Center for International Education Hosts Residency for Students in Turkey and Lebanon

(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — December 30, 2024) Empire State University continuously embraces innovative ways to bring international education to students in the United States and at our partner universities across the globe. In Turkey, faculty with the Center for International Education facilitated a residency with students in Turkey and Lebanon focused on an international cross-cultural management course.  

The four-day residency took place this fall and allowed students in both countries to connect through a virtual exchange using course content and interactive activities. In addition to students enrolled at partner universities, visiting students also participated in the residency. There were also opportunities for students to participate in social activities as part of the program.  

Lorette Pellettiere Calix, lecturer in the Center for International Education, said creating the residency helps promote student success and allows students to feel part of a larger community while completing their coursework.  

“If people feel a connection, they’re more likely to persist to graduation than if they feel isolated and disconnected from others,” Pellettiere Calix said. “That’s why we have discussion forums in online courses. We want people to interact and try to build a sense of community.”  

Pellettiere Calix said the course she teaches that is part of this residency, International Cross-Cultural Management, enables students and faculty to build that community environment across borders.  

“The course lends itself to the sorts of interactions we’ve been able to have including students from Lebanon and Turkey in the same course,” Pellettiere Calix said. “We often have students from Greece and students from the Dominican Republic. We try and put them together as much as we can when we have the online format with virtual meetings. So, students not only learn from the content they are studying — they also learn from their interactions with one another and people in other countries, making it an even richer experience.”  

Through coursework, Pellettiere Calix teaches students how to communicate their differences in business management and management styles with cultural context with the goal for each student to gain management insight that would help them succeed in a global economy. Pellettiere Calix said faculty also benefit from learning opportunities within the residencies.  

“Through my interactions and observations in Turkey, I was able to learn so much more about them than I would have without having a physical presence,” Pellettiere Calix said. “My courses will be enriched with new examples and the benefits of my learning.”  

While Pellettiere Calix has been teaching this course for some time, she said observing the interactions between students and how each group was able to strengthen their skills, identity, and education through this opportunity makes a significant difference for each student. She said she hopes to continue these virtual, international residency opportunities with students based in the United States and Empire State University’s international students.  

“It’s important for us to look for creative ways to provide international experiences for our students,” Pellettiere Calix said.