What A Privilege
Back from Italy, I reflect on the privilege of movement, the serendipities that connect generations, and what it means to carry a duty of care for students. A small meditation on access, safety, joy, and gratitude.
Humor Across Borders
Humor is one of the most surprising bridges in global education. From Monty Python to tree tomatoes, I explore how laughter builds empathy, supports language learning, and where jokes can misfire without context, offering practical ways to use humor with care in the classroom.
Digital Refugees: How TikTok's Ban Created an Unexpected Bridge Between Nations
With TikTok briefly dark in the US, many sampled Xiaohongshu and stumbled into something rare: respectful conversations between Americans and Chinese. I read this moment for what it reveals about digital rights, platform governance, empathy, and the ordinary bridges people build when politics stall.
A Letter To The Adventurers
A snow day sends me back to my study abroad in Yunnan and Beijing and forward to what I tell students now. This letter names the stages of culture shock, the value of language, journaling, community, and care. Take the risk. Be present. Let yourself change.
Fishing
A pastor’s fishing proverb and my family’s “bootstraps” lesson frame a tougher truth: grit is not enough without access. From international and first-gen students to campus policy, I argue that equity in higher education means building poles, opening ponds, and removing the barriers we keep praising people for scaling.
Invest In Staff: a key to university internationalization
Twelve Ole Miss advisors traveled to Florence for Global Compass with SAI. Immersion at FUA, reflective practice, and shared experiences strengthened advising, empathy, and energy back on campus. Investing in staff multiplies impact through students, Lunch and Learns, and new faculty-led programs across disciplines.
International Communication Day Remarks
From International Education Week 2023, these remarks explain why study abroad builds intercultural competence and what I call critical skills. Data on employment and graduation, a nod to Fulbright, and a simple challenge to choose empathy, ask why, and keep learning.