DR. ELIZABETH RULEMAN,
25 years at Wesleyan
Current Roles: English Professor Study Abroad Coordinator Sponsor for Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society Previous Roles Served: Library Assistant Associate Dean Department Chair
Classes She Teaches: Composition, Literature, Grammar, Practicum in Tutoring, and Books and Related Materials for Children I have a special place in my heart for international students; I admire their courage, tenacity, and good humor. But internationalization is more than bringing students in and sending some abroad. We need to create a more globally-focused culture on campus. To that end, I have helped two colleagues—Ana Barrios and Augustin Bocco—create a new major: World Languages and Cultures. This major, to be implemented, we hope, in the fall of 2020, will offer students a more global perspective on the world, taking a step towards making them citizens of the world. With a course in empathy training and an internship related to language teaching as well as other courses, this major will fill a much-needed gap in our curriculum. Together with Trinity UMC and the Sister Cities Committee of Athens, we’re also offering a program called Worldwide Wesleyan once a month to connect our international and domestic students. I am motivated by my strong belief that we must spread the message that the U.S. welcomes those who choose to study among us and that our domestic students need more ways to connect with others from other countries, whether they stay on our campus and simply hang out with the international students here or go abroad to meet others in their home countries. Helping all of our students learn and grow is what college is all about, and I see myself as assisting in the process where and when I can.
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