Newly appointed special academic programs head Donna Scarboro will send students to the Olympics, Australia and Europe under one position at GW this year while she attempts to consolidate academic and study abroad programs.
Scarboro’s office will serve as an umbrella for any academic program that involves more than one school and will examine study abroad options.
“I help put resources together so opportunities of the norm can be accomplished,” said Scarboro, who previously oversaw summer, international and special academic programs.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald Lehman appointed Scarboro as assistant vice president for special academic programs because the department wanted a point person to coordinate interdisciplinary programs that are not overseen by a single department.
She will oversee and coordinate programs within the International Programs Advisory Group, new international program development, the Office of Study Abroad and the Office of University Students.
Activities that are not overseen by a single department and require interdisciplinary coordination, like the 700-series seminar classes and international programs, are now taken to Scarboro’s office, she said.
“The position is consolidating a lot of activities that go across the University,” Scarboro said.
Scarboro will also take on new responsibilities for the Academic Integrity Office and the University Art Galleries. Director of Academic Integrity Tim Terpsta and Dimock Gallery Director Lenor Miller will now report to Scarboro.
“I provide management and structure to these people,” said Scarboro, who has been a member of the English department since 1983 and held her previous position since 1989.
Terpstra and Miller used to report to Craig Linebaugh, assistant vice president of academic affairs.
Scarboro is working to incorporate several areas into unique new programs.
Later in the semester, Scarboro will help business professor Lisa Delpy take a group of students to the winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, to study major sports event management.
She is also involved in creating another GW-affiliated program with Curtin University in Perth, Australia.
Scarboro is working to improve the new study abroad program in Paris, where GW established a campus last fall. Students recently returned from the program’s first semester. Scarboro is currently getting feedback from the students and working to see what aspects of the program need improvement.
“I am working very hard to create (and improve) an array of programs with GW’s name on them,” Scarboro said.
She met with the students at Mount Vernon on Wednesday who recently returned from the GWorld program to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their experience abroad. The University offered the program last semester to sophomores who would not normally be considered for a study abroad program.
In return for the opportunity, the students committed to living in Somers hall this semester.
“These activities give students a real boost and a chance to get experiences along with an academic program,” she said.
