Vesna Dimitrieska, Coordinator of Global Education Initiatives, has won the Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. The award, given at the association’s recent annual meeting in Atlanta, recognizes Dimitrieska’s unique work between the School of Education and the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies.

“Globally ready students are able to reach their fullest potential and make a difference not only in their local but also national and international communities,” Dimitrieska said. “Global issues are rooted in local contexts, and, as teacher educators, we owe it to our students to create the types of learning experiences that would empower them to be active advocates in their local communities while being mindful of how the local and the global are interconnected.”

Dimitrieska coordinates K-16 Global Education Perspectives, a cross-school program that is a collaboration between the School of Education and the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies and its area studies centers, including the African Studies Program, Center for the Study of Global Change, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Center for the Study of the Middle East, East Asian Studies Center, Institute for European Studies, Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Centerand Russian and East European Institute. This internal but cross-school partnership has been shared as an exemplary model among several associations and grant-awarding agencies.

“In order to make a difference, it is necessary to infuse global perspectives in teacher preparation courses and professional development of in-service teachers, principals and teacher educators,” Dimitrieska said. “In my work, I continue to advocate that traveling or studying abroad is not the only way one can become a global citizen.”

Her work with the K-16 Global Education Perspectives includes developing two types of initiatives, the first for School of Education students and faculty and the second to serve and support teachers and principals in their efforts to internationalize their curricula and schools. Some of the ongoing initiatives include global learning workshops for School of Education students, university-wide global classrooms initiatives, support for dual language programs across Indiana, the Global Literacy Invitations project for K-6 teachers, professional development for middle and high school social studies teachers and working with principals who are internationalizing their schools.

“It has been an incredibly humbling and at the same time enriching experience to be able to serve not only our School of Ed students and faculty, but also teachers and administrators from all over Indiana,” she added.

Dimitrieska would like to thank Dean Lemuel Watson, HLS Dean Lee Feinstein, Associate Vice President for International Affairs Hilary Kahn, the directors and associate directors of the HLS’ area studies centers and all the students, educators and faculty that she has had the privilege to serve during the past few years.

“Collaborating with colleagues from both schools in our efforts to provide quality global learning experiences for our pre-service and in-service teachers and their students has been an amazing journey, and I am looking forward to expanding our joint efforts in the future,” Dimitrieska said.