and administrators from U.S. community colleges and minority-serving institutions. The initiative aims to enhance global perspectives among participants, enriching students’ cultural awareness while promoting critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills. Each seminar accommodates 12 to 15 participants.
Titled “West Africa and the Diaspora: Continuities and Transformations,” the seminar will feature a series of lectures, site visits, panel discussions, and film screenings that delve into Senegal’s history, culture, arts, economy, and political landscape, emphasizing the connections between West Africa and its diaspora.
Additionally, the program will explore themes of Senegal’s spiritual diversity, religious tolerance, and the effects of transnational movements on society, particularly concerning youth engagement. Participants are anticipated to cultivate and execute projects aimed at enhancing international perspectives at their respective campuses within a year of the seminar’s conclusion.
Upon completion of the seminar, attendees are expected to submit a project report, along with curriculum documentation for inclusion on CAORC’s Open Educational Resources site. Additionally, they are required to contribute an article for the CAORC blog, Field Notes, within three months after the program concludes.
Dr. Sandra Jowers-Barber’s selection for the research seminar in Dakar represents an important opportunity for personal and professional growth. The seminar aims to enhance global academic perspectives, focusing on West Africa’s cultural and historical context. Participants are expected to undertake projects that will influence their campuses, thus contributing to the cultivation of a globally aware educational environment.
Original Source: www.udc.edu
