Students certainly talk about their life-changing experiences on ACM off-campus study programs. The opportunities for faculty on the programs are rich, as well, and can include some surprises. For example:
“We sat quietly in the pitch black for about five minutes. Then (our guide) turned on the lights of the truck and two large male lions, one with a yellow mane and one with a dark brown mane, were standing 20 feet away, just looking at us.”
Todd Knoop and students on the Spring 2009 ACM Botswana Program.
That account by Cornell College economics professor Todd Knoop of a field trip to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana might not be a typical “day in the life” of a faculty director on an ACM program. However, memorable experiences are typical for visiting faculty and program directors.
On ACM programs, visiting faculty and program directors teach a course in their field of expertise, make connections with on-site colleagues, and creatively use location-specific resources to make off-campus study compelling and valuable for their students.
All faculty at ACM colleges are eligible to apply for positions on consortial programs in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the U.S. As program directors and visiting faculty, they ensure the academic quality of ACM off-campus study programs and are vital to the success of the programs.
ACM offers faculty a variety of development opportunities and support, such as:
- Orientation at the ACM office and participation in a meeting of ACM off-campus program directors and visiting faculty.
- Teaching one or more courses that use the program’s location to teach in ways not possible on campus and that addresses the program’s overall mission and learning goals;
- Overseeing independent study projects by students that are interdisciplinary that take advantage of unique resources available at the program site;
- Working with on-site ACM staff and partners at local universities, and making professional contacts;
- Living in the program location and traveling locally to lead field trips; and
- Carrying out responsibilities in student advising and orientation.
Apply before March 31, 2010 (except as noted below) for positions in the Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 semesters on these programs:
- Botswana: University Immersion in Southern Africa (Spring 2012)
- Florence: Arts, Humanities, & Culture (Fall 2011)
- London & Florence: Arts in Context (Spring 2012) – Positions in Florence and London
- India: Culture, Traditions, & Globalization (Fall 2011; appointment for August 2011)
- Newberry Seminar in the Humanities (Fall 2011) in Chicago (apply by March 1)
- Tanzania: Ecology & Human Origins (Fall 2011)
Faculty at ACM colleges also are eligible to apply for:
- Resident Director for Japan Study (Academic year 2011-2012) – Apply by April 30; Japan Study is managed by Earlham College
- Resident Director for the Oak Ridge Science Semester (ORSS) (Fall 2011) – Apply by October 15; ORSS is managed by Denison University
Links:
- Announcements for Program Director/Visiting Faculty positions on ACM off-campus study programs in the 2011-12 academic year
- For more about those lions, read Todd Knoop’s account of an ACM Botswana Program field trip to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta.
