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About the Program

 

         A Community of Respect was developed in the spring of 2005 to respond to a specific need at Texas A&M University.  It became a community-wide program when the Cities of Bryan and College Station, Blinn Community College – Bryan Campus, and the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce joined Texas A&M to write a proposal to NAFSA also known as The Association of International Educators. The grant was approved and the funding was provided by the US Department of State to develop the course into a training program that enhances cultural understanding and awareness for communities.

 

        The grant proposed that the partners would create a curriculum, train 20 trainers and provide the program with at least 500 community members.  The Community of Respect program went on to train 30 members from the five partners and more than 2000 members of the community. To this day, the principles learned in the cross-cultural training program have greatly influenced each of the partners’ training curriculums.

 

        The program was recognized by the National League of Cities as a finalist in the 2006 Awards for Municipal Excellence that acknowledges programs that have significantly contributed to the quality of life in their city. The City of Bryan submitted the proposal to the National League of Cities on behalf of the partners involved in the project.

 

        Here are some comments from participants who have experienced our training:

 

       “Outstanding program that should be mandatory for all employees in every organization within our community. Very, very different from the usual diversity programs I have attended.”

        -Municipal Employee

 

       “The trainer helped us understand the big picture of how cultures differ from each other, then provided specific information about how to interact with the different cultures in our community. I use the skills in my job every day.”

        -Customer Service Representative

 

       “More interesting and interactive than the TCLEOSE courses required of police officers.” 

        -- City of Bryan police officer, March 2006

         (TCLEOSE – Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards & Education)

 

       “I thought I was culturally sensitive before this class, but I learned I have a long way to go. I really enjoyed it!” 

        -- Texas A&M Student Affairs staff member

 

        We now make this program available to trainers and educators from across the country.

 

       About the Staff

       Linda Edwards
       Linda Edwards earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism in 2002 and a Masters in Management in 2003 from Texas A&M University. In her current position as the Director of the Office of International Outreach she is responsible for developing and coordinating all outreach efforts for the International Programs Office. As a trained facilitator she has 14 years of experience in training and development specifically in areas of self awareness and communication. In her current role, Linda provides facilitation service, protocol training and information, in addition to one-to-one sessions on understanding culture to individuals at Texas A&M. She traveled to China on a Fulbright Hays Group Study Abroad Program in 2004 with 11 Texas school teachers and provided a venue for the teachers to present the curriculum developed in China at a Teachers’ Workshop in 2005. She is also a trainer and steering committee member for the Community of Respect intercultural training program. Linda may be reached by e-mail at l-edwards@tamu.edu or by phone at 979-862-6700.

       China Jenkins
       China Jenkins has a B.A. in French from Illinois State University and an M.Ed in curriculum and instruction (emphasis on multicultural education) from Texas A&M University. She is currently working on her doctorate in Adult Education. While serving in the U.S. Army as a Korean linguist, China discovered a passion for teaching and has earned honors for her ability to train others. Her travels and work experiences have helped to foster a great appreciation for cultural diversity. China currently works as the coordinator for the Community of Respect program. In her current role, she provides curriculum development, marketing, training and research. China is the liaison for Community of Respect trainers and can be reached by email at cmjenkins@ipomail.tamu.edu or by phone at 979-862-6700.

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