Lone Star College Honors College globalizes programs through Fulbright webinars

HOUSTON, TX -- Lone Star College System is committed to internationalizing academic and workforce programs by partnering with the Community College for International Development (CCID). The Office of Honors and International Education at LSCS hosted the CCID Conference, which co-sponsored Fulbright Scholar Program webinars throughout the 2023-2024 academic year to help broaden students’ horizons.

“As part of our work with Community College for International Development, we are currently planning spring 2025 webinars, as well as working with the Department of Education to support additional opportunities for our faculty members to research and develop curriculum abroad,” said Katharine Caruso, Ph.D., LSCS associate vice chancellor, Honors and International Education.

LSCS employees like Caruso and Laura Taggett, English professor and International Faculty Fellow at LSC-CyFair, participated in the Fulbright Scholar webinars to learn how international educational opportunities can benefit the college and students. Caruso participated in the United States-Japan International Education Administrators (IEA) Seminar in summer 2024, where representatives positioned the U.S. as a top study destination for Japanese students and designated Japan as a premier choice for American students seeking international experiences. Additionally, the group visited the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Technology (MEXT) to learn about the government’s vision for international exchange and toured the University of Tokyo, Japan’s top-ranked university.

“The Japanese higher education system is actively seeking to internationalize further, which presents exciting opportunities for collaboration with U.S. institutions like Lone Star College System and our peers in the program,” said Caruso. “The program was a profound learning experience about Japan’s rich culture and higher education landscape.”

Taggett was named to the Fulbright Specialist Program Roster in spring 2024, which matches U.S. specialists with international projects at host institutions worldwide. These assignments range from two to six weeks and usually occur during the academic year. As a lifelong learner, Taggett hopes to get a specialized program that will enable her to grow personally and professionally while finding ways to expand her classes globally.

“If I take advantage of this opportunity, there is 100% certainty that I will grow from this as an individual, as a teacher and as a culturally competent human being,” said Taggett. “I will bring back artifacts (pictures, videos and concrete artifacts) that I can share with my students. I hope it will make that International Studies designation more tangible for my students.”

The Fulbright Scholar Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, designed to increase mutual understanding between people from other countries. Lone Star College System works with CCID and the Department of Education to provide faculty, staff and administrators with information sessions on successfully applying for Fulbright Programs and connected funding. LSCS had two finalists in 2023, making it the top community college sender in the United States.

“The Fulbright Scholar Program is an incredible opportunity for Lone Star College System faculty and staff to work with educational institutions across the globe, incorporating what they learn in their classrooms,” said Caruso.

The Office of Honors and International Education at LSCS helps meet the needs of high-achieving students through study abroad opportunities, participation in national conferences, scholarships and internationalized classes. Learn more at LoneStar.edu/Honors.