Student, faculty from different disciplines teach course

A Grand Valley professor and student from different disciplines are team-teaching a course in South America at a new international partner institution.

Denise de la Rosa, associate professor of accounting, and Allison Olejnik, an English and secondary education major, are teaching a business communication course in English at the Universidad del Bio-Bio in Chile.

de la Rosa proposed the course two years ago when she was on sabbatical in Chile. She met Olejnik while planning her trip. “I liked her drive and love of teaching and I thought her enthusiasm for English as a Second Language would add value in the classroom,” de la Rosa said.

While de la Rosa teaches the business communication course, Olejnik teaches ELS courses for UBB’s English Department and assists with other courses. She also helps de la Rosa with grading and works individually with students on assignments.

Olejnik will return to Michigan this fall to be a student teacher at Lakewood High School. In late fall, she will travel to Quito, Ecuador, to teach at the American School of Quito. She will graduate from Grand Valley in December.

Mark Schaub, chief international officer, said opportunities like this are at the core of international partnerships.

“The partnership is already starting to pay off for students, faculty and staff,” Schaub said, adding that the first Grand Valley student will study in Chile this fall.

The next Partnership Delegation of faculty and staff members, sponsored by the Padnos International Center, will visit UBB in 2013. “We are hoping to see a range of applicants from faculty and staff interested in participating in that delegation and getting involved in the benefits of this new relationship,” he said. “It’s GVSU’s first comprehensive partnership in South America.”