Since John Dewey’s two-year visit to China in the 1920s, Teachers College has maintained a strong commitment to global education and a slate of brand new study abroad programs continue that legacy. To celebrate the launch of offerings in Costa Rica, Morocco, China, Brazil, France and Italy, the Office of Global Engagement hosted the College’s inaugural International Film Festival, “Learning to Heal: Education’s Role in Conflict and Reconciliation.” The evening featured screenings of student films from the College’s first trip, as well as live musical performances, a networking reception and presentations on the new study abroad offerings.
“Launching study abroad programs at the graduate level marks a historic milestone for Teachers College,” said Amine Mechaal, Director of Global Engagement. “Study abroad programs are still relatively rare at graduate schools due to factors like intensive academic schedules, professional obligations and limited financial support. But these are precisely the challenges we set out to solve. Our new faculty-led, credit-bearing programs are short-term, deeply immersive and designed around the unique needs of graduate students — offering them meaningful global experiences that complement their academic and professional goals. This isn’t just about crossing borders; it’s about expanding horizons.”
A part of TC’s commitment to advancing student success, the credit-bearing offerings were designed to help student “become agents in the world who can take on global challenges and who contribute meaningfully to the public good,” said KerryAnn O’Meara, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost and Dean of the College, at the event, which also served as a fundraiser for OGE’s International Travel Grant for Study Abroad. “These Study Abroad programs will continue a long legacy of meaningful cultural and global exchange here at TC."
To demonstrate the impact of study abroad, six students who were on TC’s first program in San Juan, Costa Rica — led by S. Garnet Russell, Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education — screen short videos that captured their experiences for the festival.
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From left to right: Jaime Marshall, Vince Upang Moua and Aysan Jahankhah (Photo: TC Archives)
From left to right: Amine Mechaal and Wandee Tawinboon (Photo: TC Archives)
S. Garnet Russell, Associate Professor of International and Comparative Education (Photo: TC Archives)
KerryAnn O’Meara, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost and Dean of the College (Photo: TC Archives)
The nine-day program was designed to provide students with insights into the complex relationship between education, conflict and peace-building. To accomplish this, in addition to cultural immersion, students attended lectures from faculty at UPEACE, a university dedicated to peace education established by the United Nations in 1980, and spent time at local organizations like Fundacion Sifais, an organization that provides socio-educational services to socially and economically marginalized people.
“When I came to TC I wanted to take advantage of opportunities that would allow me to learn more about peace and education,” said Vince Upang Moua, an Education Policy & Social Analysis student, in his short film which won the film festival’s grand prize. “I [pursued] this study abroad program as an opportunity to build inspirational pathways towards academic and economic freedom for folks who have rarely seen themselves as capable of change making.”
The new study abroad programs offer an opportunity for TC students to expand their scholarship and practice to new cultural contexts with both Teachers College faculty and international partners. For College leadership, helping students engage at the graduate level in an international setting is critical to shaping their next steps beyond 120th Street.
“Behind every program we’re launching, there is a student who will walk away from that experience not just with memories, but with insight, humility and, often, a renewed sense of purpose,” said Portia Williams, Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Global Affairs.“These short films, crafted by our students, are not just reflections of travel; they are windows into transformation and they remind us why we’re doing this.”
In recognition of their hard work and storytelling capabilities, students received cash awards and prizes, determined by a panel of judges, which included Tom Rock, Associate Vice President & Chief Student Affairs Officer; Charles Lang, Senior Executive Director of the Digital Futures Institute; and Joy Rockwell, founder and Executive Director of Joy Worldwide, a non-profit organization offering study abroad opportunities and scholarships to African American college students. Audience members also had the opportunity to vote for their favorite film of the evening.
Below, find the films showcased at the festival.
“Remembrancing in Pura Vida,” Vince Upang Moua (Sociology and Education) - First place winner
“A Drop in the Ocean,” Jamie Marshall (International and Comparative Education) - Second place winner
“Education Beyond Borders: A Journey of Learning, Resilience and Peace,” Aysan Jahankhah (Mental Health Counseling) - Third place winner
“Pura Vida & Poetry of Peacemaking,” Cathy Le (International and Comparative Education) - Community Choice winner
“Lessons from the Rift: Education as a Path to Peace,” Wandee Tawinboon (Instructional Technology and Media) - Honorable Mention