O'More College of Design - Townsend Institute for Global Competency

The Townsend Institute for Global Competency

O'More College of Design believes that a college experience should offer students exposure to, and training with, other countries and cultures. Our membership is currently composed of faculty, students, and board members from 45 states and 20 countries. With each year that passes, more and more of our local economy will include global ties. An understanding of this global economy as well as global politics, global education, global religion, global conflict, and global art and design are imperative to the total preparation process of making our students marketable throughout the world. This global training involves an understanding of the traditions of various cultures in order to avoid misunderstanding. But these cultural experiences also enrich our lives and provide us with a true understanding of our world. Local businesses are eager to hire employees who are globally competent and internationally prepared. With this in mind, the Hilliard and McAfee Institutes at O'More College created our new Global Competency Program.

The Townsend Institute Heritage
The Townsend Institute was made possible by a grant from Carolyn Townsend McAfee in memory and honor of her parents, Raymond Clay Townsend and Sophia Malin Townsend.

O'More Opportunities for Global Training:

O'More-Grand Tour: International travel courses which provide research, training, and travel to various international communities each year.
O'More-Market Trips: Market trips and experiential travel courses to design centers, workshops, and conferences both within and outside the United States (Boston, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and more).
O'More-Ireland: A summer semester in Abbey-Leix Ireland, the ancestral home of the O'Mores; Ireland internships; and educational and artistic exchanges.
O'More-Oxford: Membership in the Oxford University Summer Research Institute, Harris Manchester College, Oxford, England-a research program for O'More fellows, scholars, and professors.
O'More-Outreach Institute: Cultural community service projects by O'More design teams of students and faculty.
O'More-First Nations: A program of cultural, academic, artistic, and exploratory study into a variety of Native American Tribes. Activities include Project Cherokee, and Indian Summer: A First-Nations Gathering.
O'More Rural and Metro America: Research and travel to small and large academic, design, and artistic venues throughout the United States.
O'More-Explore: Short field trips and fun adventures to explore the world of history and nature in our own backyard (Civil war sites, the Natchez Trace, Cherokee, Boston, the Florida Keys, etc.). These trips are typically offered during the fall, spring, and summer breaks.
O'More-Sister Cities: Twinning and exchanged with a variety of other countries (currently: Canada and Ireland, pending: China).
O'More-GlobeFest: "A Celebration of Nations" international and cultural festival with authentic representatives of multiple cultures each year.
O'More Global and Cultural Lecture and Training Series
Classroom Global and Cultural Training
Global Credentials: Individuals may determine their personal level of global training. Level I is noted below.

O'More Credentialing in Global Competency Level I:

Global Competency Credentialing requires global training concurrent with the pursuit of an academic degree. In consultation with the Townsend Institute for Global Competency and the Hilliard Institute for Educational Wellness, students design an individualized program of study. The program encourages students to take advantage of the many international and cultural learning opportunities available through O'More College of Design, as they prepare for the ever changing global community. Credentialing requires the following:

6 semester hours of academic courses dealing with international/global issues, contemporary or historical cultural events/issues, foreign language, or independent global studies.
6 semester hours of travel abroad and/or cultural training through the O'More Cultural Field College: studying or interning in a foreign country and/or unique cultural communities in the U.S.
45 hours of documented global/cultural community service such as Habitat for Humanity, Tom's Shoes, Angel Tree, Cherokee Reservation, etc. Each event must be pre-approved by the Globalization Department.
45 hours of lectureship/workshop training through O'More co-sponsored programs such as: Passport to the World, Art Up Close and Personal, or non-O'More sponsored lectures and workshops approved by the Globalization Deptartment (documented attendance at lectures/workshops).
45 hours attending global and cultural events with documented attendance at international/cultural fairs, cultural concerts, etc.
A research project and paper related to global competency within the student's particular discipline. A Senior Research Tutor will be assigned to each student to oversee the project.

Authentic Ireland Cultural Enrichment (AICE) partnership:

AICE has partnered with O'More College of Design to celebrate and bring alive all aspects of the Irish culture. AICE protrats Irish music, song, dance and story time in an exciting and lively environment. This organization aims to bring together individuals of any background who want to participate in Irish cultural pursuits. The goal and purpose of AICE, is to promote, revive, preserve and celebrate the traditional Irish culture in Tennessee. This organization caters to all Irish culture enthusiasts. Learn more about the program here.

"TEAM IRELAND - Fostering Dignity and Beauty in Our Shared Irishness":

TEAM IRELAND describes the partnership between nine distinct groups in Middle Tennessee that have an existing alliance with Ireland in a specific way. These groups strive to promote and support an active relationship with Ireland in various ways, including: Education, Theater and Film, Gaelic Games (G.A.A), Christianity, Traditions/Customs/Folklore, Linguistics, Culture, Tourism and Ethnology. The goal of TEAM IRELAND is to advance and to ameliorate these robust Irish relationships from an altruistic perspective; through a sentiment of truly honoring the culture and heritage of both Ireland and Middle Tennessee. Learn more about the program here.

For more information, contact Professor Jessa Sexton, Director of the Hilliard Institute for Educational Wellness, jsexton@omorecollege.edu

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