Faculty, staff selected for delegation to Romania

Six faculty and staff members will travel as a Padnos International Center delegation to the University of Babes-Bolyai (UBB) in Romania next year.

They are Elizabeth Bonnell, assistant director of admissions; Beth Martin, library faculty member; Jason Osborne, senior program advisor for Disability Support Resources; Elizabeth Richmond, records auditor, Registrar's Office; Jim Seufert, director of laboratory safety, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and Natalie Trent, human resources representative, HRO.

They applied for a delegation grant from PIC to participate in the trip scheduled for May. Faculty and staff members from various departments have traveled to partner institutions for 10 years; the trip to UBB will be the last in this format, according to Mark Schaub, chief international officer. 

Schaub said grants targeted by destination and purpose will continue to be offered to faculty and staff members. For example, four faculty from the College of Health Professions applied and received an international projects team grant to travel to Belize last year to develop clinical opportunities for students.

"We need to use our resources for highest impact related to strategic goals, so that is driving this change to something that will be more targeted by unit/program strategic goals," Schaub said.

Osborne said he looks forward to learning how UBB provides services and accommodations to students with disabilities, including those who have Autism Spectrum Disorder, and providing insight.

"I could provide UBB with valuable tools and resources to help them, especially since I am seeing an increased interest in students with ASD wanting to study abroad," Osborne said.

Richmond hopes to encourage more students to study abroad and said this experience will give her first-hand knowledge.

"It's such a unique opportunity to travel internationally, learn about a new culture and experience a program available to Grand Valley students," she said. "UBB's commitment to multiculturalism and collaboration among different religions intrigues me."

Martin said she is excited to explore the region's rich cultural history, and engage with UBB's librarians to understand their student resources.