Winston-Salem State University News December 7, 2011 Winston-Salem Received Major Grant for International Project Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has received a three-year grant totaling $99,285 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)’s HBCU initiatives program to support a project to integrate India into the school’s liberal arts curriculum. “We are extremely excited about this award,” said Dr. Joti Sekhon, director of International Programs at WSSU. “There were 39 applications for this specific grant and we were one of only four to receive funding. The grant will be used to enhance the cross-cultural and global competence of students by providing the resources necessary to allow faculty from across the campus to develop or restructure courses as a means of infusing knowledge about India into the university’s curriculum. Given the growth of India’s role in the world economy, our students must have increased knowledge of the country from historical and contemporary perspectives.” The funding is connected with the NEH’s Bridging Cultures initiative which encourages projects that explore the ways in which cultures from around the globe, including subcultures within the U.S., have influenced American society. In 2010, Winston-Salem State became one of 10 colleges selected by the Institute of International Education to participate in an international studies pilot group to build a strategic plan for study abroad and exchange opportunities with institutions in India. “The NEH grant will move that objective forward and give a significant boost to the WSSU strategic plan priority to prepare students for success in the 21st century,” added Sekhon. “India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the world’s largest democracy and a strategic player in international affairs, so it is imperative that the university enhance the skills and capacities for our faculty and students to engage with India.” Dr. Rob Anderson, associate professor of Portuguese, and Dr. Rose Sackeyfio, assistant professor of English, will serve as co-directors of the project with Sekhon. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org www.hbculibraries.org 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org Honor the ancestors, honor the children.