Georgia Tech, Georgia State University Establish $2.25M Atlanta Global Studies Center

Posted September 18, 2018

Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University have established the Atlanta Global Studies Center (AGSC), a National Resource Center and a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship program funded by a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The interdisciplinary center will focus on research and instruction geared to student populations that are underrepresented in international and advanced language studies.

“The Atlanta Global Studies Center will provide opportunities for economic and civic partnerships across the greater Atlanta region by leveraging the city’s status as a leading international corporate center and thriving multinational investment hub,” said G.P. “Bud” Peterson, president of Georgia Institute of Technology. “The state of Georgia’s efforts in bilingual and dual-immersion education demonstrates the ever-growing need for a global workforce. We are honored to work with Georgia State on yet another collaboration.” 

The AGSC will engage college students throughout Atlanta — including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students; community college students; and minority, first-generation and low-income students — with a goal to serve areas of national needs in educating these college students for careers in business, education, security and defense, and public and governmental sectors. 

“All students must engage in international education to succeed during the 21st century, both in the job market and as well-informed citizens,” said Risa Palm, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Georgia State. “The new center will help to provide more opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds in the region to gain this vital knowledge that is critical for their future success, and for our region and nation.”

AGSC will foster specialized instruction in international education and less commonly taught languages, such as Arabic, Korean, Portuguese and Hindi. In addition, the AGSC will manage FLAS fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students. Prospective Fellows must enroll in language programs and will receive a full-tuition waiver and stipend. 

“The AGSC is an important step in further innovation of global curriculum, and I am thrilled about the enrichment it will provide to students and community,” said Anthony Lemieux, director of the Georgia State Global Studies Institute and co-director of AGSC.

According to Anna Westerstahl Stenport, chair of the Georgia Tech School of Modern Languages who spearheaded the grant proposal, AGSC priorities will encompass curriculum enhancement, faculty professional development, public events, conferences, language instruction, and kindergarten through 12th grade and community outreach. 

“Our mission is to enhance access to advanced language learning and deepen knowledge of global and intercultural issues for the benefit of Atlanta region students, faculty and the public,” said Stenport, co-director of the AGSC. “This will be facilitated through robust collaborations in research and instruction with Atlanta universities and with international organizations, consulates, refugee organizations and institutions of public service and higher education in the Southeast and nationally.”  

The AGSC proposal team from Georgia Tech included professors Stenport, Vicki Galloway, Lizanne DeStefano and Yves Berthelot, who also is the vice provost for international initiatives. The Georgia State team included professors Lemieux, William Nichols, and Wolfgang Schlör, associate provost for international initiatives.

The AGSC will be housed in the Global Studies Institute in Georgia State’s College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Modern Languages in the Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. For more information, contact Anna Stenport at aws@gatech.edu.