Humphrey Fellow Visiting BSC in Collaboration with College’s Office of International Initiatives

Humphrey Fellow Dr. Kouame Remi Oussou of Alassane Ouattara University-Bouake, Côte d’Ivore, where he is Assistant Professor of Sociology and coordinator of career services, will engage in job shadowing Dr. Sudhakar R Jamkhandi, Coordinator of Bluefield State College’s Office of International Initiatives, May 1 – June 7, 2019 to learn strategies and activities to recruit, integrate, and retain international students and internationalize his institution’s academic curriculum. Dr. Oussou also hopes to foster a partnership between his home institution and Bluefield State College to support student and faculty exchanges, collaborative faculty research, and information exchange.

“The Bluefield State College community looks forward to hosting the visit from Dr. Oussou, and we appreciate the leadership of Dr. Sudhakar Jamkhandi in coordinating this exciting opportunity,” noted BSC President Robin Capehart.  “Dr. Oussou’s work with Dr. Jamkhandi will cultivate skills and knowledge that will facilitate Dr. Oussou’s professional growth upon his return to Alassane Ouattara University-Bouake, Côte d’Ivore.” Dr. Oussou’s mentor at BSC, Dr. Sudhakar R. Jamkhandi, coordinates BSC’s Office of International Initiatives and is a Professor of English at BSC since 1986. From 2011-16, he was on the Fulbright Roster as a Specialist for Internationalizing Institutional Capacity.

At BSC, Dr. Oussou will learn about student support services, career services, the professional degrees offered by the college’s five Schools, and how the office of International Initiatives interacts with every office on campus.  At the Office of International Initiatives, Dr. Oussou will learn about preparing/updating handbooks for BSC’s international students and ensuring they have adequate housing and transportation to campus; BSC’s participation in the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Program between the US and Germany; marketing and managing the English for International Students program; grant writing to support faculty led study abroad programs; infusing the college’s and area schools’ curriculum with presentations by visiting Fulbright Scholars; study abroad advising and raising funds to support study abroad; preparation of study abroad handbooks for students, parents, and faculty; setting up strategic international institutional partnerships to promote student and faculty exchanges, collaborative faculty research, and information exchange;  and, preparing successful applications to host Fulbright Scholars in Residence from BSC’s partner institutions.

“Bluefield State College is proud to be a partner in the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program by hosting an international scholar at our college with the caliber of Dr. Kouame Remi Oussou who is also a Rotarian,” said Provost Ted Lewis. “We look forward meaningful dialogs with him and fostering a greater understanding about issues of common concern to Alassane Ouattara University-Bouake, Côte d’Ivoire and Bluefield State College and between Côte d’Ivoire and the USA.”

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education, the Humphrey Program brings young and mid-career professionals such as Dr. Kouame Remi Oussou from designated countries to the United States for a year of non-degree graduate-level study, leadership development, and professional collaboration with U.S. counterparts.