Fulbright in the Curriculum (FICC) Toolkit: A Call to Action!
Your next steps for turning inspiration into institutional impact.
Immediate Impact: 3-Day Challenge (Faculty & Staff)
Choose ONE action item to complete within 3 days of reviewing the FICC series to sustain momentum.
| FICC Theme | Action Item | Resource Used |
| Pathways to Fulbright |
Identify one non-traditional or underrepresented student (or a colleague) and initiate a conversation about the Fulbright opportunity, using the myth-busting points from Mariam Yaldram and Allison Gilmore. | FICC Mentorship Notes |
| Workforce Readiness |
Select one assignment in your syllabus that explores a “Global/Cross-Cultural Competency” or “UN SDG Alignment” component based on Dr. Robin Matross Helms’ presentation. | Existing Syllabus |
| Research & Advocacy |
Choose one key data point from Dr. Melissa Whatley’s presentation (e.g., global learning’s impact on retention) and draft a 2-sentence email to your Dean or VP to use in a future resource request. | Advocacy Data Sheet |
Collaborative Implementation: The GCC Micro-Team Launch
The most effective change is cross-functional. Launch a small Global Competency Champion (GCC) Micro-Team to achieve a structured goal by the end of the Spring 2026 semester.
Team Composition (Must include at least 3 roles):
Faculty
Academic or CTE Instructor
Student Services
Advisor, Student Success Coordinator, or Honors Director
Administrator
Department Chair, Curriculum Coordinator, or Dean
Team Goal: Select One of the FICC Impact Projects Below
| Project | Target Outcome & Key Presenter Connection |
| SLO Revision Project |
Revise the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for a high-enrollment course to incorporate a global or SDG focus. (Dr. Robin Matross Helms) |
| Fulbright Mentorship Pipeline |
Develop a dedicated “Fulbright Access Statement” for your college’s scholarships page, addressing barriers for non-traditional students. (Mariam Yaldram & Allison Gilmore) |
| Data Advocacy Presentation |
Create a 3-slide presentation using Dr. Whatley’s data to be delivered to a college governance committee (e.g., Curriculum, Budget, or Planning) to justify global learning efforts. (Dr. Melissa Whatley) |
Sustainable Innovation: Next-Level Resources
Use these resources to seek funding and support for long-term curricular change.
Pursue COIL/Virtual Exchange (VE) Funding
- The Next Step: Research the Global Challenges Teaching Awards (featured by Dr. Jessica McIvor). Identify the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that best aligns with one of your existing courses as a preliminary COIL concept.
- Action: Find an internal instructional designer or faculty development lead and propose the VE/COIL concept for the next grant cycle.
Engage Institutional Stakeholders
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The Next Step: Share the FICC 2025 presentation outcomes and your Advocacy Statement (from Section I) with your supervisor during your next professional development review.
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Action: Ask your Dean/VP, “How can I align my goal for global competency integration with the college’s strategic plan for equity and workforce development?”
Fulbright UK Summer Institute 2026
- The Next Step: The Fulbright UK Summer Institutes are funded three to four week programmes for US undergraduate students, who have no or very little travel experience outside North America.
- Action: Ask your Dean/VP, “How can we help our students apply? Click Here For Details
Join the Network
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The Next Step: Join the Community Colleges Chapter of the Fulbright Association to maintain access to resources, partners, and peer support beyond International Education Week 2025. https://communitycolleges.fulbrightchapters.org/
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Action: Commit to checking the Chapter’s page monthly for new grant or professional development opportunities. https://communitycolleges.fulbrightchapters.org/
Thank you for championing Global Learning! #FICC #IEW2025
Playlist Description
Fulbright in the Curriculum (FICC) is a virtual event series for community college faculty and staff. The purpose is to equip educators with practical strategies for integrating global perspectives into their courses and programs.
In this “Pathways to Fulbright” session, Fulbright and Montgomery College alumna Mariam “Mimi” Yaldram illustrates the power of equity in global exchange. A community college graduate and non-traditional student with a disability, Mimi details her journey from overcoming systemic barriers to serving as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Taiwan. Her narrative dispels the myth that prestige scholarships are out of reach for community college populations.
Dr. Melissa Whatley presents compelling research linking international education directly to community college student success. Comparing Study Abroad with Virtual International Exchange (VIE), Dr. Whatley utilizes a counterfactual framework to measure impact.
In this session, experts Dr. Robin Helms (ACCT) and Heather Singmaster (Digital Promise) explore integrating global learning into Career and Technical Education (CTE). They posit that global competency is crucial for workforce development and economic competitiveness, even for students who never travel.
Allison Gilmore, Fulbright alumna and board member of Fulbright Noir, highlights the transformative power of experiential learning in her presentation “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” Drawing from her own journey as a U.S. Teaching Assistant in Austria, she illustrates how international experiences foster critical cross-cultural understanding and career readiness.
Dr. Jessica McIvor from the US-UK Fulbright Commission introduces the Fulbright Global Challenges Teaching Awards, a unique opportunity for U.S. faculty to internationalize their curriculum through Virtual International Exchange (VIE).