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Tuskegee University Global Office (TUGO)

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Mission

The Tuskegee University Global Office was established to infuse an international dimension throughout Tuskegee University's programs of instruction, research and extension. The goal of Tuskegee University's participation in international development activities is to develop an effective and responsive international program within the context of the university ís land grant mission. This means:

  • Effective planning and implementation of international projects to maximize benefits to the people of the developing countries; 
  • The institutionalization of international dimensions into the teaching, research, extension and public service functions of the University; and 
  • Realization of benefits from such participation for Tuskegee University's clientele, the University and the United States. 

The impact for global learning is now. Learning about the world, especially as it relates to improving our country 's strategic advantage has become an important national security concern. Committed educators have long known that learning about the world and about the interrelationships among national, international and global issues is indispensable to a high quality education.

An Overview

Tuskegee University has accumulated a breadth and depth of experiences and skills in international development, based on extensive work in Africa, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean. The University has historically committed faculty and institutional capabilities to working with developing countries, to affect human resource development, economic policy changes, institutional development and technology transfer through the design and implementation of projects. Tuskegee University has amassed a cadre of highly trained scientists and professionals on various fields.

Our Purpose

The need for administrators, faculty, staff and students to have an understanding of other nations, other cultures, literature, modes of thinking and languages is urgent. By helping our students to comprehend the complexities and subtleties of the environment, the University can make a special contribution to meeting this national need. The Tuskegee University Global Office has a responsibility to internationalize the Tuskegee University campus. International students do a lot to bring cultural diversity to our campus, but we need more. The Global Office is assisting the University in meeting these needs through international development activities. This includes international research and development, technical assistance, international training and study abroad. Tuskegee allows its faculty and staff to provide technical assistance and to collaborate with developing countries and research institutes on research projects in most areas of strength at the University.

Contact Us

Rhonda CollierDr. Rhonda Collier, Director
Tuskegee University Global Office
70-120 Kenney Hall
Tuskegee, AL 36088
Phone: 334-727-8686
Fax: 334-727-8451
E-mail: rcollier@tuskegee.edu

Joan WynnMrs. Joan Wynn
Immigration Control Officer and
International Students Advisor

70-119 Kenney Hall
Tuskegee, AL 36088
Phone: 334-727-8929
Email: jwynn@tuskegee.edu

Resume Brief - Collier

Rhonda M. Collier, Ph.D.

EDUCATION
B.S., University of Tennessee, Knoxville 
M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology 
M.A., University of Tennessee, Chattanooga 
M.A., Vanderbilt University 
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University 

BACKGROUND
Dr. Rhonda Collier was appointed director of the Tuskegee University Global Office (TUGO). Starting immediately all international related matters must pass TUGO that reports to the president through the provost. TUGO will play a critical role advancing new initiatives, increasing and formalizing collaborations abroad, ensuring compliance with institutional policies. Dr. Collier will be responsible for the development of an efficient organizational structure with information and resources to serve our partners from abroad efficiently, provide our students from abroad prompt and cordial service, and to increase TU visibility globally. 

Dr. Collier holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Vanderbilt University (2002). Additionally, she has a B.S. and M.S. in industrial (‘91) and health systems engineering (‘93) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Georgia Tech, respectively. As an engineer, she worked for General Electric in the area of manufacturing and broadcasting systems. Later in her engineering career, she worked as an analyst at Cigna Healthcare. After several years in industry, Dr. Collier became interested in the people and the places behind the products and processes. 

She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese with reading knowledge of French and Italian. She is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar, who studied at the Universidade de São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil. She previously served as director of the Abilene Christian University’s Latin American Study Abroad Program in Montevideo, Uruguay. In South America, she was responsible for the safe execution of the university’s on-site program. She also was responsible for staff hiring and management of student logistics and safety. She published in the areas of Cuban literature, Brazilian literature, global hip-hop, and public theology, and collaborates with the Vanderbilt University Center for Latin American Studies. 

Dr. Collier received grants from National Endowment for the Humanities, the Lilly Foundation, as well as international grants from the UNCF/Mellon Program. She is passionate about making students better writers, better thinkers and better citizens of our global society. She serves on Faculty Senate, the Continuing Education and Outreach Committee, and the Health Disparities Research Institute. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is an international guest speaker on the topics of global women’s hip-hop, cultural competency, and Zora Neale Hurston. She has traveled extensively in South America, Europe and Africa. 

RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS

  • Global hip hop 
  • Afro-Brazilian literature 
  • Afro-Christian feminist studies 
  • Latin American studies 
  • Technical writing 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  • Collier, Rhonda. “Mothering Cuba: The Poets of Afro-Cuban Women.” Another Black Like Me: The Construction of Identities and Solidarity in the African Diaspora. Eds. Elaine Rocha, Nielson Bezzera, and Richard Goodridge. February 2015. New Castle-Upon-Tyne, England: Cambridge Scholars Publishing Ltd. p. 65-96.
  • Collier, Rhonda. “There’s No Place Like Home: Cultural Memory in Toni Morrison’s Tar Baby and Edwidge Danticat’s Breath, Eyes and Memory.” Outward Evil, Inward Battle: Human Memory in Literature. Eds. Benjamin Fishkin, Bill Ndi, Adaku Ankumah and Festus Fru Ndeh. Cameroon: Langaa, June 2013. p. 171-184.
  • Collier, Rhonda. “From Hip Hop to Hip Hope: Art and Public Theology.” Walking Together: Christian Thinking and Public Life in South Africa. Ed. Joel Carpenter. Abilene Christian University Press. 2012. 
  • Collier, Rhonda. “’Over the Rainbow’: Finding Home in Cleage’s West End Atlanta.” Pearl Cleage and Free Womanhood: Essays on Her Prose Work. Ed. Aisha Francis and T. Foster-Singletary. McFarland. 2012.
  • Collier, Rhonda. Las Consecuencias de la Obesidad en la Salud [The Health Consequences of Obesity]. Tuskegee Area Health Education Center, Inc and Central Alabama Veterans Health Care Systems. June 2012.
  • Collier, Rhonda. Guest Editor and Contributor. Special Afro-Brazilian Edition. Obsidian Journal: Literature of the African Diaspora.http://obsidian.chass.ncsu.edu/ojs/index.php/obsidian/issue/view/1. Vol 13, No 1 (2012).  

Resume Brief - Wynn

Mrs. Joan Wynn

OFFICE
70-119 Kenney Hall
Tuskegee, AL 36088
Phone: 334-727-8929
Email: jwynn@tuskegee.edu 

EDUCATION:
Mrs. Joan Wynn received her education at Alabama State University and has over twenty years experience working at Tuskegee University as an immigration coordinator. She enjoys working with international students, faculty and staff.